Tornadoes in Michigan, May 23, 1999

A low pressure system moved northeast across northern lower Michigan late in the day. An associated cold front moved across southeast Michigan in the evening. Numerous showers developed ahead of the cold front in lower Michigan. Even though there was little, if any, thunder, these showers managed to produce two tornadoes in southeast Michigan.In Lenawee County, a tornado moved northeast across Rome Township. This tornado produced F0 damage along most of its path, but briefly reached F1 intensity about 2 miles northeast of Rome Center. At this point, the tornado destroyed a large metal shed, blowing debris up to a quarter mile away. The tornado also damaged an antique gas pump at the same site. Along the rest of its path, the tornado snapped off a number of trees, and damaged siding and rain gutters to a farmhouse. Just before it lifted, the tornado shifted a barn off its foundation, and partially deroofed two barns.As an historical note, the path of this tornado coincided almost exactly with a segment of the paths of the Palm Sunday tornadoes of April 11 1965 - which were the strongest tornadoes in Lenawee County since 1950. In fact, local property owners commented that the structures that were damaged by the 1999 tornado were also damaged (much more heavily) back in 1965!The second tornado of the day affected Imlay and Goodland Townships in eastern Lapeer County. Just after touchdown, the tornado moved a two story home along Bowers Road off its foundation, resulting in serious structural damage. A barn across the street was partially deroofed, and portions of the walls collapsed. A livestock trailer and a dog pen were also moved, and a large tree was downed nearby.Damage was comparatively slight in the middle portion of the track. Just before it lifted, however, the tornado struck another home, this one along Shaw Road. This two-year-old home was largely deroofed, with pieces of the roof found a quarter mile away. Several windows were blown out, and substantial tree damage occurred on the property.The damage near the beginning and the end of the track are both consistent with an F1 tornado.