A squall line developed across southern Minnesota, Iowa, and northern Missouri ahead of a weak cold front during the late afternoon hours of Thursday, June 18th. The squall line propagated east at over 50 mph across Lake Michigan during the late evening hours and slowed down to around 35 mph after moving inland into western Lower Michigan.
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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.
The episode as NWS GRR wrote it up.
A squall line developed across southern Minnesota, Iowa, and northern Missouri ahead of a weak cold front during the late afternoon hours of Thursday, June 18th. The squall line propagated east at over 50 mph across Lake Michigan during the late evening hours and slowed down to around 35 mph after moving inland into western Lower Michigan. Weather spotter reports and automated observing systems indicated that the peak wind gusts associated with this line of thunderstorms averaged between 35 and 55 mph. However, isolated occurrences of 60 to 80 mph wind gusts downed trees and power lines at scattered locations across mainly the western two tiers of counties across southwest Lower Michigan, between Muskegon and Benton Harbor. The peak wind gust reported was 81 mph in Saugatuck, along the lake shore of Allegan County. At the height of the storm, approximately 13,400 people were without power in areas near and around Muskegon, Montague, Holland, Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, and Battle Creek. Many power outages were caused by lightning strikes.
The Grand Rapids radar (KGRR), 60 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:13 UTC.
19 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained weather spotter reported a 81 mph wind gust measured by his local anemometer. The spotter also reported a tree was downed across Michigan Highway 89 in the southern part of Saugatuck Township.
Several trees and power lines were downed in and around Montague in northwest Muskegon County. Lightning strikes also resulted in several power outages. Most of Montague was reportedly without power.
Amateur radio operators reported a pole barn was blown down along 30th Street, just south of Gitchel and just north of the Ottawa/Allegan County line.
Allegan County Central Dispatch reported a few trees and power lines downed near the intersection of 62nd and 113th Streets in South Holland.
Allegan County Central Dispatch reported a few trees and power lines downed near the intersection of 59th and 142nd Streets 3 miles east of Glenn.
Van Buren County Central Dispatch reported a few trees and power lines downed in Bangor Township.
Van Buren County Central Dispatch reported a tree fell through a house trailer in Lawrence Township. No injuries were reported.
Falling tree limbs downed power lines in and around the city of Muskegon.
Scattered reports of trees and power lines down in Paw Paw Township.
Power lines downed in Grandville.
Amateur radio operators reported power lines downed near the intersection of Plainfield Ave and 4 Mile Road in NE Grand Rapids. A trained spotter reported one tree was uprooted at a funeral home at the corner of Fuller St. and 3 Mile Road in NE Grand Rapids. No structural damage was reported.
Kalamazoo Central Dispatch reported downed power lines scattered across the city of Kalamazoo.
Power lines downed in Oshtemo.
Barry County Central Dispatch reported trees downed near the intersection of 108th and Whitneyville Road, 3 miles north of Middleville in Thornapple Township.
Tree blown down onto car in Prairieville Township, 5 miles southwest of Delton.
Trees downed in and around Delton.
Calhoun County Central Dispatch reported power lines downed in Bedford.
Trees downed along K Drive S. just east of 5 Mile Rd. in Leroy Township, approximately 5 miles northeast of Athens.
Trees downed along N Drive N. just east of Old U.S. 27 in Lee Township, approximately 5 miles north of Marshall.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, June 1998
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: 5658622, 5658623, 5658624, 5658625, 5658709, 5658710, 5658711, 5658712, 5658713, 5658714, 5658715, 5658716, 5658717, 5658718, 5658719, 5658720, 5658721, 5658722, 5658723.