High Wind in Michigan, March 9 to 10, 2002

Name: High Wind in Michigan, March 9 to 10, 2002
Start: 2002-03-09T15:00
End: 2002-03-10T04:00
Location: Michigan

March 9 to 10, 2002 · NWS DTX · 17 events in 17 counties and zones

A very strong cold front moved across southeast Michigan during the late afternoon hours of the 9th. A line of showers developed along the cold front.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 17 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: 2
Property damage: $780,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 17

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 very strong cold front moved across southeast Michigan during the late afternoon hours of the 9th. A line of showers developed along the cold front. Very strong winds and brief heavy rain were associated with these showers. Behind the line of showers, powerful winds brought much colder air into the region. A low pressure system, which moved across the northern Great Lakes during the afternoon of the 9th, strengthened during the evening as it moved northeast of the region. This allowed the strong winds to continue into the early morning hours of the 10th. In addition to the winds, temperatures dropped from readings in the 50s during the early afternoon of the 9th, to the 20s by late evening. Wind gusts measured between 60 and 70 MPH affected southeast Michigan during the passage of the cold front. Winds as high as 50 to 60 MPH continued into the night. Hundreds of trees, power lines and utility poles were blown down across southeast Michigan. Falling trees caused damage to several homes throughout the region. High winds also tore roofing material and siding off of many homes and businesses. A few cars were also struck by falling trees and branches. An estimated 180,000 homes and businesses across southeast Michigan lost power due many powers lines being blown down. A summary of some of the other damages are listed by county as follows: Bay: The large statue and sign at the Big Boy restaurant on North Euclid Ave. toppled over onto the parking lot, causing damage to a pickup truck. Genesee: A roof was blow off a portion of Bentley High School in Burton, damaging the school's library and GenNet Distance Learning Center. Several computers in the schools library were destroyed when they were drenched by heavy rains following the roofs demise. The Cantonese Gourmet restaurant on South Saginaw St near Belvedere Ave. in Flint also had part of its roof blown off. No injuries were reported at these two locations. Huron: A mother and daughter escaped serious injury when high winds ripped the roof off their trailer home north of Port Hope and sent the structure tumbling across their yard. Several barns across the county were destroyed by the high winds. The bleachers at the Bad Axe ball diamonds were also destroyed by a falling tree. Lenawee: At least two barns on the South County Line Highway were blown down. High winds also blew down part of the frame of a new professional building under construction on the west side of Blissfield. An Adrian woman escaped injury as she was driving westbound on US 223 near Humphrey Highway in Palmyra Township when a tree fell onto the road and struck her car. Monroe: The rubber membrane roof on Ida Elementary School (Ida Township) was ripped off. A part of the awning at the Clark Gas Station on S. Monroe St. and Jones Ave. collapsed due to high winds. A couple of barns across the county were destroyed. A semi-truck was blown over by high winds on US-23 just north of the Dundee on-ramp. The driver was reported to be unhurt. Twenty-eight vehicles were damaged when the plastic signs at Spirit Ford broke and shards were sent across the car lot. Oakland: High winds shattered windows in the grand-stands at the Hazel Park Raceway. Saginaw: Foam insulation and siding was ripped of List Elementary and Frankenmuth High Schools in Frankenmuth. A 21-year old female driver suffered minor injuries when a tree fell on her moving car in Saginaw. Sanilac: Deckerville High School in Deckerville lost about 25 percent of its gym roof due to the high winds. About 35 fifth and sixth graders were in the gym at the time. Noone was injured. Several barns were also destroyed throughout the county. Washtenaw: High winds shattered the windows at a restaurant in Ann Arbor, injuring one person. Wayne: At the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Detroit, a steeple that had topped the sanctuary for 127 years fell onto the street. The roof caved in on the St. Cyrl of Jerusalem's bus garage in Lincoln Park. In Grosse Point Park, a wall collapsed at Young Furniture where a second story was under construction.

