A squall line moved onshore during the early morning hours between Saugatuck and South Haven and swept southeast into central parts of Allegan and Van Burren counties before weakening. An NWS survey concluded that wind gusts between 60 and 74 mph blew down hundreds of trees along a 30 mile long and up to a 9 mile wide path.
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.
A squall line moved onshore during the early morning hours between Saugatuck and South Haven and swept southeast into central parts of Allegan and Van Burren counties before weakening. An NWS survey concluded that wind gusts between 60 and 74 mph blew down hundreds of trees along a 30 mile long and up to a 9 mile wide path.
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 18, 11:35 PM EST, 2 hours 58 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI 1235 AM EDT FRI JUN 19 2009 LATEST UPDATE...AVIATION... .SYNOPSIS...(340 PM EDT THU JUN 18 2009) A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK EASTWARD THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION BY SATURDAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL LEAD TO SEVERAL ROUNDS OF THUNDERSTORMS. SOME OF THE STORMS COULD BE SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FOR SUNDAY...BRINGING DRY WEATHER BACK INTO THE REGION. && .SHORT TERM...(345 PM EDT THU JUN 18 2009) (TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT) THIS EVENING WE WILL BE WATCHING THE CONVECTION AS IT DEVELOPS UPSTREAM IN THE MN TO IA REGION. WITH THICKNESS LINES ORIENTATED EAST THROUGH MN...THEN SOUTHEAST THROUGH WI..ANY CLUSTER OF STORMS SHOULD TRACK ALONG THEM. VWPS ARE SHOWING 55 KNOTS FLOW AT 500 MB ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS. MID LEVEL LAPS RATES ARE STEEP AND MIXED LAYER CAPE IS NOW UP OVER 4000 J/KG INTO IA AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS. THUS CONVECTION WILL BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD THROUGH THE EVENING. DEEP LAYER SHEAR REMAINS RATHER FAVORABLE THROUGH THE NIGHT FOR ORGANIZED CONVECTION. CAPE AND PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES REMAIN HIGH THROUGH THE NIGHT TO FUEL THE STORMS. THE RUC SHOWS THE LOW LEVEL JET AT 925 MB UP TO 35 KNOTS AND POINTED AT SOUTH CENTRAL WI AT 06Z TONIGHT. THIS FEATURE WILL ACT TO ADVECT THE HIGHER MOISTURE AND BETTER INSTABILITY INTO SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN LATER TONIGHT. GIVEN THE PARAMETERS...A SIGNIFICANT EVENT IS POSSIBLE. THE THOUGHT IS THAT THIS CONVECTIVE SYSTEM COULD CLIP SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING ARE THE MAIN THREATS. FRIDAYS FORECAST DEPENDS A LOT ON HOW TONIGHTS THUNDERSTORMS EVOLVE. THE MOST LIKELY SCENARIO HAS THE MORNING CONVECTION DEPARTING SOUTHEAST OF THE REGION. THEN A LULL IN THE ACTIVITY DURING THE MORNING. THEN HEATING LEADS TO DEEP INSTABILITY...WITH CONVECTION DEVELOPING DURING THE AFTERNOON. ANY STORMS WILL TRACK EAST SOUTHEAST WITH SOME OF THEM TURNING SEVERE. THEN THE COLD FRONT ARRIVES OVERNIGHT. THIS FEATURE WILL ACT TO CREATE MORE WIDESPREAD STORMS. DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREATS. BOUNDARIES COULD LOCALLY ENHANCE THE TORNADIC POTENTIAL. && .LONG TERM...(340 PM EDT THU JUN 18 2009) (SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY) MAIN STORY IN THE LONG TERM PORTION OF THE FORECAST IS THAT WE ARE HEADED FOR SUMMER LIKE WEATHER. HIGH TEMPERATURES EACH DAY FROM SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY WILL BE IN THE 80S. IF THE LONG RANGE MODELS (GFS AND EURO) VERIFY AT 850MB/S WE COULD SEE TEMPERATURES APPROACH 90 THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. FOR THE MOST PART IT ALSO LOOKS LIKE A MAINLY DRY PERIOD OF WEATHER. THE LONG TERM WILL START OUT ON SATURDAY WITH AN UPPER SHORTWAVE TROUGH LIFTING OUT TO THE EAST. CANNOT RULE OUT SOME SCATTERED SHOWERS SO HAVE MAINTAINED CHANCE POPS FOR THIS FORECAST PERIOD. BEYOND SATURDAY...A BUILDING RIDGE OVER THE GREAT LAKES SHOULD KEEP US MAINLY DRY. THE RIDGE IS FLATTENED SLIGHTLY DURING THE WED/THURS TIME FRAME. THIS MAY ALLOW MCS/S ROTATING AROUND THE RIDGE TO PUSH INTO OUR AREA. WED NIGHT/THURSDAY MAY BE A TIME WE COULD SEE SOME CONVECTION. HAVE NARROWED THE CHANCES DOWN TO THURSDAY FOR NOW...BUT CONFIDENCE IS LOW. && .AVIATION...