Thunderstorm Wind, Benzie
- When
- July 30, 10:30 PM EST
- Where
- Benzie County, Frankfort
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 44.633, -86.233
Numerous trees down.
Damaging Winds in Michigan, July 30 to 31, 2002
A line of severe thunderstorms moved across much of northern Lower Michigan during the late evening hours on the 30th and the overnight hours on the 31st. The wind gusts associated with these storms downed many trees and power lines, especially across northwest Lower Michigan.
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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 19
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 APX wrote it up.
A line of severe thunderstorms moved across much of northern Lower Michigan during the late evening hours on the 30th and the overnight hours on the 31st. The wind gusts associated with these storms downed many trees and power lines, especially across northwest Lower Michigan.
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 Gaylord, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 30, 9:05 PM EST, 1 hour 25 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 30, 9:05 PM EST, 1 hour 25 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GAYLORD MI 1005 PM EDT TUE JUL 30 2002 THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX OVER EASTERN WISCONSIN IN EXTREMELY UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT PER MAPS SURFACE LI ANALYSIS/0Z GRB SOUNDING...WITH SURFACE LI/CAPE ANALYSIS AND 0Z APX SOUNDING SUGGESTING A SHARP STABILITY GRADIENT OVER LAKE MICHIGAN. ALSO...SW WISCONSIN PROFILER DATA DEPICTS STRENGTHENING 850 MB WINDS...35 KNOTS COMPARED TO ONLY 20 KNOTS AT 500 MB. THESE FACTORS SUGGEST THAT MCS WILL REDEVELOP TOWARD THE W/SW...WITH FORWARD ELEMENTS TURNING SE AND WEAKENING WITH TIME. HOWEVER...GIVEN STRENGTH OF ONGOING CONVECTION...EVEN WITH A WEAKENING TREND THERE COULD BE STRONG WIND GUSTS/HAIL ACROSS SW COUNTIES OF NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN AS MCS PUSHES ONSHORE. THUS... RAISED POPS TO LIKELY ACROSS SW COUNTIES OF LOWER MI...WEST OF HTL. MEANWHILE...COLD FRONT HAS STALLED OVER UPPER MICHIGAN...MOISTURE ADVECTION ALONG/SOUTH OF THIS SYSTEM JUSTIFIES CONTINUED CHANCE POPS ACROSS THE EASTERN UP AND ACROSS N/NW COUNTIES OF NW LOWER MI OVERNIGHT. WITH MCS EXPECTED TO TURN SE/WEAKEN...AND WITH FOCUS FOR ADDITIONAL CONVECTION ACROSS THE N/NW...DID NOT ADD POPS FROM APN THROUGH HTL AND POINTS S/E...BUT ADDED MENTION OF CLOUDS. GIVEN CLOUD COVER...RAISED TEMPS A BIT IN MOST AREAS OVERNIGHT. .APX...NONE. ROWLEY
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jul 30, 8:50 PM EST, 1 hour 40 minutes before
MIZ008-015>036-041-042-311200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GAYLORD MI 950 PM EDT TUE JUL 30 2002 ...THERE IS A RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN AND NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN OVERNIGHT... * THREAT AREA....EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN AND NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN...ESPECIALLY SOUTH AND WEST OF A LINE FROM LELAND... TO GAYLORD...TO HOUGHTON LAKE. * DISPATCHERS...PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGERS IMMEDIATELY. SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT. * HAZARDOUS WEATHER THREAT...A FEW THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING WIND GUSTS OF 60 MPH AND HAIL UP TO 1 INCH IN DIAMETER. * TIME OF HAZARDOUS WEATHER THREAT...AFTER MIDNIGHT. * FOR INFORMATION REGARDING ONGOING...POSSIBLY HAZARDOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS PLEASE REFER TO WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/APX/ (ALL LOWER CASE). IF LATER INFORMATION FURTHER SUPPORTS THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER THREAT...APPROPRIATE WATCHES AND/OR WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. ROWLEY
The radar
The NCL Michigan radar (KAPX), 123 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:32 UTC.
Event by event
19 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Manistee
- When
- July 30, 10:35 PM EST
- Where
- Manistee County, Manistee
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 44.250, -86.317
Numerous trees down.