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 Mar 9, 12:20 PM EST, 2 hours 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 9, 12:20 PM EST, 2 hours 40 minutes before

SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
1220 PM EST SAT MAR 9 2002

POTENT STORM SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO /BOMB/ OUT THIS AFTERNOON AS IT
TRACKS INTO ONTARIO. WILL MAINTAIN CURRENT WARNINGS FOR WIND FROM
LATE AFTERNOON INTO EVENING. CURRENTLY SEEING 40 TO 45 KNOT
SUSTAINED WINDS ACROSS IL/IN ASSOCIATED WITH STRONG ISENTROPIC
DESCENT...NICELY DEPICTED ON WATER VAPOR LOOP. AS LOW INTENSIFIES
THIS AFTERNOON...SO TOO WILL LOW LEVEL WIND FIELD. FOR EXAMPLE...
CURRENT IL/IN WINDS GUSTS OBSERVED IN REGION OF 50 TO 55 KNOT 850MB
WINDS. MESOETA INDICATES WINDS TO PICK UP TO 60 KNOTS PLUS AT 850MB
ACROSS CWA BY 00Z WITH RISING INVERSION HEIGHTS. CURRENT HIGH WIND
WARNING OBVIOUSLY ON TRACK.

AS FOR SEVERE POTENTIAL...IT REMAINS MARGINAL...BUT POSSIBLE.
DYNAMICS WITH THE SYSTEM ARE POTENT...IMPRESSIVE JET ACCOMPANYING
FRONT WITH IMPRESSIVE COUPLET 250/850MB...STRONG FGEN FORCING...
IMPRESSIVE LOW CONVERGENCE ALL POINT TO PLENTY OF DYNAMICS TO FUEL
THE SEVERE THREAT. HOWEVER...INSTABILITY WILL BE NEAR NIL NORTH OF I
94...BUT SLIGHTLY BETTER SOUTH WHERE MID AFTERNOON CAPES WILL BE IN
THE 300 TO 500 J/KG RANGE. NOT MUCH...BUT THESE IMPRESSIVE DYNAMICAL
SYSTEMS DO NOT REQUIRE MUCH. WILL CALL FOR A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON...ALL OF SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN WITH BEST
CHANCE SOUTH OF I 94...BETWEEN 2 PM AND 5 PM. MAIN THREAT WILL BE
WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH.

.DTX...HIGH WIND WARNING...LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...
                           ALL OF SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN.
       STORM WARNING IN EFFECT...TODAY...LAKE HURON
                                  AND LAKE ST CLAIR.

OKEEFE

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Mar 9, 12:00 PM EST, 3 hours before

MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-100000-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
1200 PM EST SAT MAR 9 2002

...SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON...

DISPATCHERS...PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGERS IMMEDIATELY.

THREAT...
A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CROSS SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN THIS
AFTERNOON AND BE EAST OF THE REGION BY EARLY EVENING. ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORMS NORTH OF I 94 AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND
SOUTH OF I 94 THIS AFTERNOON WILL BRING A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SEVERE
WEATHER TO ALL OF SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE WIND
GUSTS TO 60 MPH.

DISCUSSION...

STRONG LOW PRESSURE OVER THE UPPER PENINSULA WILL DEEPEN FURTHER
THIS AFTERNOON AS IT TRACKS INTO ONTARIO. THE LOW WILL PROPEL A
STRONG COLD FRONT ACROSS SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN. POWERFUL WINDS
ALOFT...THE IMPRESSIVE ENERGY OF THE SYSTEM...AND WARM
MOIST AIR AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL FUEL THE DEVELOPMENT OF
ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS NORTH OF I 94 AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS
ALONG AND SOUTH OF I 94.

A SLIGHT THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL EXIST BETWEEN 2 PM AND 5 PM
WITH WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH THE MAIN THREAT. ALTHOUGH THE SLIGHT RISK
OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXIST ACROSS ALL OF SOUTHEAST
MICHIGAN...THE CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER IS SLIGHTLY HIGHER ALONG
AND SOUTH OF I 94 WHERE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS WILL BE MORE
CONDUCIVE TO THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT
DEVELOP WILL MOVE NORTHEAST AT 60 MPH.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR LATER
FORECAST UPDATES. YOU CAN ALSO OBTAIN THE LATEST FORECAST ONLINE AT:

HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/DTX/ (ALL LOWER CASE)

OUTLOOK FOR SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...
NO ADDITIONAL WEATHER HAZARDS ARE EXPECTED.

