Severe thunderstorms produced several reports of damaging wind gusts and also caused significant flooding. In fact a presidential disaster declaration was issued for Allegan, Barry, Eaton and Ottawa counties.
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 GRR wrote it up.
Severe thunderstorms produced several reports of damaging wind gusts and also caused significant flooding. In fact a presidential disaster declaration was issued for Allegan, Barry, Eaton and Ottawa counties.
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 Grand Rapids, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 7, 7:18 PM EST, 1 hour 54 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI 818 PM EDT SAT JUN 7 2008 LATEST UPDATE...AVIATION... .SYNOPSIS...(306 PM EDT SAT JUN 7 2008) A STATIONARY FRONT WILL REMAIN SITUATED OVER THE REGION INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS SYSTEM WILL CAUSE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO FORM EACH DAY...RESULTING IN AN UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN. THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR FOR HEAVY RAIN AND SEVERE WEATHER. && .SHORT TERM...(350 PM EDT SAT JUN 7 2008) (TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT) A COUPLE OF CONCERNS OVER THE SHORT TERM. FIRST IS THE SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL TONIGHT AND INTO THE WEEKEND. THE OTHER IS THE FLOODING POTENTIAL INTO MONDAY. WE ARE WATCHING THE SEVERE WEATHER UNFOLDING IN WISCONSIN. BASED ON ITS CURRENT TRACK THE STORMS COULD ARRIVE ALONG THE LAKESHORE COUNTIES 6 TO 7 PM. LOOKS LIKE A POTENTIAL DAMAGING WIND EVENT. SO THE MAIN TIMEFRAME FOR SEVERE WEATHER LOOKS TO BE 7 PM TO MIDNIGHT. WITH THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY DRAPED ACROSS THE REGION INTO MONDAY ALONG WITH FAVORABLE INSTABILITY AND SHEAR...SEVERE WEATHER COULD OCCUR EACH DAY. HEAVY RAIN IS BECOMING AN INCREASING THREAT. THIS FRONTAL ZONE WILL PROVIDE THE FOCUS FOR STORMS EACH DAY. THERE IS ALSO AN INCREASED RISK FOR TRAINING...ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. AS THE GROUND BECOMES INCREASINGLY SATURATED...RUNOFF WILL BECOME MORE EFFICIENT. WE MAY NEED FLOOD WATCHES...ESPECIALLY SUN AFTN INTO SUN NIGHT AS THAT FRONT TRIES TO DRIFT SLOWLY SOUTH THROUGH THE AREA. && .LONG TERM...(350 PM EDT SAT JUN 7 2008) (TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY) MODELS ARE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE LONG TERM ON TUE HAVING THE COLD FRONT THROUGH THE CWFA. THIS WILL LIKELY TAKE THE HEAVY RAIN THREAT AND MOST OF THE SEVERE THREAT OUT OF THE AREA. THE UPPER TROUGH WILL PASS ACROSS THE AREA DURING THE DAY ON TUE...PROVIDING A RESIDUAL CHANCE OF A SHOWER OR STORM. COOLER AND SOMEWHAT DRIER AIR WILL MOVE IN THEN BY WED AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN OVER THE AREA. THE PATTERN IS THEN EXPECTED TO RESET...SIMILAR TO THE PATTERN OF THE LAST FEW DAYS. A LONG WAVE TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO DIG OVER THE WRN PORTION OF THE COUNTRY... ALLOWING AN UPPER RIDGE TO BUILD OVER THE EAST. ONCE THE RIDGE AXIS SLIPS EAST...DEEP SW FLOW SETS UP AND WAVES OF SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL BECOME POSSIBLE FROM THU NIGHT THROUGH SAT. WARMER AND MORE HUMID WEATHER WILL ALSO BUILD IN FOR THE END OF NEXT WEEK. && .MARINE...(350 PM EDT SAT JUN 7 2008) I HIGHLIGHT SEVERE STORMS FOR THIS EVENING. ALSO SOME FOG GIVEN THE WARM MOIST AIR MOVING OVER THE COLDER WATER. && .AVIATION...