Strong southerly winds ushered warm air into Northern Michigan after sunset. Numerous wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph occurred during the night of the 18th.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS APX wrote it up.
Strong southerly winds ushered warm air into Northern Michigan after sunset. Numerous wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph occurred during the night of the 18th. These winds downed a stray tree here or there, along with the occasional power line. More significant damage occurred at the Pellston Regional Airport, where a parked turboprop commercial aircraft was spun into nearby boarding docks, damaging the wings and tail section of the aircraft. At the same airport, a Cessna 150 was flipped by the strong winds, causing substantial damage.
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 Apr 18, 8:20 PM EST, 40 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GAYLORD MI 920 PM EDT SUN APR 18 2004 .SHORT TERM...WARM SECTOR SURFACE TEMPERATURES IN THE 70S HAVE PROMOTED MIXING INTO 50-60 KNOT WINDS ALOFT. PER ASOS/AWOS AND SPOTTER REPORTS OF GUSTS TO 45 MPH AND HIGHER...ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY FOR THE WESTERN 1/2 OF NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN OVERNIGHT. ALSO...FOG MAY BECOME A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT...ACROSS EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN...BEFORE THUNDERSTORMS ARRIVE AFTER 1-2 AM. ROWLEY && .PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...ISSUED 348 PM SUN APR 18 LONG TERM...FORECAST ISSUES IN THE NEAR TERM ARE THE TIMING OF THE FRONT THROUGH THE CWA MONDAY...AND IMPACT ON PRECIP CHANCES AND DAYTIME TEMPS. THEN...BERMUDA HIGH NOW IN PLACE OFF THE SE COAST WITH HIGH HEIGHTS/WARM TEMPS OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF THE CONUS BEGINS TO FLATTEN OUT ALLOWING STRONGER WESTERLY FLOW TO SAG BACK OVER THE STATE LOWERING TEMPS BACK TO AROUND NORMAL FOR MID APRIL. MONDAY...LOW PRESSURE QUICKLY TRACKS NE INTO ONTARIO/QUEBEC AHEAD OF A STRONG MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE LIFTING NE THROUGH NRN MICHIGAN AROUND 12Z...AND ASSOCIATED TRAILING COLD FRONT PRESSES SE THROUGH THE CWA DURING THE MORNING HOURS. ETA/GFS IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE LOW AND SHORTWAVE TRACK BUT THE ETA JUST A FEW HOURS QUICKER WITH THE FRONT PASSING THROUGH...WHICH PROBABLY DOES NOT MATTER TOO MUCH IN TERMS OF THE FORECAST. STRONG LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE WITH THE FRONT COUPLED WITH FORCING FROM THE SHORTWAVE (PARTICULARLY OVER THE NRN HALF OF THE CWA) SHOULD PRODUCE LINE OF SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS CROSSING THROUGH THE CWA DURING THE MORNING (ALTHOUGH OVERALL INSTABILITY NOT THAT IMPRESSIVE). SO WILL EXPAND LIKELY POPS FROM THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD ACROSS THE ENTIRE CWA FOR THE MORNING HOURS AND KEEP THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS GOING PRIOR TO FROPA. MODELS SHOWING DECENT ISALLOBARIC GRADIENT BEHIND THE SFC LOW AND MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE. COUPLED WITH STRONG SUBSIDENCE AND ISENTROPIC DOWNSLOPE BEHIND THE FRONT...WILL LIKELY SEE A PERIOD OF GUSTY WINDS FOR A FEW HOURS AFTER FROPA WITH WIND GUSTS TO AROUND 35 MPH. MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...STRONG SUBSIDENCE/DRYING/HIGH PRESSURE BUILD INTO THE STATE WITH DRY WEATHER EXPECTED. FAIRLY COOL TEMPERATURES EXPECTED MONDAY NIGHT AS SKIES CLEAR OUT AND WINDS DIE OFF...AND WILL HAVE LOWER TO MID 20S FOR A GOOD PORTION OF THE CWA (COOLEST INTERIOR IN THE NORMALLY COLD SPOTS SUCH AS PLN/GLR/GOV). TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...00Z OPERATIONAL ECMWF/GFS MODELS STILL IN AGREEMENT WITH BRINGING ANOTHER UPPER WAVE/SFC LOW AND FRONT THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES. PLAN ON MAKING LITTLE CHANGES TO THE ONGOING FORECAST WITH RAIN CHANCES INCREASING N-S ACROSS THE CWA OVERNIGHT TUESDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUING THROUGH WED. THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY (EXTENDED)...OPERATIONAL GFS/ECMWF STILL HAVING DISAGREEMENTS RESOLVING WHAT TO DO WITH THE UPPER TROF IN THE W CONUS. IN PARTICULAR...ECMWF KEEPS MORE OF THE LONGWAVE TROF OVER THE WESTERN CONUS WHILE DEVELOPING MORE UPSTREAM AND SFC RIDGING OVER THE NRN STATES AND GREAT LAKES (BASICALLY DRY WEATHER THROUGH THE PERIOD). HOWEVER...06Z GFS BEGINNING TO RESEMBLE MORE OF THE 00Z ECMWF WITH HOLDING MORE OF THE UPPER TROF IN THE WEST...BUT KEEPS AN ACTIVE SOUTHERN STREAM AND FRONTAL BOUNDARY FROM THE PLAINS UP ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY THROUGH FRIDAY...THEN HIGH PRESSURE DOMINATING FOR THE WEEKEND. THIS SCENARIO ALSO DEPICTS SFC WAVES RIDING NE ALONG THE BOUNDARY PUSHING SHOWERS UP INTO THE LOWER PENINSULA THROUGH AT LEAST LATE THURSDAY. INCLINATION IS TO GO MORE WITH THE EUROPEAN SOLUTION WHICH KEEPS THE ACTIVE WEATHER FURTHER OFF TO THE SOUTH. BUT GIVEN THE LATEST 06Z GFS...NOT COMFORTABLE AT THIS JUNCTURE WITH HAVING A COMPLETELY DRY FORECAST. WILL ADD CHANCE POPS TO THE FORECAST FOR NRN LOWER MICHIGAN FOR THURSDAY FOLLOWED BY A DRY FORECAST THROUGH THE REST OF THE PERIOD. ADAM && .APX...WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...WIND ADVISORY...TONIGHT... MIZ016-019>022-025>028-031>034. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GAYLORD MI 1000 PM EDT SUN APR 18 2004 MIZ008-015>036-041-042-191100- ALCONA-ALPENA-ANTRIM-ARENAC-BENZIE-CHARLEVOIX-CHEBOYGAN-CHIPPEWA- CRAWFORD-EMMET-GLADWIN-GRAND TRAVERSE-IOSCO-KALKASKA-LEELANAU- MACKINAC-MANISTEE-MISSAUKEE-MONTMORENCY-OGEMAW-OSCODA-OTSEGO-PRESQUE ISLE-ROSCOMMON-WEXFORD- 1000 PM EDT SUN APR 18 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN LOWER AND EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH AND HAIL TO ONE INCH IN DIAMETER...WILL PUSH THROUGH EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND 2 AM. SEE ONGOING WATCHES...WARNINGS OR ADVISORIES FOR FURTHER DETAILS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN...MAINLY NORTH OF M-32 BETWEEN 2 AM AND 6 AM. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE HAIL UP TO ONE INCH IN DIAMETER. OUTSIDE ANY THUNDERSTORMS...WINDS WILL FREQUENTLY GUST TO 45 MPH ACROSS NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN...ALONG AND WEST OF I-75...TONIGHT. SEE ONGOING WATCHES...WARNINGS OR ADVISORIES FOR FURTHER DETAILS. ALSO OUTSIDE ANY THUNDERSTORMS...GALES ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT ACROSS THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN...SOUTH OF THE STRAITS. SEE ONGOING WATCHES...WARNINGS OR ADVISORIES FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THERE IS A CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN...BETWEEN M-68 AND A LINE FROM ALPENA TO MANISTEE...UNTIL AROUND 8 AM. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE HAIL UP TO ONE INCH IN DIAMETER. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTHERN MICHIGAN WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS PLEASE RELAY SEVERE WEATHER AND WIND REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. && MORE INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE FOLLOWING URL: HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/APX (ALL LOWER CASE) ROWLEY
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GAYLORD MI
956 PM EDT SUN APR 18 2004
MIZ008-015-190600-
THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN MICHIGAN EFFECTIVE UNTIL 200 AM EDT MONDAY
MORNING. THIS WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES
IN EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN
CHIPPEWA AND MACKINAC
THIS WATCH INCLUDES THE ADJOINING COASTAL WATERS OF AFFECTED
LAKESHORE COUNTIES.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS OF 60 MPH OR
GREATER AND/OR HAIL LARGER THAN THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH. IF YOU
LIVE IN OR NEAR THE WATCH AREA...REMAIN ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING
WEATHER CONDITIONS. BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION IF SEVERE WEATHER
APPROACHES.
ROWLEYThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, April 2004
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: 5391053.