Michigan, 2000

Hail and Damaging Winds in Michigan, May 12, 2000

May 12, 2000 · NWS GRR · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

Severe thunderstorms developed during the early morning hours in the vicinity of a warm front draped across central lower Michigan. m.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$240,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS GRR wrote it up.

Severe thunderstorms developed during the early morning hours in the vicinity of a warm front draped across central lower Michigan. At 1:15 a.m. EST wind damage 3 miles southeast of Shelby, in Oceana County, included several trees 6 to 8 inches in diameter that were blown down onto Stony Lake Road. Between 1:30 and 1:40 a.m. EST in Muskegon County, .88" hail was reported in Holton, and 1.00" hail was reported at Twin Lake. .88" hail was also reported in Brunswick, in Newaygo County, at 1:50 a.m. EST. In Kent County, there were several reports of both wind and hail damage. .88" diameter hail was reported 1 mile south of Cutlerville at 02:27 a.m. EST, and a strong thunderstorm wind gust downed a McDonalds sign 5 miles northeast of the city of Grand Rapids on Plainfield Road at 02:30 a.m. EST. There was also a report of wind damage 4 miles northeast of Ionia in Ionia County at 02:41 a.m. EST, where 16" to 18" diameter trees were blown down onto M-66.

The radar

The Grand Rapids radar (KGRR), 103 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:16 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Oceana

When
May 12, 1:15 AM EST
Where
Oceana County, Shelby
Measured
53 kt (61 mph)
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
43.600, -86.367

Hail, Muskegon

When
May 12, 1:30 AM EST to 1:40 AM EST
Where
Muskegon County, Twin Lake
Measured
1 in hail
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
43.367, -86.167

Hail, Newaygo

When
May 12, 1:50 AM EST
Where
Newaygo County, Brunswick
Measured
0.88 in hail
Property damage
$40,000
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
43.433, -86.033

Hail, Kent

When
May 12, 2:27 AM EST to 3:30 AM EST
Where
Kent County, Cutlerville
Measured
0.88 in hail
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
42.833, -85.667

Thunderstorm Wind, Ionia

When
May 12, 2:41 AM EST
Where
Ionia County, Central Portion
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
42.933, -85.083

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Michigan in 2000Every state in 2000This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, May 2000

Sources

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: 5144049, 5144048, 5144050, 5144047, 5144051.