A thunderstorm developed rapidly over the city of Gaylord around 7 pm. The storm brought only very heavy rains to the city of Gaylord, then raced southeast toward Lewiston.
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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 APX wrote it up.
A thunderstorm developed rapidly over the city of Gaylord around 7 pm. The storm brought only very heavy rains to the city of Gaylord, then raced southeast toward Lewiston. By 720 pm, the storm was moving at 50 mph and strong rotation was noted, prompting a Tornado Warning. An F1 tornado formed just minutes after passing southeast of Lewiston. It then moved out of Montmorency county into Oscoda county.By 732 pm, the storm strengthened to an F2 and reached the city of Comins, cutting it in two. It completely destroyed a Parsonage, Mennonite Church, Township Hall, Fire Department and Post Office within the town of Comins. The storm also destroyed 10 homes and damaged 45 others, in addition to destroying 4 businesses and damaging 4 others. The park facilities on the east side of Comins also sustained substantial damage.The tornado continued out of Comins as an F1, continuing into Alcona county where 16 homes were damaged along the path from the county line to Barton City. The tornado lifted in the vicinity of Barton City around 8 pm.Extensive tree damage was also noted along the 20 mile damage path of the tornado, with path widths ranging from 60 to 120 yards.
The NCL Michigan radar (KAPX), 35 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:21 UTC.
3 tornado, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Hundreds of trees down around Wolf Lake. Several homes had roof damage
60 yard wide swath of trees snapped off 8 feet above the ground. 3 homes damaged. Several mobile homes damaged. Tornado continued into Oscoda county.
Continuation of Montmorency County tornado. Most extensive area of damage occurred here. See narrative below. Tornado continued into Alcona county.
Continuation of Oscoda County tornado. Hundreds of trees down and 16 homes damaged.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Michigan, 1999Warnings in Michigan, July 1999
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: 5700781, 5700782, 5700783, 5700784.