(818 PM EDT SAT JUN 7 2008) NUMEROUS TSTMS... SOME CONTAINING SVR WX AND/OR VERY HEAVY RAIN... WILL IMPACT MOST OF THE TERMINAL SITES THROUGH 06Z OR SO. THE HEAVIEST ACTIVITY WILL IMPACT MKG AND GRR FIRST... BETWEEN 00Z AND 03Z... AND A BIT LATER FOR THE OTHER SITES. OCNL IFR/LIFR CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY WHEN THE HEAVIER CELLS CROSS THE TERMINALS. ADDITIONAL CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT TAKING PLACE FROM WRN WI SWWD ACROSS IA THIS EVENING COULD MOVE INTO THE AREA OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. THIS SCENARIO IS STILL UNCERTAIN. WE WILL KEEP PCPN OUT FOR NOW DURING THE LATE NIGHT PERIOD... AND POSSIBLY ADD IN LATER AS THE SITUATION BECOMES MORE CLEAR. SOME FOG DOES LOOK LIKELY ONCE AGAIN TONIGHT WITH THE HUMID AIR MASS IN PLACE. WINDS HOLDING UP WILL KEEP THE VISIBILITIES UP A BIT...BUT SOME LOCAL IFR IS POSSIBLE. ALSO HAVE INCLUDED SOME SCATTERED LOW CLOUDS. LOOK FOR TSTMS TO REDEVELOP AGAIN TOWARD 18Z SUNDAY. && .HYDROLOGY...(350 PM EDT SAT JUN 7 2008) URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING IS EXPECTED BEFORE THE WEEKEND IS OVER GIVEN THE TROPICAL AIRMASS AND FRONTAL ZONE ACROSS THE REGION. RAINFALL RATES OF AN INCH PER OUR COULD ACCOMPANY THE STORMS. IF THEY PERSIST VALUES COULD BECOME EXCESSIVE. WILL NEED TO MONITOR THE FLOOD WATCH POTENTIAL THROUGH THE WEEKEND. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...NONE. LM...NONE. && SYNOPSIS: MJS SHORT TERM: MJS LONG TERM: NJJ MARINE MJS AVIATION: MEADE HYDROLOGY: MJS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI 430 PM EDT SAT JUN 7 2008 MIZ037>040-043>046-050>052-056>059-064>067-071>074-081015- MASON-LAKE-OSCEOLA-CLARE-OCEANA-NEWAYGO-MECOSTA-ISABELLA-MUSKEGON- MONTCALM-GRATIOT-OTTAWA-KENT-IONIA-CLINTON-ALLEGAN-BARRY-EATON- INGHAM-VAN BUREN-KALAMAZOO-CALHOUN-JACKSON- 430 PM EDT SAT JUN 7 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS IN WISCONSIN ARE LIKELY TO MOVE INTO WESTERN MICHIGAN BETWEEN 7 AND 9 PM. DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH APPEAR TO BE THE MAIN THREAT. IN ADDITION FREQUENT LIGHTNING LARGE HAIL AND LOCALLY VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ARE ALSO POSSIBILITIES. THE MAIN STORM MOTION WILL BE EAST SOUTHEAST AT 50 MPH. RAINFALL RATES COULD TOP AN INCH PER HOUR WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS. IF THE STORMS PERSIST...THE RAINFALL COULD BECOME EXCESSIVE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AS A FRONTAL SYSTEM SLOWLY MOVES SOUTH OF THE REGION THERE WILL BE A SERIES OF SURFACE WAVES MOVING ALONG IT. THAT WILL BRING PERIODS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM TO THE REGION INTO TUESDAY. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS OF EACH DAY. RAINFALL FOR SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY IS EXPECTED TO BE HEAVY IN PLACES. THE GROUND IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY SATURATED SO THE RUNOFF WILL BECOME MORE EFFICIENT. THEREFORE THE POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED CLOSELY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY THIS EVENING AND POSSIBLE FOR SUNDAY INTO TUESDAY. LMZ844>849-081015- ST JOSEPH TO SOUTH HAVEN MI-SOUTH HAVEN TO HOLLAND MI- HOLLAND TO GRAND HAVEN MI-GRAND HAVEN TO WHITEHALL MI- WHITEHALL TO PENTWATER MI-PENTWATER TO MANISTEE MI- 430 PM EDT SAT JUN 7 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY CROSS LAKE MICHIGAN EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. GUSTY WINDS WINDS OVER 35 KNOTS...INCREASED WAVE HEIGHTS AND CLOUD TO WATER LIGHTNING ARE THE EXPECTED HAZARDS. PATCHY DENSE FOG WILL RESULT IN SOME HAZARDOUS BOATING CONDITIONS INTO TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. GUSTY WINDS...INCREASED WAVE HEIGHTS AND HAIL REMAIN THE PRIMARY HAZARDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE EACH AFTERNOON AND EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY. WDM MJS
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
922 PM EDT SAT JUN 07 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0920 PM FLOOD HOLLAND 42.77N 86.10W
06/07/2008 OTTAWA MI TRAINED SPOTTER
FLOOD ON BUTTERNUT DRIVE IN HOLLAND.
