Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Michigan, July 21, 2004

Name: Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Michigan, July 21, 2004
Start: 2004-07-21T18:10
End: 2004-07-21T20:10
Location: Michigan

July 21, 2004 · NWS IWX · 8 events in 5 counties and zones

6 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado, 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: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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 Northern Indiana wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 21, 2:10 PM EST, 4 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 21, 2:10 PM EST, 4 hours before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
210 PM EST WED JUL 21 2004

.SHORT TERM...
TONIGHT AND THURSDAY.
MAIN CHALLENGE LIES WITH CONVECTION CHANCES TONIGHT. INITIAL
BOUNDARY FROM OVERNIGHT CONVECTION IS MOVING ACROSS THE FORECAST
AREA WITH LITTLE MORE THAN A FEW SHOWERS ACROSS MICHIGAN. PLENTY OF
INSTABILITY IN PLACE JUST TO THE WEST WITH LIS -9 TO -11 AND CAPES
3K TO 4K J/KG. VIS SAT SHOWS ANOTHER OUTFLOW BOUNDARY FROM EASTERN
WISCONSIN TO CENTRAL ILLINOIS...JUST TO THE WEST OF THE INSTABILITY
AXIS. THIS MAY END UP BEING THE FOCUS FOR THE EXPECTED LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT. MAIN LIMITING FACTOR HAS BEEN STRONG CAP
ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA (SEE 18Z KILX AND KDVN SOUNDINGS). MODELS
SHOW THIS CAP BEING ELIMINATED AS SLIGHTLY COOLER 850 MB TEMPS AND
APPROACHING SHORTWAVE/MCV MOVE IN. AREA UNDER A MDT RISK FOR THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH WIND PROFILES TO THE WEST STARTING TO
LOOK MORE FAVORABLE FOR DAMAGING WINDS. EXPECTING NEW WATCH FOR THE
AREA OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. HAVE ADJUSTED TIMING OF PRECIP
SOMEWHAT WITH LIKELY POPS WEST TO START SPREADING ACROSS THE AREA BY
MIDNIGHT THEN BACK TO CHC POPS BEHIND THE MAIN LINE FOR ANYTHING
LINGERING. WITH PWATS NEAR 2 TO THE WEST EXPECTED TO MOVE
IN...HEAVY RAINFALL ALSO A GOOD BET. LOWS WILL FALL BACK INTO THE
LOWER 70S AS DRIER AIR DOESNT START MOVING IN TILL EARLY THURSDAY.

MUCH OF THURSDAY COULD BE DRY IN SUBSIDENCE BEHIND TONIGHTS SYSTEM.
MODELS HINT AT NEXT WAVE TO MOVE IN TOWARDS EVE FOR ANOTHER CHANCE
OF PRECIP. WILL GO WITH 30 POPS ALL AREAS FOR THURS FOR NOW AND LET
OVERNIGHT CREW MAKE CHANGES BASED ON FRONTAL POSITION. WITH 850 MB
TEMPS STILL EXPECTED +19 TO +20...HIGHS SHOULD MAKE IT INTO THE UPR
80S.

&&

.LONG TERM...

SOME CHANGES TO EXTENDED BASED ON LATEST MODEL RUNS. TEMPERATURES
LOOK GOOD AND FEW CHANGES MADE THERE. FORECAST CHALLENGE IS WITH
POPS FRIDAY THEN AGAIN MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. FRONT TO
PUSH THROUGH THURSDAY BUT MODELS HINTING AS AN MCS DEVELOPING ON
NORTH SIDE OF FRONT THURSDAY NIGHT AND MOVING ALONG FRONT FRIDAY.
LATEST ETA40 SHOWS ALL ACTIVITY SOUTH OF OUR AREA BY 12Z FRIDAY WITH
DRY NORTHEAST FLOW BEHIND. LEANING TOWARD THIS SOLUTION AS IT
MATCHES CURRENT GRIDS AND SEEMS PLAUSIBLE AT THIS POINT. THUS NO
ADDITIONAL POPS FOR FRI. GFS AND ECMWF AS WELL AS UKMO AGREE ON
INVERTED TROUGH OVER OUR AREA MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY NIGHT WITH A
COUPLE OF POSSIBLE WAVES RIDING NORTH ALONG FRONT. SURFACE TROUGH IS
NEAR OUR EASTERN AREAS BUT UPPER TROUGH STILL TO OUR WEST AND
SLIGHTLY DIGGING. THUS SURFACE TROUGH COULD END UP FARTHER WEST AND
ANY PCPN MOVING NORTH OUT OF OPEN GULF AND ATLANTIC COULD BE DRAWN
FARTHER WEST. THUS WILL NOT TRY AND DIFFERENTIATE ACROSS THE AREA
AND ADD POPS TO ENTIRE FORECAST AREA AT THIS TIME WITH PRETTY GOOD
MEDIUM RANGE MODEL AGREEMENT.

