High Wind in Michigan, April 12, 2001

Name: High Wind in Michigan, April 12, 2001
Start: 2001-04-12T04:00
End: 2001-04-12T19:00
Location: Michigan

April 12, 2001 · NWS DTX · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

A strong cold front moved across southeast Michigan in the morning. Strong winds were observed across much of the area after the front went through.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 1
Property damage: $1.1 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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 DTX wrote it up.

A strong cold front moved across southeast Michigan in the morning. Strong winds were observed across much of the area after the front went through. In a few spots, the winds reached high wind criteria:Willow Run Airport measured a 61 mph wind gust.Several communications towers were blown down in Monroe County.Several trees and a large barn were destroyed on a farm near Almont.Across the rest of southeast Michigan, most of the damage comprised of isolated trees, large limbs, and power lines being downed, as winds gusted around 50 mph at times. An indirect fatality occurred in Detroit, where a 9 year old boy came in contact with a fallen power line, and was electrocuted. In Ann Arbor, a 7 year old boy suffered minor injuries when a soccer net was blown over onto his head. The Detroit Lions practice dome in Pontiac collapsed in the strong winds. In Lake Orion, a tree downed at a dealership damaged or destroyed 8 new cars. Nearby in Oxford, a cinder block wall inside a school bus garage was toppled, and shingles were blown off a school roof. A freeway sign was downed onto 11 Mile Road in Royal Oak. In Warren, a golf dome was destroyed. An apartment complex in Chesterfield Township (Macomb County) saw a brick facade sheared off; the bricks landed on a row of gas meters, and the building was evacuated until the gas could be shut off. In Port Huron, a large sign was torn off the roof of a business, landing on a car parked outside. Near Dundee, a boat being towed behind a car was blown over.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Detroit, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 12, 2:30 AM EST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 12, 2:30 AM EST, 1 hour 30 minutes before

SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
330 AM EDT THU APR 12 2001

IR SATELLITE AND 88D LOOPS SHOW A GENERAL DECREASE IN CONVECTION
JUST SOUTHWEST OF THE CWA. UPPER SUPPORT CONTINUES TO ROTATE
NORTHWEST OF THE CWA...AND PERSISTENT SFC BASED INVERSION WILL ONLY
ALLOW FOR ELEVATED CONVECTION. THERMAL AXIS ALSO ROTATING EAST OF
THE CWA. THUS UNLIKELY FOR SEVERE WINDS TO PENETRATE TO SURFACE.
LARGE HAIL STILL POSSIBLE THOUGH WITH WET BULB ZEROS STILL RUNNING
AROUND 10K FEET AND VERY STRONG SHEAR STILL IN PLACE. COLD FRONT HAS
CLEARED LAKE MICHIGAN AND BASED ON CURRENT SATELLITE TRENDS FRONT
SHOULD BE CLEAR OF THE STATE BY 7 AM. CLOUDS ALSO BEGINNING TO SCOUR
OUT COMPLETELY OVER SOUTHWEST LOWER AND THE WESTERN OHIO VALLEY IN
DRY SLOT...THUS A LARGE PORTION OF THE CWA SHOULD BE MOSTLY SUNNY
FOR THE MORNING HOURS.

MODELS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT THROUGH 60 HOURS OVER THE GREAT LAKES
REGION. 140 KT 300 MB JET HELPING TO DRIVE DRY SLOT INTO THE
SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES REGION...AND AS UPPER LOW CONTINUES TO MOVE
NORTHWEST OF THE CWA...JUST ANTICIPATE MINIMAL WRAP AROUND CLOUD FOR
THIS AFTERNOON. MAIN CONCERN TODAY WILL BE FOR HIGH WINDS AS
INVERSION ERODES AND STRONGER WINDS MIX DOWN...850 MB FIELD RUNNING
AROUND 50 KNOTS. PLENTY OF SUN THIS MORNING SHOULD ERODE INVERSION
QUICKLY...THUS ANTICIPATE HIGH WIND CRITERIA TO OCCUR AFTER 10 AM.
IN ADDITION COLD AIR ADVECTION AND 850-700 MB LAYER Q-VECTOR
DIVERGENCE SHOULD HELP DOWNWARD TRANSPORT OF MOMENTUM THROUGH THE
AFTERNOON HOURS.

A SECONDARY UPPER WAVE WILL ROTATE ACROSS MAINLY THE NORTHERN HALF
OF THE CWA OVERNIGHT. MOISTURE IS LIMITED AND IN SPITE OF GOOD
DIFFERENTIAL VORTICITY ADVECTION...WILL KEEP POPS MINIMAL ACROSS THE
NORTH AT THIS TIME. SURFACE LOW WILL ALSO ACCELERATE NORTHEAST
TONIGHT AND GRADUALLY WEAKEN GRADIENT OVER THE CWA FROM SOUTHWEST TO
NORTHEAST...BRINGING WINDS BACK BELOW THE WINDY CATEGORY AFTER
MIDNIGHT. STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION TO CONTINUE FRIDAY WITH 850 MB
TEMPERATURES DIPPING TO LESS THAN 0C...MOSTLY STILL VERY LEAN THOUGH
SO VERY LITTLE IN THE WAY OF CU DEVELOPMENT.

NEXT CLIPPER LOW WILL RACE INTO THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES BY SATURDAY
MORNING. IMPRESSIVE THETA-E RIDGE AXIS AND WARM AIR ADVECTION FIELD
AHEAD OF SYSTEM...WILL BRING A QUICK RETURN TO CLOUDS ACROSS THE CWA
BY 12Z SATURDAY.

