Tornado in Michigan, May 31, 1999

Warm, moist air blanketed lower Michigan, as a low pressure system moved slowly north along a nearly stationary cold front in Wisconsin. A number of showers and thunderstorms developed in the warm sector. There was only one severe weather event, but that unfortunately was a strong tornado that hit the north side of the city of Midland.Touchdown occurred at an apartment complex on the west side of Eastman Avenue (which is the US-10 business loop into downtown Midland). Power lines and trees were downed on both sides of Eastman Avenue, although little damage was done to structures. The tornado strengthened as it moved northeast across Woodpark Drive, uprooting trees, blowing out windows, and removing rain gutters and siding. Some trees were downed onto nearby homes. The tornado reached its maximum intensity as it crossed Wackerly Road. It struck a Holiday Inn Convention Center, located between Wackerly Road and the US-10 freeway. The roof of the convention center was blown off, with some debris blown across the freeway. An air conditioner from the roof was tossed onto a nearby parked car. Several doors to the convention center were blown out. A trash can from the hotel area was blown onto US-10, where it struck a car.The tornado weakened as it crossed the US-10 freeway. It moved through the parking lot of a Target store, at the southeast corner of Midland Mall. An outdoor shopping cart holder was thrown into a nearby field, and several trees were destroyed. As the tornado continued northeast, it downed a pair of large trees midway between a nursery and a WalMart.Toward the end of its path, the tornado struck a church on Jefferson Avenue, just south of Letts Road. Large limbs were downed here, and siding was torn off some of the church buildings. A youth center under construction was partially deroofed.This tornado tied for the strongest to strike Midland County since 1950. The only previous F2 tornado occurred on April 14 1974. The May 31 1999 tornado was the first tornado of any strength to hit Midland County since June 17 1992.