&&

.AVIATION...
TOUGH FORECAST FOR THE NEXT 6 TO 12 HOURS AS INITIAL LINE OF
CONVECTION HAS WEAKENED...BUT OUTFLOW BOUNDARY FROM IT IS NOW
INTERACTING WITH VERY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE NEAR KSBN. STILL A CHANCE
THAT SOMETHING COULD FIRE ALONG THIS AND HEAD EAST. CONFIDENCE LOW
AT THIS TIME SO NO MENTION OF PRECIP THIS AFTERNOON. ANOTHER SHOT AT
PRECIP LOOKS TO MOVE IN THIS EVENING WITH MCV IN MN/IA AT THIS TIME.
LOTS OF UNCERTANTITY WITH THIS AS WELL DEPENDING ON ANY AFTERNOON
CONVECTION ACROSS THE AREA. AT THIS TIME...HAVE OPTED TO GO WITH
MENTION OF VCTS FOR SEVERAL HOURS AS BETTER DYNAMICS MOVE IN. LATER
FORECASTS CAN HOPEFULLY FINE TUNE THINGS BETTER. WILL KEEP VFR
SKIES/VSBYS BUT LOCAL MVFR/IFR WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH ANY CONVECTION
THAT CAN FORM. STRONG WINDS EXCEEDING 50 KTS WILL ALSO BE
POSSIBLE...BUT AGAIN CONFIDENCE TOO LOW TO PLACE IN TAFS.

&&

.IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IN...NONE.
MI...NONE.
OH...NONE.
&&

FISHER/LASHLEY

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 21, 11:28 AM EST, 6 hours 42 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1128 AM EST WED JUL 21 2004

INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ077>081-OHZ001-002-004-005-
015-016-024-025-221100-
ADAMS IN-ALLEN OH-ALLEN IN-BERRIEN MI-BLACKFORD IN-BRANCH MI-CASS MI-
CASS IN-DE KALB IN-DEFIANCE OH-ELKHART IN-FULTON OH-FULTON IN-
GRANT IN-HENRY OH-HILLSDALE MI-HUNTINGTON IN-JAY IN-KOSCIUSKO IN-
LA PORTE IN-LAGRANGE IN-MARSHALL IN-MIAMI IN-NOBLE IN-PAULDING OH-
PULASKI IN-PUTNAM OH-ST. JOSEPH MI-ST. JOSEPH IN-STARKE IN-
STEUBEN IN-VAN WERT OH-WABASH IN-WELLS IN-WHITE IN-WHITLEY IN-
WILLIAMS OH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ANGOLA...ARCHBOLD...AUBURN...
BENTON HARBOR...BENTON HEIGHTS...BERNE...BLUFFTON...BREMEN...BRYAN...
BUCHANAN...BUTLER...COLDWATER...COLUMBIA CITY...DECATUR...DEFIANCE...
DELPHOS...DOWAGIAC...DUNKIRK...DUNLAP...ELKHART...FAIR PLAIN...
FAIRMOUNT...FORT SHAWNEE...FORT WAYNE...GARRETT...GAS CITY...
GEORGETOWN...GOSHEN...GRANGER...GRISSOM AFB...GULIVOIRE PARK...
HARTFORD CITY...HICKSVILLE...HILLSDALE...HUNTINGTON...KENDALLVILLE...
KNOX...LA PORTE...LAGRANGE...LIGONIER...LIMA...LOGANSPORT...MARION...
MICHIGAN CITY...MISHAWAKA...MONTICELLO...MONTPELIER...NAPOLEON...
NAPPANEE...NEW HAVEN...NILES...NORTH MANCHESTER...OSSIAN...OTTAWA...
PERU...PLYMOUTH...PORTLAND...ROCHESTER...SIMONTON LAKE...
SOUTH BEND...ST. JOSEPH...STURGIS...SWANTON...SYRACUSE...
THREE RIVERS...TRAIL CREEK...TRI-LAKES...UPLAND...VAN WERT...
WABASH...WARSAW...WAUSEON...WESTVILLE...WINAMAC AND WINONA LAKE
1128 AM EST WED JUL 21 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN INDIANA...NORTHWEST
OHIO AND SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. THE GREATEST THREAT WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING
WINDS...WHICH COULD EXCEED 70 MPH IN SOME AREAS. RAINFALL RATES OF 1
TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGER
STORMS...CAUSING PONDING OF WATER IN LOW AREAS. THUNDERSTORMS ARE
EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON...WITH ADDITIONAL
THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE TONIGHT.