.DTX...HIGH WIND ADVISRORY...LATE THIS MORNING AND AFTERNOON...
       MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075>076-082>083.
       GALE WARNING...TODAY...LAKE HURON.
       GALE WARNING...TODAY...LAKE ST. CLAIR.

GSS

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 11, 11:25 PM EST, 4 hours 35 minutes before

MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-120900-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
1225 AM EDT THU APR 12 2001

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 139 IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM FOR A PART OF
SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN...

DISPATCHERS...PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGERS IMMEDIATELY.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 139 IN
EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM FOR MIDLAND...BAY...SAGINAW AND SHIAWASSEE
COUNTIES. SOME COMMUNITIES INCLUDED IN THE TORNADO WATCH ARE
MIDLAND...BAY CITY...SAGINAW AND OWOSSO.

A WARM FRONT WILL SLOWLY MOVE NORTHEASTWARD FROM NORTHWEST OHIO AND
WESTERN LOWER MICHIGAN THROUGH SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN OVERNIGHT.
SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE
PASSAGE OF THE WARM FRONT. SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD BE SEVERE...
PARTICULARLY ACROSS THE WATCH AREA WHERE WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH AND
HAIL UP TO ONE INCH IN DIAMETER MAY OCCUR. A TORNADO IS ALSO
POSSIBLE.

A COLD FRONT WILL THEN MOVE ACROSS SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN BETWEEN 2 AM
AND 5 AM. A BROKEN LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...CURRENTLY AHEAD OF
THE COLD FRONT...WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE RAPIDLY NORTHEAST. STORMS
WITHIN THIS LINE COULD ALSO BECOME SEVERE ACROSS SOUTHEAST
MICHIGAN. ALL THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE QUICKLY NORTHEAST AT AROUND
50 MPH.

ADDITIONALLY, THUNDERLESS CONVECTIVE SHOWER ACTIVITY
MAY BRING STRONG WINDS JUST ABOVE THE GROUND DOWN TO THE SURFACEq
PRODUCING LOCALIZED WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH AS THE COLD FRONT TRAVERSES
THE AREA.

STAY TUNED TO YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR THE LATEST WEATHER
INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

JW

Special weather statement, Apr 12, 1:44 AM EST, 2 hours 16 minutes before

MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-120900-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
244 AM EDT THU APR 12 2001

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 139 IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM EDT FOR A PART OF
SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN...

DISPATCHERS...PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGERS IMMEDIATELY.

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 139 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM EDT FOR
MIDLAND...BAY...SAGINAW AND SHIAWASSEE COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST
MICHIGAN.

A COLD FRONT WAS MOVING QUICKLY EAST ACROSS LAKE MICHIGAN EARLY
THIS MORNING. AHEAD OF THIS FRONT...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW
THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER MUCH OF LOWER MICHIGAN. AN ISOLATED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OR TWO REMAINS POSSIBLE...PARTICULARLY ACROSS
THE WATCH AREA...UNTIL THE COLD FRONT CLEARS THE REGION AROUND
5 AM. DIME SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH REMAIN A SLIGHT
POSSIBILITY AS THE STORMS MOVE NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

STAY TUNETD TO YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR THE LATEST WEATHER
INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

JW

Special weather statement, Apr 12, 2:21 AM EST, 1 hour 39 minutes before

MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-121000-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
321 AM EDT THU APR 12 2001

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 139 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST
MICHIGAN...

DISPATCHERS...PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGERS IMMEDIATELY.

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 139 HAS BEEN CANCELLED. THE WATCH INCLUDED
MIDLAND...BAY...SAGINAW AND SHIAWASSEE COUNTIES AS WELL AS THE
COMMUNITIES OF MIDLAND...BAY CITY...SAGINAW AND OWOSSO.

A COLD FRONT WAS MOVING QUICKLY EAST ACROSS WESTERN LOWER MICHIGAN
EARLY THIS MORNING. AHEAD OF THIS FRONT...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A
FEW THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER MUCH OF LOWER MICHIGAN. THESE
SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL CONTINUE OVER SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN...UNTIL THE
FRONT CLEARS THE REGION AROUND 6 AM. CONDITIONS ARE NO
LONGER FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...ALTHOUGH AN ISOLATED
STORM OR TWO COULD STILL PRODUCE PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO
45 MPH PRIOR TO THE FRONTAL PASSAGE.

STAY TUNED TO YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR THE LATEST WEATHER
INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

JW

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Lenawee

When: April 12, 4:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Lenawee forecast zone
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 41.895, -84.066 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Monroe

When: April 12, 4:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Monroe forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $35,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.921, -83.494 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Washtenaw

When: April 12, 4:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Washtenaw forecast zone
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 42.253, -83.839 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Wayne

When: April 12, 4:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Wayne forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph)
Property damage: $34,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 42.285, -83.261 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Oakland

When: April 12, 4:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Oakland forecast zone
Property damage: $420,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 42.660, -83.386 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Macomb

When: April 12, 4:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Macomb forecast zone
Property damage: $536,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 42.673, -82.910 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Lapeer

When: April 12, 4:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Lapeer forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 43.090, -83.222 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, St. Clair

When: April 12, 4:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: St. Clair forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 42.931, -82.664 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Michigan in 2001 Every state in 2001 This day in weather history Warnings in Michigan, April 2001

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: 5241139, 5241140, 5241141, 5241142, 5241143, 5241144, 5241218, 5241219.