A cold front moving into a warm and humid airmass spawned severe thunderstorms over portions of west and central Upper Michigan on the afternoon of the 25th. A weak tornado also caused some damage near Rapid River in Delta County.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 MQT wrote it up.
A cold front moving into a warm and humid airmass spawned severe thunderstorms over portions of west and central Upper Michigan on the afternoon of the 25th. A weak tornado also caused some damage near Rapid River in Delta County.
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 Marquette, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 25, 12:33 PM EST, 54 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI 133 PM EDT FRI JUL 25 2008 UPDATED FOR 18Z TAF DISCUSSION .UPDATE... WV IMAGERY SHOWED A WELL-DEFINED SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVING SOUTHEAST THROUGH SE MANITOBA INTO WRN ONTARIO. SCT SHRA/TSRA HAD DEVELOPED OVER WRN ONTARIO AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE. SCT SHRA/TSRA HAD QUICKLY DEVELOPED ALONG ALONG A WEAK COLD FRONT MOVING INTO WRN LAKE SUPERIOR. 300K-305K ISENTROPIC ASCENT ALSO SUPPORTED SCT SHRA OVER ERN UPPER MI. EVEN WITH BKN LOW/MID CLOUDS OVER UPPER MI DAYTIME HEATING HAS PUSHED TEMPS INTO THE MID TO UPPER 70S. WITH ADDITIONAL HEATING AS CLOUDS THIN EARLY THIS AFTERNOON TEMPS INTO THE LOWER 80S COMBINED WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE MID 60S WILL BOOST MLCAPE VALUES INTO THE 1000-1500 J/KG RANGE...PER MODIFIED SOUNDINGS. WITH ONLY WEAK CAPPING EXPECT THE SCT TSRA TO SPREAD INTO UPPER MI BY MID AFTERNOON. A 500 MB WIND MAX TO 50-55 KT ASSOCIATED WITH THE SHRTWV WILL SUPPORT AMPLE 0-6KM BULK SHEAR FOR ORGANIZED CONVECTION...POSSIBLY A FEW SUPERCELLS. SO...ANY STRONGER STORMS THAT DEVELOP COULD PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. .SYNOPSIS... WATER VAPOR LOOP AND RUC ANALYSIS SHOWS A DEEP TROF FROM QUEBEC INTO THE LOWER GREAT LAKES WITH A WEAK RIDGE OVER THE WRN GREAT LAKES AND ANOTHER SHORTWAVE LOOMING OVER SRN MANITOBA. MOISTURE ADVECTION AHEAD OF THE SRN MANITOBA SHORTWAVE AND AHEAD OF FRONTAL BOUNDARY OVER THE NRN PLAINS HAS HELPED TRIGGER SOME ISOLD SHOWERS OVER UPR MI EARLY THIS MORNING. && .DISCUSSION... TODAY...EXPECT CONVECTION TO BECOME MORE ORGANIZED AND INCREASE IN COVERAGE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS THE SHORTWAVE OVER SRN MANITOBA MOVES ACROSS THE UPR GREAT LAKES. MODIFIED LOCAL WRF-ARW FCST SOUNDINGS INDICATE MLCAPES RISING TO NEAR 1000 J/KG WITH AN ENVIRONMENT OF T/TD 82/63 WHICH IS ENTIRELY REASONABLE LOOKING AT UPSTREAM OBS. INCREASING WINDS ALOFT WITH THE ADVANCE OF THE SHORTWAVE WILL INCREASE DEEP LAYER SHEAR TO 45-50KT BY LATE THIS AFTN. GIVEN THE PROGGED SHEAR AND INSTABILITY ALONG WITH WBZERO HEIGHTS FCST 9-10 KFT AND SFC-DELTA THETA-E VALUES OF 20K OR GREATER...SUGGEST THAT THERE IS A THREAT FOR ISOLATED SVR STORMS WITH LARGE HAIL AND/OR DAMAGING WINDS. THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE WX WOULD BE IN SCNTRL UPR MI LATE THIS AFTN/EARLY EVENING AS SPC STILL HAS MUCH OF THE WRN INTERIOR AND SCNTRL UPR MI IN A SLIGHT RISK FOR THE LATEST DAY1 CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK. SW WINDS AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT AND 850 MB TEMPS RISING TO 15-16 