Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Michigan, May 21, 2001

A weak tornado touched down near High Ridge Drive along the Kent Lake shoreline, in Kensington Metropark. There was a well-defined path of tree damage extending north-northwest to near the intersection of Pearson and Hickory Ridge Roads. A few structures were damaged, including a home struck by a falling tree, and a century-old barn was destroyed. An apartment complex lost gutters and shingles from its roof, and nearby playground equipment was thrown.

A tornado developed near Hartland High School and Lake Walden, and moved north parallel to US-23, eventually crossing that busy highway between Clyde and Faussett Roads. There was a brief break in the damage path south of Center Road, but the tornado reformed again north of Center Road, this time back on the west side of US-23. The tornado continued north into Genesee County.Most of the damage to trees and structures was consistent with a weak tornado. However, near and north of the Majestic Golf Course, damage was considerably more intense, justifying an F2 rating. Seventy vehicles in the golf course parking lot were damaged (rolled, tossed, or struck by debris), with twelve of them totaled. Thirty five golf carts were destroyed, and a pontoon boat used to transport golfers was flipped. A large piece of a wooden footbridge was tossed through the enclosed back porch of the clubhouse. An amputee organization was having a golf outing that afternoon. Thankfully, the golf carts were equipped with G.P.S. units, and the course sent a message out on those units that a tornado was approaching. Only one person on the course suffered a minor injury (exact injury undisclosed). Three homes were destroyed near Clyde Road and US-23, as were a party store and a towing company that shared a building. A man at the party store suffered a minor hand injury, and two vehicles at the towing company were totaled. Several hundred trees were downed in this general area.Further north, several cars and semis were flipped when the tornado crossed US-23. One driver of a semi suffered a head injury when his truck overturned, though he was not seriously hurt. The TRW plant on Center Road lost a small part of its roof. Several cars in the parking of Tyrone Hills Golf Course had windows blown out. As the tornado moved across agricultural land, three cows were killed.

The tornado moved north from Livingston County, soon dissipating in far southern Genesee County. Tree damage was spotty along the path in Genesee County, consistent with a weak tornado.

A newspaper photographer snapped a shot of a very brief tornado touchdown 2 miles west of M-52 in Bennington Township. There were no reports of any damage.

Though the tornado originated in Genesee County, it did most of its damage in Lapeer County. It moved northeast from near Hegal and Washburn Roads, finally dissipating near Lippincott Road, southwest of the city of Lapeer. Two barns were destroyed by the tornado, one of which was 150 years old. A house and garage were moved off their foundations. A camper-trailer was tipped over, and a storage silo was tossed. Shingles were lost off of one home.

The last tornado of day developed in far southeast Genesee County, and quickly moved northeast into Lapeer County. Damage in Genesee County east of Goodrich was limited to trees.

Numerous trees were downed in a small area.