Thunderstorm Wind, Grand Traverse
- When
- July 30, 10:44 PM EST
- Where
- Grand Traverse County, Traverse City
- Measured
- 65 kt (75 mph)
- Reported by
- BROADCAST MEDIA
- Coordinates
- 44.767, -85.617
Thunderstorm Wind, Benzie
- When
- July 30, 10:47 PM EST
- Where
- Benzie County, Lake Ann
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 44.717, -85.850
Several trees down.
Thunderstorm Wind, Manistee
- When
- July 30, 10:53 PM EST
- Where
- Manistee County, Manistee
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 44.250, -86.317
Several trees down.
Thunderstorm Wind, Antrim
- When
- July 30, 10:58 PM EST
- Where
- Antrim County, 4 mi E of Eastport
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 45.117, -85.267
Thunderstorm Wind, Antrim
- When
- July 30, 11:03 PM EST
- Where
- Antrim County, Kewadin
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 44.933, -85.367
Thunderstorm Wind, Grand Traverse
- When
- July 30, 11:05 PM EST
- Where
- Grand Traverse County, Traverse City
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 44.767, -85.617
Numerous trees down.
Thunderstorm Wind, Leelanau
- When
- July 30, 11:10 PM EST
- Where
- Leelanau County, Suttons Bay
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 44.967, -85.667
Trees down on roadways.
Thunderstorm Wind, Wexford
- When
- July 30, 11:19 PM EST
- Where
- Wexford County, 8 mi E of Buckley
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 44.500, -85.500
Numerous trees down.
Thunderstorm Wind, Kalkaska
- When
- July 30, 11:25 PM EST
- Where
- Kalkaska County, Kalkaska
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 44.733, -85.167
Several trees down.
Thunderstorm Wind, Antrim
- When
- July 30, 11:31 PM EST
- Where
- Antrim County, Alba
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 44.967, -84.983
A few trees down.
Thunderstorm Wind, Grand Traverse
- When
- July 30, 11:35 PM EST
- Where
- Grand Traverse County, Fife Lake
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 44.567, -85.350
Numerous trees down.
Thunderstorm Wind, Crawford
- When
- July 30, 11:41 PM EST
- Where
- Crawford County, Grayling
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 44.667, -84.700
Numerous trees down.
Thunderstorm Wind, Kalkaska
- When
- July 30, 11:45 PM EST
- Where
- Kalkaska County, 2 mi NE of South Boardman
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 44.650, -85.217
A few trees down.
Thunderstorm Wind, Antrim
- When
- July 30, 11:50 PM EST
- Where
- Antrim County, Mancelona
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 44.900, -85.067
Numerous trees down.
Thunderstorm Wind, Roscommon
- When
- July 30, 11:57 PM EST
- Where
- Roscommon County, Higgins Lake
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 44.417, -84.700
Several trees down.
Thunderstorm Wind, Oscoda
- When
- July 31, 12:31 AM EST
- Where
- Oscoda County, Red Oak
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 44.700, -84.283
Trees down across roadways.
Thunderstorm Wind, Ogemaw
- When
- July 31, 12:38 AM EST
- Where
- Ogemaw County, West Branch
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph)
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 44.283, -84.217
Numerous trees 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
- Tornadoes and Hail in Wisconsin, July 30, 2002
- Flood and Hail in Georgia, July 30, 2002
- Heat in Arkansas, July 30, 2002
- Lightning Strike in Tennessee, July 30, 2002
- Hail in Nebraska, July 30, 2002
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, July 30, 2002
- Lightning Strikes in Tennessee, July 30, 2002
- Damaging Wind and Lightning Strike in Arkansas, July 30, 2002
- Damaging Wind in Tennessee, July 30, 2002
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Minnesota, July 30, 2002
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Nebraska, July 30, 2002
- Damaging Wind in Tennessee, July 30, 2002
More
Every storm in Michigan in 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, July 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: 5307372, 5307373, 5307374, 5307430, 5307429, 5307375, 5307376, 5307377, 5307378, 5307379, 5307423, 5307424, 5307425, 5307426, 5307427, 5307431, 5307432, 5307428, 5307433.