IN ADVANCE OF THE THUNDERSTORMS...THE COMBINATION OF HEAT AND
HUMIDITY WILL CREATE HEAT INDEX VALUES APPROACHING 100 DEGREES IN
SOME AREAS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

THERE IS A CHANCE FOR SEVERE STORMS THURSDAY AND THURSDAY EVENING.
LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES, OR
CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/IWX

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 21, 6:09 PM EST, 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
609 PM EST WED JUL 21 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0555 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MICHIGAN CITY           41.71N 86.88W
07/21/2004                   LA PORTE           IN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            NUMEROUS TREES AND POWERLINES KNOCKED DOWN OVER NORTHERN
            HALF OF THE COUNTY.

0545 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MICHIGAN CITY           41.71N 86.88W
07/21/2004                   LA PORTE           IN   COAST GUARD

            MICHIGAN CITY LIGHTHOUSE RECORDED A WIND GUST OF 59 MPH.

0602 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MICHIGAN CITY           41.71N 86.88W
07/21/2004                   LA PORTE           IN   AMATEUR RADIO

            TREES AND POWERLINES REPORTED KNOCKED OVER.

&&

WAMSLEY

The radar

The Northern Indiana radar (KIWX), 91 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:10 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Berrien

When: July 21, 6:10 PM EST
Where: Berrien County, Countywide
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.950, -86.450

Numerous trees and power lines knocked down countywide.

Tornado, Berrien

When: July 21, 6:20 PM EST to 6:21 PM EST
Where: Berrien County, 3 mi NE of Buchanon
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.1 mi
Path width: 15 yd
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 41.867, -86.333

Evidence of a brief touchdown was found in a corn field near the intersection of Walton and Smith Roads, northeast of Buchanan. The tornado traveled approximately 50 yards and then lifted. Only damage to the corn field was noted as a result of the tornado.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cass

When: July 21, 6:25 PM EST
Where: Cass County, 7 mi NW of Edwardsburg
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.867, -86.183

Reports of trees and power lines down in Marlin Village Trailer Park

Thunderstorm Wind, Cass

When: July 21, 6:32 PM EST
Where: Cass County, Edwardsburg
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.800, -86.083

Reports of trees and power lines down in Eagle Lake Estates.

Tornado, Cass

When: July 21, 6:35 PM EST to 6:38 PM EST
Where: Cass County, 3 mi E of Edwardsburg
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.5 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 41.800, -86.033

Evidence of a tornado touchdown was found on the west side of Eagle Lake, east of Edwardsburg on North Shore Road. The funnel was not always in contact with the ground. The top third to half of a large tree was broke off and fell onto some power lines, causing a power pole to fall onto the roadway. The last evidence of any touchdowns was on the north side of the lake. No injuries were reported.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Joseph

When: July 21, 6:58 PM EST
Where: St. Joseph County, Constantine
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.833, -85.667

Large tree limbs reported knocked down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Branch

When: July 21, 7:57 PM EST
Where: Branch County, 5 mi S of Coldwater
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.883, -85.000

Six trees reported blown down. Two power poles also blown down near US 12.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hillsdale

When: July 21, 8:10 PM EST
Where: Hillsdale County, Hillsdale
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 41.917, -84.617

Trees and power lines 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.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Michigan in 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Michigan, 2004 Warnings in Michigan, July 2004

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: 5411992, 5411991, 5411993, 5411994, 5411929, 5411995, 5411996, 5411997.