OKEEFE

Special weather statement, Mar 9, 1:55 PM EST, 1 hour 5 minutes before

MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-100000-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
155 PM EST SAT MAR 9 2002

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 19 IS IN EFFECT FOR A PORTION
OF SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN UNTIL 7 PM EST...

DISPATCHERS...PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGERS IMMEDIATELY.

THREAT...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR PART OF SOUTHEAST
MICHIGAN. COUNTIES INCLUDED IN THE WATCH ARE LIVINGSTON...OAKLAND...
MACOMB...ST CLAIR...WASHTENAW...WAYNE...LENAWEE AND MONROE. SOME
COMMUNITIES IN THE WATCH INCLUDE HOWELL...PONTIAC...WARREN...PORT
HURON...ANN ARBOR...DETROIT...ADRIAN AND MONROE. SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR IN THE WATCH AREA. SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL
BE SEVERE. WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH ARE POSSIBLE.

A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CROSS SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN THIS
AFTERNOON AND BE EAST OF THE REGION BY EARLY EVENING. THIS COLD FRONT
WILL BRING SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO THE WATCH AREA.

DISCUSSION...

STRONG LOW PRESSURE OVER LAKE SUPERIOR WILL DEEPEN FURTHER
THIS AFTERNOON AS IT TRACKS INTO ONTARIO. THE LOW WILL PROPEL A
STRONG COLD FRONT ACROSS SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN. POWERFUL WINDS
ALOFT...THE IMPRESSIVE ENERGY OF THE SYSTEM...AND WARM MOIST AIR
AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL FUEL THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND SOUTH OF M 59. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS
WILL BE SEVERE. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH.
THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE NORTHEAST AT 60 MPH.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR LATER
FORECAST UPDATES. YOU CAN ALSO OBTAIN THE LATEST FORECAST ONLINE AT:

HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/DTX/ (ALL LOWER CASE)

OUTLOOK FOR SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...
NO ADDITIONAL WEATHER HAZARDS ARE EXPECTED.

OKEEFE

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

17 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Bay

When: March 9, 3:00 PM EST to March 10, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Bay forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 43.721, -83.942 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Genesee

When: March 9, 3:00 PM EST to March 10, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Genesee forecast zone
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage: $150,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.022, -83.707 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Huron

When: March 9, 3:00 PM EST to March 10, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Huron forecast zone
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage: $60,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 43.910, -82.855 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Lapeer

When: March 9, 3:00 PM EST to March 10, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Lapeer forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 43.090, -83.222 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Lenawee

When: March 9, 3:00 PM EST to March 10, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Lenawee forecast zone
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage: $40,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.895, -84.066 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Livingston

When: March 9, 3:00 PM EST to March 10, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Livingston forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.603, -83.911 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Macomb

When: March 9, 3:00 PM EST to March 10, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Macomb forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.673, -82.910 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Midland

When: March 9, 3:00 PM EST to March 10, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Midland forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.647, -84.388 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Monroe

When: March 9, 3:00 PM EST to March 10, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Monroe forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph)
Property damage: $80,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 41.921, -83.494 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Oakland

When: March 9, 3:00 PM EST to March 10, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Oakland forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 42.660, -83.386 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Saginaw

When: March 9, 3:00 PM EST to March 10, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Saginaw forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 43.335, -84.053 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Sanilac

When: March 9, 3:00 PM EST to March 10, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Sanilac forecast zone
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph)
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 43.443, -82.646 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Shiawassee

When: March 9, 3:00 PM EST to March 10, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Shiawassee forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.954, -84.147 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, St. Clair

When: March 9, 3:00 PM EST to March 10, 4:00 AM EST
Where: St. Clair forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 42.931, -82.664 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Tuscola

When: March 9, 3:00 PM EST to March 10, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Tuscola forecast zone
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.491, -83.440 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Washtenaw

When: March 9, 3:00 PM EST to March 10, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Washtenaw forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 42.253, -83.839 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Wayne

When: March 9, 3:00 PM EST to March 10, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Wayne forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph)
Property damage: $120,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 42.285, -83.261 (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 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in Michigan, March 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: 5281899, 5281900, 5281901, 5281902, 5281903, 5281904, 5281905, 5281906, 5281907, 5281908, 5281909, 5281910, 5281911, 5281912, 5281913, 5281914, 5281915.