SHOULD HELP BRING HIGH TEMPS INTO LOWER 80S OVER THE WRN INTERIOR. AREAS DOWNWIND OF LAKE MICHIGAN WILL STAY SLIGHT COOLER IN SW FLOW. TONIGHT...EXPECT ANY LINGERING CONVECTION OVER THE SOUTHEAST PORTION OF THE CWA TO DIMINISH AND SLIDE EAST OF THE AREA BY LATE EVENING AS THE COLD FRONT AND ASSOC FORCING WITH THE MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH AND LEFT EXIT REGION OF THE 250 MB JET EXITS E OF THE AREA. DRYING/CLEARING WILL MOVE IN FROM WEST TO EAST BUT PERSISTENT WEST WINDS AROUND TO AROUND 10 MPH WILL KEEP MIN TEMPS GENERALLY IN THE 55 TO 60 F RANGE. SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY...MODELS GENERALLY IN AGREEMENT INDICATING THAT THE MID LEVEL LOW WILL LINGER NEAR JAMES BAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. WITH THE LOW AND DEEPER MOISTURE FAR ENOUGH TO THE NORTH...WEAK SHRTWVS BRUSHING THE AREA IN NW FLOW SHOULD YIELD LITTLE MORE THAN ISOLD SHRA/SPRINKLES OVER NE LAKE SUPERIOR OR NRN ONTARIO. BREEZY WEST WINDS SATURDAY AND MIXING OF 850 MB TEMPS AROUND 14C SHOULD PUSH MAX READINGS INTO UPPER 70S AND LOWER 80S WITH THE WARMEST CONDITIONS FOR DOWNSLOPE AREAS OF S CNTRL UPPER MI. SLIGHTLY COOLER AIR SAGS INTO THE AREA SUNDAY IN NW FLOW WITH HIGHS MAINLY IN THE LOW TO MID 70S NORTH TO UPR 70S SOUTH. && .AVIATION (FOR THE 18Z TAF ISSUANCE)... THE MAIN FRONTAL TROUGH WILL CROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. BEST CHANCE OF TSRA WILL BE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AT KSAW WITH FRONTAL PASSAGE. EXPECT VFR AT BOTH CMX AND SAW BEHIND THE FRONT OVERNIGHT. VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE SATURDAY WITH CU DEVELOPMENT DUE TO DIURNAL HEATING. STRONG WEST WINDS WILL PREVAIL ALONG AND BEHIND THIS TROUGH DURING THE TAF PERIOD. LLWS SHOULD NOT BE A CONCERN OVERNIGHT...BUT WINDS WILL DIE DOWN A BIT DURING THE NIGHT HOURS...THEN PICK UP AGAIN SATURDAY. && .MARINE (FOR THE 4 AM LAKE SUPERIOR FORECAST ISSUANCE)... LIGHT WINDS GIVE WAY TO INCREASING WESTERLY WINDS TODAY AND TONIGHT AS A COLD FRONTS MOVES ACROSS THE REGION. AS LOW PRESSURE OVR ONTARIO DEEPENS TO THE NORTH OF LAKE SUPERIOR TONIGHT...WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 25 KNOTS TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY AFTERNOON. WAVES WILL BECOME CHOPPY AS WELL WITH HEIGHTS UP TO 4 FEET OVER MUCH OF THE LAKE. WINDS DROP BLO 20 KNOTS LATE SUNDAY INTO MONDAY WITH THE ARRIVAL OF A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE. && .MQT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && SYNOPSIS/DISCUSSION...VOSS AVIATION...MRC MARINE...DLG
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARQUETTE MI 431 AM EDT FRI JUL 25 2008 MIZ001>007-009>014-084-085-261200- KEWEENAW-ONTONAGON-NORTHERN HOUGHTON-BARAGA-MARQUETTE-ALGER-LUCE- GOGEBIC-IRON-DICKINSON-MENOMINEE-DELTA-SOUTHERN SCHOOLCRAFT- SOUTHERN HOUGHTON-NORTHERN SCHOOLCRAFT- 431 AM EDT FRI JUL 25 2008 /331 AM CDT FRI JUL 25 2008/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN UPPER MICHIGAN AND CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE OVER ALL OF WEST AND CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN TODAY AND ACROSS CENTRAL UPPER MICHIGAN THIS EVENING. A FEW OF THE STRONGER STORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...ESPECIALLY EAST OF A LINE FROM BIG BAY TO WATERSMEET. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY EXPECT A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. LSZ162-240>251-263>267-261200- LAKE SUPERIOR WEST OF A LINE FROM SAXON HARBOR WI TO GRAND PORTAGE MN BEYOND 5NM-SAXON HARBOR WI TO BLACK RIVER MI- BLACK RIVER TO ONTONAGON MI- ONTONAGON TO UPPER ENTRANCE OF PORTAGE CANAL MI- UPPER ENTRANCE OF PORTAGE CANAL TO EAGLE RIVER MI- EAGLE RIVER TO MANITOU ISLAND MI- MANITOU ISLAND TO POINT ISABELLE MI- POINT ISABELLE TO LOWER ENTRANCE OF PORTAGE CANAL MI- LOWER ENTRANCE OF PORTAGE CANAL TO HURON ISLANDS MI INCLUDING KEWEENAW AND HURON BAYS-HURON ISLANDS TO MARQUETTE MI- MARQUETTE TO MUNISING MI-MUNISING TO GRAND MARAIS MI- GRAND MARAIS TO WHITEFISH POINT MI- LAKE SUPERIOR FROM SAXON HARBOR WI TO UPPER ENTRANCE TO PORTAGE CANAL MI 5NM OFF SHORE TO THE US/CANADIAN BORDER INCLUDING ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK- LAKE SUPERIOR FROM UPPER ENTRANCE TO PORTAGE CANAL TO MANITOU ISLAND MI 5NM OFF SHORE TO THE US/CANADIAN BORDER- LAKE SUPERIOR WEST OF LINE FROM MANITOU ISLAND TO MARQUETTE MI BEYOND 5NM FROM SHORE- LAKE SUPERIOR EAST OF A LINE FROM MANITOU ISLAND TO MARQUETTE MI AND WEST OF A LINE FROM GRAND MARAIS MI TO THE US/CANADIAN BORDER BEYOND 5NM FROM SHORE- LAKE SUPERIOR FROM GRAND MARAIS MI TO WHITEFISH POINT MI 5NM OFF SHORE TO THE US/CANADIAN BORDER- 431 AM EDT FRI JUL 25 2008 /331 AM CDT FRI JUL 25 2008/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN LAKE SUPERIOR...CENTRAL LAKE SUPERIOR AND WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE OVER ALL OF LAKE SUPERIOR TODAY AND OVER SOUTHEAST LAKE SUPERIOR THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. LMZ221-248-250-261200- GREEN BAY NORTH OF LINE FROM CEDAR RIVER MI TO ROCK ISLAND PASSAGE-SEUL CHOIX POINT TO POINT DETOUR MI- 5NM EAST OF A LINE FROM FAIRPORT MI TO ROCK ISLAND PASSAGE- 431 AM EDT FRI JUL 25 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN LAKE LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TODAY THROUGH THIS EVENING. A FEW OF THE STRONGER STORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 KNOTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. VOSS
The Marquette radar (KMQT), 154 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:27 UTC.
7 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous large trees were reported down along East Shore Road eastward to Paulding.
Two large trees were reported down across Bond Falls Road east of Paulding.
Numerous eight to ten-inch diameter trees were knocked down. Some 12-inch diameter trees reported down along Highway 16.
Trees were reported down around Cable Lake.
An NWS storm survey found a 50-yard wide by 150-yard long EF0-rated tornado track near the intersection of Bayshore Drive and 26th Road. The tornado uprooted large trees, drove a sheet of plywood through a motorhome and tore off a portion of a trailer roof.
A few tree branches were reported down.
Several one to two-inch diameter tree limbs were reported down.
A 18-inch diameter spruce tree and a ten-inch diameter cedar tree were felled by the storm.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Michigan, 2008Warnings in Michigan, July 2008
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: 127573, 127578, 127583, 127590, 127598, 127604, 127608, 127618, 127621.