&&
RSUTTLEPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
928 PM EDT SAT JUN 07 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0925 PM TSTM WND GST 2 S HOLLAND 42.74N 86.10W
06/07/2008 E50 MPH ALLEGAN MI EMERGENCY MNGR
INTERSECTION OF I196 AND WASHINGTON WIND ESTIMATED AT 50
TO 60 MILES PER HOUR.
&&
RSUTTLEPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
932 PM EDT SAT JUN 07 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0845 PM TSTM WND GST 2 S HOLLAND 42.74N 86.10W
06/07/2008 M55 MPH ALLEGAN MI FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
&&
IODPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
933 PM EDT SAT JUN 07 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0920 PM TSTM WND GST 2 S HOLLAND 42.74N 86.10W
06/07/2008 M55.00 MPH ALLEGAN MI FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
&&
IODPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
941 PM EDT SAT JUN 07 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0922 PM TSTM WND GST 4 S HOLLAND 42.71N 86.10W
06/07/2008 M47 MPH ALLEGAN MI OFFICIAL NWS OBS
WIND MEASURED AT TULIP CITY AIRPORT.
&&
RSUTTLESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
948 PM EDT SAT JUN 7 2008
MIZ051-052-057>059-065>067-074-080315-
BARRY-CLINTON-EATON-GRATIOT-INGHAM-IONIA-JACKSON-KENT-MONTCALM-
948 PM EDT SAT JUN 7 2008
...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...
AT 943 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM GRAND RAPIDS TO HASTINGS...AND
EAST TO ST. JOHNS TO MASON. THESE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST AT
AROUND 40 MPH.
* LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE...
VICKERYVILLE... BUTTERNUT... FENWICK...
TURK LAKE... SIDNEY... CRYSTAL...
SHERIDAN... CARSON CITY... GREENVILLE...
FALLASSBURG... BERLIN CENTER... MUIR...
ORLEANS... SMYRNA... LYONS...
PALO... PEWAMO... HUBBARDSTON...
THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL...WINDS UP TO 50
MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS. GUSTY
WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL BRANCHES TO BE BLOWN DOWN...AND LOOSE OBJECTS
TO BLOW AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES.
SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED.
LAT...LON 4326 8576 4348 8438 4335 8435 4279 8436
4279 8417 4242 8414 4245 8554 4277 8552
4281 8576
TIME...MOT...LOC 0147Z 180DEG 0KT 4328 8474
NJJThe Grand Rapids radar (KGRR), 65 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:10 UTC.
9 thunderstorm wind, 4 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous road washouts were reported across portions of Eaton county. As a result a presidential disaster declaration was issued.
At 3 a.m. EST June 8th, two people drowned when they were delivering newspapers and their car plunged into a fifty foot ravine created by a washed out road. A presidential disaster declaration was issued for Allegan county due to extensive flash flooding.
A 76 year old farmer drowned while trying to remove boards from the Worley Drain Dam that regulates waters from Bass Creek. A significant number of roads were washed out in the city of Holland and water levels on roads in some low lying locations reached the roof tops of cars.
A presidential disaster declaration was issued for Ottawa county due to all the flooding.
Numerous roads across portions of Barry county were washed out by very heavy rain. In fact a half a million dollars worth of damage resulted primarily from washed out roads. Due to the extensive flooding a presidential disaster declaration was issued.
A trained spotter reported multiple trees with diameters of ten inches or more were blown down by wind gusts estimated at 70 mph.
A metal roof of a barn was peeled off and several trees were uprooted by estimated winds of 75 mph just north of Mt. Hope highway.
Broadcast media reported that numerous two to three foot diameter trees were blown down in Delta township near I-96.
Estimated winds of 60 to 70 mph were reported.
An amateur radio operator reported that multiple large trees were blown down in a trailer park on North Canal street south of Saginaw highway.
An estimated wind gust to 52 knots was reported.
A forty foot tall tree five inches in diameter blocked the road at the intersection of East Libby and Park.
A trained spotter reported that several one foot diameter trees were blown down on Stoneleigh drive.
A trained spotter estimated a wind gust to 52 knots.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood, Allegan | 2008-06-08 | 51 | Female | In Water | Direct |
| Flash Flood, Allegan | 2008-06-08 | 17 | Male | In Water | Direct |
| Flash Flood, Ottawa | 2008-06-08 | 76 | Male | In Water | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, June 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: 112422, 112424, 118016, 118024, 112078, 112079, 112080, 112081, 112082, 112083, 112431, 112084, 112432.