Michigan, 2002

Damaging Wind in Michigan, August 21, 2002

August 21, 2002 · NWS GRR · 1 event in 1 county or zone

1 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
2
Property damage
$10,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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 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 Grand Rapids, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 21, 8:42 PM EST, 1 hour 42 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 21, 8:42 PM EST, 1 hour 42 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
942 PM EDT WED AUG 21 2002

SURFACE LOW IS LOCATED NEAR LACROSSE WISCONSIN THIS EVENING...WITH A
WARM FRONTAL BOUNDARY EXTENDING EAST INTO NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN
(NORTH OF THE GRR CWA). WARM SOUTHERLY FLOW IS IN PLACE ACROSS
SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN...WITH DEW POINTS IN THE 70S ALONG THE LAKE
MICHIGAN COASTLINE. THE MOISTURE DECREASES ACROSS THE EASTERN
CWA...BUT THE CONVECTION SHOULD ATLEAST HOLD ITS OWN ACROSS LAKE
MICHIGAN INTO WESTERN LOWER. SITES IN EASTERN WISCONSIN HAVE GUSTED
TO NEAR 50 KNOTS IN THE LAST HOUR (ETB TO 41KTS AND UES TO 49KTS).
GIVEN AN INCREASING LOW LEVEL JET OVERHEAD...TO NEAR 50 KNOTS BY
06Z...DAMAGING WIND GUSTS ARE THE PRIMARY THREAT WITH THIS
CONVECTION AS IT MOVES EAST ACROSS THE LAKE. WILL CARRY CATEGORICAL
WORDING IN THE NORTH AND WEST...AND LEAVE THE CHANCE IN THE FAR
SOUTHEAST AS THE PRECIPITATION WILL BE MOVING INTO A MUCH LESS
FAVORABLE AIRMASS THERE. LOWS AND WINDS LOOK FINE IN THE GOING
FORECAST. HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO A THREAT WITH THE LOW LEVEL JET
POSITIONED OVERHEAD THROUGH THE NIGHT. REDEVELOPMENT IS ALREADY
OCCURRING TO THE WEST OF THE LINE OF STORMS COMING OUT OVER LAKE
MICHIGAN.

ZONES TO FOLLOW SHORTLY. SPECIAL MARINE WARNING JUST ISSUED FOR
GRAND HAVEN NORTHWARD TO MANISTEE.

.GRR...NONE.

DUKESHERER

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Muskegon

When
August 21, 10:24 PM EST to 10:34 PM EST
Where
Muskegon County, Norton Shrs
Measured
53 kt (61 mph)
Injuries
2 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.167, -86.250

An isolated severe thunderstorm blew down a tree in Norton Shores. The tree fell down on and injured two people who were taking a walk through woods near Lake Michigan. Law enforcement in Fruitport reported that several tree limbs and power lines were blown down.

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Michigan in 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, August 2002

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: 5315654.