Lightning, Midland
- When
- September 19, 12:30 PM EST
- Where
- Midland County, Coleman
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Coordinates
- 43.647, -84.388 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Damaging Winds and Lightning Strikes in Michigan, September 19, 1997
A strong cold front tracked across southeast Michigan during the afternoon of the 19th. Severe thunderstorms downed trees and powerlines at Chelsea, Howell, Farmington Hills, Detroit, Clinton and Dundee.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $20,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 10
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS DTX wrote it up.
A strong cold front tracked across southeast Michigan during the afternoon of the 19th. Severe thunderstorms downed trees and powerlines at Chelsea, Howell, Farmington Hills, Detroit, Clinton and Dundee. Lighthing struck a farm near Coleman, in Midland county, killing 4 horses. Lightning also damaged 2 houses in Waterford (Oakland county), and damaged an apartment building in Westland (Wayne county). About 20,000 people were left without power.
The radar
The Grand Rapids radar (KGRR), 126 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:45 UTC.
Event by event
7 thunderstorm wind, 3 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Washtenaw
- When
- September 19, 4:45 PM EST
- Where
- Washtenaw County, Chelsea
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Coordinates
- 42.320, -84.020
Thunderstorm Wind, Livingston
- When
- September 19, 4:53 PM EST
- Where
- Livingston County, Howell
- Measured
- 60 kt (69 mph)
- Coordinates
- 42.600, -83.930
Thunderstorm Wind, Livingston
- When
- September 19, 4:53 PM EST
- Where
- Livingston County, 4 mi W of Pinckney
- Measured
- 60 kt (69 mph)
- Coordinates
- 42.450, -84.020
Lightning, Wayne
- When
- September 19, 5:00 PM EST
- Where
- Wayne County, Westland
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Coordinates
- 42.285, -83.261 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Thunderstorm Wind, Lenawee
- When
- September 19, 5:10 PM EST
- Where
- Lenawee County, Clinton
- Measured
- 60 kt (69 mph)
- Coordinates
- 42.070, -83.970
Lightning, Oakland
- When
- September 19, 5:15 PM EST
- Where
- Oakland County, Waterford
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Coordinates
- 42.660, -83.386 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Thunderstorm Wind, Oakland
- When
- September 19, 5:15 PM EST
- Where
- Oakland County, Farmington
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph)
- Coordinates
- 42.470, -83.370
Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe
- When
- September 19, 5:38 PM EST
- Where
- Monroe County, Dundee
- Measured
- 60 kt (69 mph)
- Coordinates
- 41.950, -83.650
Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne
- When
- September 19, 5:40 PM EST
- Where
- Wayne County, Detroit
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph)
- Coordinates
- 42.330, -83.070
What these are
- Lightning
- A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Tornado and Flooding in Wisconsin, September 19, 1997
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Michigan, September 19, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Ohio, September 19, 1997
- Hail in Wisconsin, September 19, 1997
- Lightning Strikes in Illinois, September 19, 1997
- Damaging Winds in Utah, September 19, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Wyoming, September 19, 1997
- Waterspout in Florida, September 19, 1997
- Waterspout in Florida, September 19, 1997
- Heat in Georgia, September 19, 1997
- Heat in Alabama, September 19, 1997
- Waterspout in Florida, September 19, 1997
More
Every storm in Michigan in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, September 1997
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5614170, 5614172, 5614173, 5614176, 5614179, 5614177, 5614171, 5614175, 5614178, 5614174.