Hail and Damaging Winds in Michigan, June 24, 1998

Thunderstorms developed in a warm and humid airmass during the afternoon. The storms focused on a pair of east-west oriented boundaries: one stretched across central lower Michigan, while the second was a weak warm front moving north into the southern portion of the state. Thunderstorms near both boundaries became severe.Storms near the northern boundary were hail producers. Golfball sized hail was reported by a spotter in Sanford, and also by the Michigan State Police northwest of Pinconning. Dime to quarter sized hail was reported at a number of other locations in Midland and Bay Counties.Along the warm front, a large supercell developed in south-central Michigan. It moved east and then turned southeast across southeast Michigan. Hardest hit was Washtenaw County, most notably around Chelsea, and from Milan to Whittaker. These locations were affected by parts of the supercell for an extended period of time. Severe weather started in the area around and north of Chelsea, where golfball sized hail fell. A lightning strike started a house fire north of Chelsea. Quarter sized hail fell in Chelsea about 20 minutes later, but this part of the storm was more noted for the wind damage it caused. Trees were downed in Sylvan, Chelsea, and Lima. A truck was destroyed by a fallen tree in Sylvan, and a few homes in Chelsea were damaged in a similar manner. Wind gusts also destroyed in barn in Lima. The wind was estimated at 75 mph in Chelsea.The supercell covered the Milan-Whittaker area with golfball sized hail. A spotter in Whittaker estimated 70 mph winds. Again, a second component of the large supercell caused severe weather 15 to 20 minutes later. This one also produced golfball sized hail in Milan, and emergency management officials estimated 70 mph winds just west of Whittaker.Although not hit as hard, the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti area also saw severe weather. A spotter in Ann Arbor estimated 60 mph winds on the fringe of the supercell, while a spotter in Ypsilanti saw golfball sized hail and 75 mph winds. Another spotter in Pittsfield saw dime sized hail.The supercell continued southeast into Lenawee and Monroe Counties. Only the northeast corner of Lenawee County was grazed, as trees were downed near Macon. Monroe County took a more substantial hit. A golfer at Thorn Hills Golf Club, northeast of Maybee, was hurt when a large tree limb fell on him. Trees were also downed in Dundee and Raisinville Township. A spotter estimated 60 mph winds in Maybee, as did emergency management officials just south of Carleton. Dime sized hail fell at the Fermi II Nuclear Power Plant. Finally, a sheriff just east of Temperance estimated a gust of 60 mph.This supercell would go on to cause substantial damage in northern Ohio.