A line of thunderstorms moved onshore from Lake Michigan near dawn, producing isolated damaging winds.
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.
A line of thunderstorms moved onshore from Lake Michigan near dawn, producing isolated damaging winds.
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 Aug 2, 3:32 AM EST, 1 hour 38 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GAYLORD MI 432 AM EDT WED AUG 2 2006 .DISCUSSION...HEIGHT FALLS CONTINUE TO ADVANCE ACROSS THE MIDWEST... WHICH WILL GRADUALLY SUPPRESS THE HEAT RIDGE FARTHER TO THE SOUTH AND ALLOW FOR SOME RELIEF FROM RECENT RECORD BREAKING TEMPERATURES. GENERALLY ZONAL FLOW THEN FORECAST TO REMAIN IN PLACE ACROSS THE NORTHERN TIER OF STATES AND THE GREAT LAKES INTO THE COMING WEEKEND. FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL DROP SLOWLY ACROSS THE LOWER PENINSULA TODAY AND TONIGHT...WITH WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN BEHIND IT FOR THURSDAY. FORECAST ISSUES TODAY DEAL PRIMARILY WITH QPF AND SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL TODAY AND THIS EVENING...AS IT LOOKS LIKE MOST AREAS WILL SEE RAINFALL TODAY. TODAY/TONIGHT...EARLY MORNING SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS COLD/STATIONARY FRONT LYING ACROSS THE STRAITS AREA...EXTENDING SOUTHWEST ACROSS CENTRAL WI/NORTHERN IA. ONE SQUALL LINE ALREADY MOVED THROUGH THE AREA THIS PAST EVENING...ANOTHER LARGER MCS MOVING ALONG THE BOUNDARY ACROSS IA/MN/SOUTHWEST WI...HELPED ALONG BY AN ELONGATED MID LEVEL SHEAR AXIS AND ON NOSE OF STRONGEST LOW LEVEL JET/WARM ADVECTION/MOISTURE CONVERGENCE (50KT 850MB WIND AT 06Z ON BLUE RIVER PROFILER). OBJECTIVE INSTABILITY ANALYSIS SHOWS INSTABILITY GRADIENT RUNNING ACROSS CENTRAL WI/CENTRAL LOWER...WITH INSTABILITY DROPPING OFF FARTHER NORTH. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE CONVERGENCE AXIS RUNS RIGHT ALONG THIS INSTABILITY GRADIENT...SO MCS SHOULD CONTINUE TO PROGRESS EAST-NORTHEAST DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS...DRAGGING ITS RATHER EXPANSIVE STRATIFORM PRECIP SHIELD WITH IT. ANTICIPATE THIS RAIN SHIELD TO REMAIN INTACT TODAY...BEING FED BY CONTINUAL LOW LEVEL MOISTURE CONVERGENCE (MAXIMIZED ACROSS THE STRAITS BY MIDDAY)...RRQ DYNAMICS ASSOCIATED WITH 120+KT JET STREAK ACROSS QUEBEC...MID LEVEL SHORT WAVE TROUGH CROSSING WI...AND FRONTOGENETIC FORCING FOCUSED THROUGH THE STRAITS. PLENTY OF MOISTURE IN PLAY AS WELL WITH 850MB DEW POINTS AROUND 16C AND OBSERVED 00Z PWS IN EXCESS OF 2 INCHES ALONG THE BOUNDARY ACROSS MN/WI/LOWER MI. SO PLAN ON PERIODS OF RAIN/CHANCE THUNDER ACROSS THE EASTERN U.P. AND THE STRAITS...WITH HEAVY RAINFALL. FARTHER SOUTH ACROSS NORTHERN LOWER THINGS GET MORE INTERESTING. FRONT WILL LIKELY HANG ACROSS NORTHERN LOWER DURING THE DAY TODAY (SIMILAR TO NAM/UKMET...GFS AT 06Z HAS 1002MB SURFACE WAVE OVER NORTHERN IA AND A VERY SHARP 700MB TROUGH...NEITHER SUPPORTED BY SURFACE OBS OR PROFILER DATA). BOUNDARY WILL LIKELY BE ENHANCED BY RAIN COOLED AIR/CLOUDS TO THE NORTH...AND SOME THINNING OF THE CLOUDS ACROSS CENTRAL LOWER ALLOWING FOR HEATING AND RENEWED DESTABILIZATION. WARMING TEMPERATURES BACK INTO THE 85-90F RANGE YIELDS MLCAPE VALUES ABOVE 2000 J/KG. 0-6KM SHEAR VALUES OF 40-50KTS AND SOME TURNING OF THE WINDS WITH HEIGHT WILL SUPPORT ROTATING UPDRAFTS...SO SEVERE WEATHER MAY RUN THE ENTIRE GAMUT (LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND SOME TORNADIC POTENTIAL ESPECIALLY GIVEN PROXIMITY OF BOUNDARY). HEAVY RAINFALL ALSO A THREAT GIVEN DEEP LAYER SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW PARALLEL TO BOUNDARY COMBINED WITH AFOREMENTIONED HIGH MOISTURE VALUES AND POTENTIALLY DEEP WARM CLOUD LAYERS ENHANCING PRECIPITATION EFFICIENCY AND TRAINING POTENTIAL. FLASH FLOOD GUIDANCE REMAINS PRETTY HIGH (3-4 INCHES/3H) AND AREA STREAMS ARE RUNNING WELL BELOW AVERAGE...SO NO PLANS FOR A FLOOD WATCH AT THIS POINT. PLAN TO DRY THINGS OUT OVERNIGHT AS MID LEVEL TROUGH SLIDES PAST AND FRONTAL BOUNDARY DROPS INTO SOUTHERN LOWER. THURSDAY...NOT PLANNING SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES TO THURSDAY FORECAST. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN AT THE SURFACE WITH SHORT WAVE RIDGING AT 850/700MB POKING INTO THE UPPER PENINSULA. REMNANTS OF AN OLD MID LEVEL CIRCULATION WHICH HAD BEEN SPINNING BENEATH THE RIDGE OVER THE DESERT SOUTHWEST OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS FORECAST TO LIFT NORTHEAST INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS THURSDAY. THIS LEAVES SOME WEAKNESS TO THE HEIGHT PATTERN SOUTHWEST OF THE STATE...BUT FOR NOW STILL LOOKS FAR ENOUGH AWAY TO KEEP FROM IMPACTING NORTHERN LOWER. MARINE...WINDS WILL VARY TODAY DEPENDING UPON WHERE THE FRONT IS...MAY SEE SOME SCA CONDITIONS THIS EVENING IN WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT/FRONTAL WAVE PASSAGE WITH A QUICK SHOT OF COLD ADVECTION. AS GRADIENT WEAKENS THURSDAY A BETTER SHOT OF SEEING SOME LAKE BREEZE WIND COMPONENTS DEVELOPING. JPB && .APX...WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GAYLORD MI 514 AM EDT WED AUG 2 2006 LHZ345>349-361-362-LMZ323-341-342-344-345-363-LSZ321-322-MIZ008- 015>036-041-042-031000- STRAITS OF MACKINAC-ST IGNACE TO FALSE DETOUR CHANNEL- MACKINAC BRDG TO PRESQUE ISLE LT-PRESQUE ISLE LT TO STURGEON PT- STURGEON PT TO ALABASTER-MICHIGAN WATERS OF NORTHERN LAKE HURON- MICHIGAN WATERS OF CENTRAL LAKE HURON-GRAND TRAVERSE BAY- SEUL CHOIX PT TO MACKINAC BRDG-NORWOOD TO MACKINAC BRDG- SLEEPING BEAR PT TO GRAND TRAVERSE LT-MANISTEE TO SLEEPING BEAR PT- MICHIGAN WATERS OF NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN-WHITEFISH BAY- ST. MARYS RIVER-CHIPPEWA-MACKINAC-EMMET-CHEBOYGAN-PRESQUE ISLE- CHARLEVOIX-LEELANAU-ANTRIM-OTSEGO-MONTMORENCY-ALPENA-BENZIE- GRAND TRAVERSE-KALKASKA-CRAWFORD-OSCODA-ALCONA-MANISTEE-WEXFORD- MISSAUKEE-ROSCOMMON-OGEMAW-IOSCO-GLADWIN-ARENAC- 514 AM EDT WED AUG 2 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF LAKE HURON...LAKE MICHIGAN...LAKE SUPERIOR...EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN AND NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS ALL OF NORTHERN MICHIGAN TODAY. THERE IS A THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FOR AREAS MAINLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF M-32 IN NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN. HAIL TO ONE AND ONE HALF INCHES IN DIAMETER AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH WILL BE THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREATS. IN ADDITION...SOME STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THE THREAT FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR THROUGHOUT THE DAY TODAY...AND SHOULD COME TO AN END BY MIDNIGHT. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO A THREAT TODAY...WITH RAINFALL AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF 2 INCHES POSSIBLE IN SOME AREAS. THIS COULD RESULT IN RAPID FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE SUNDAY IN EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN... SUNDAY NIGHT ACROSS ALL OF NORTHERN MICHIGAN...AND MONDAY IN PARTS OF NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TODAY THROUGH THIS EVENING. DISPATCHERS...PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGERS. JPB
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GAYLORD MI
1230 AM EDT WED AUG 02 2006
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1139 PM TSTM WND GST 3 W ATLANTA 45.00N 84.21W
08/01/2006 M62.00 MPH MONTMORENCY MI TRAINED SPOTTER
1208 AM TSTM WND GST HOUGHTON LAKE 44.30N 84.76W
08/02/2006 M48.00 MPH ROSCOMMON MI ASOS
1225 AM TSTM WND DMG HOUGHTON LAKE 44.30N 84.76W
08/02/2006 ROSCOMMON MI LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN...MANY REPORTS.
&&
JPBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GAYLORD MI
131 AM EDT WED AUG 02 2006
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0103 AM TSTM WND DMG LUPTON 44.43N 84.02W
08/02/2006 OGEMAW MI LAW ENFORCEMENT
POWER POLE AND WIRES DOWN ON ROAD
&&
SPRPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GAYLORD MI
140 AM EDT WED AUG 02 2006
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0106 AM TSTM WND DMG GLENNIE 44.57N 83.72W
08/02/2006 ALCONA MI LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREE DOWN ON POWER LINES
&&
SPRThe NCL Michigan radar (KAPX), 122 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 10:08 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees down on M-22 near Sutter Road, and on the Crystal Downs golf course.
Several trees downed.
A soldier at Camp Grayling was struck by lightning as he exited a car in an open field. He suffered burns on one hand, but no other injuries.
Several trees downed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2006Every state in 2006This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, August 2006
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: 5527852, 5527853, 5527855, 5527854.