(1235 AM EDT FRI JUN 19 2009) WIDESPREAD TSTMS OVER SRN WI AT 0430Z WILL EXPAND EAST INTO SW LWR MI BETWEEN 06Z AND 08Z. THE STORMS SHOULD START MOVING MORE SE THAN EAST... WHICH MAKES IT QUESTIONABLE WHETHER OR NOT LAN AND JXN WILL BE IMPACTED OVERNIGHT. MVFR CEILINGS AND FOG WILL LIKELY DEVELOP IN THE WAKE OF THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AFTER 10Z-12Z...PERSISTING INTO THE MID MORNING HOURS OF FRIDAY. ADDITIONAL TSTMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY AFTER 21Z OR SO. && .MARINE...(340 PM EDT THU JUN 18 2009) SUSTAINED WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN UNDER 20 KNOTS...SO NO HEADLINES FOR THE NSH WATERS. SEVERAL ROUNDS OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH FREQUENT LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL WILL POSE A THREAT TO THE MARINE COMMUNITY IN THE NEXT 2 DAYS. FOG MAY BECOME AN ISSUE AS DEWPOINTS CLIMB TO NEAR 70. && .HYDROLOGY...(340 PM EDT THU JUN 18 2009) SEVERAL ROUNDS OF THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED IN THE NEXT 48 HRS WILL LEAD SOME LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. THE CLUSTERS OF STORMS SHOULD BE MOVING MORE THAN 30 MPH...SO DURATION WILL BE A LIMITING FACTOR. SO...THE PRIMARY HYDRO ISSUES WOULD BE URBAN AND POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...NONE. LM...NONE. && SYNOPSIS: MJS SHORT TERM: MJS LONG TERM: DUKE AVIATION: MEADE MARINE: MJS HYDROLOGY: MJS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI 400 PM EDT THU JUN 18 2009 LMZ844>849-MIZ037>040-043>046-050>052-056>059-064>067-071>074-190900- 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-MASON-LAKE- OSCEOLA-CLARE-OCEANA-NEWAYGO-MECOSTA-ISABELLA-MUSKEGON-MONTCALM- GRATIOT-OTTAWA-KENT-IONIA-CLINTON-ALLEGAN-BARRY-EATON-INGHAM- VAN BUREN-KALAMAZOO-CALHOUN-JACKSON- 400 PM EDT THU JUN 18 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY ACROSS SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN TONIGHT. THE MAIN TIMEFRAME FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE AFTER MIDNIGHT. A FEW OF THESE STORMS MAY BE STRONG TO SEVERE SOUTH OF LINE FROM LUDINGTON TO ALMA. THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL BE SOUTH INTERSTATE 96 TONIGHT. THE STORMS WILL BE THE RESULT OF A WARM FRONT PUSHING INTO LOWER MICHIGAN BY MID MORNING FRIDAY. DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND HEAVY RAINFALL ARE POSSIBLE FROM THESE STORMS. FREQUENT LIGHTNING CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED. STORMS WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST AROUND 40 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT AS DEVELOPING STORM SYSTEM TRACKS THROUGH THE STATE. THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL TRACK SOUTH OF INTESTATE 96 DURING THE EVENING. DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ARE THE EXPECTED HAZARDS FROM THESE STORMS. AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS POSSIBLE. THE STORMS MAY CONTAIN FREQUENT LIGHTNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. WDM MJS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI 207 AM EDT FRI JUN 19 2009 MIZ050-056-057-064-065-071>073-190815- MUSKEGON-OTTAWA-KENT-ALLEGAN-BARRY-VAN BUREN-KALAMAZOO-CALHOUN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MUSKEGON...JENISON...GRAND RAPIDS... HOLLAND...HASTINGS...SOUTH HAVEN...KALAMAZOO...BATTLE CREEK 207 AM EDT FRI JUN 19 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY... AT 205 AM EDT... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTAINING CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES... TORRENTIAL RAIN... LARGE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS TO 50 MPH. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED FROM 30 MILES OFFSHORE OF GRAND HAVEN AND SAUGATUCK... EXTENDING WEST ACROSS MILWAUKEE AND MADISON WISCONSIN. STORM MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 35 MPH. THE STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN MOVING MORE SOUTHEAST OVERNIGHT... AND WILL PRIMARILY IMPACT LOCATIONS SOUTHWEST OF A LINE FROM MUSKEGON TO BATTLE CREEK BETWEEN 3 AM AND 8 AM. INTENSE LIGHTNING WAS OCCURING WITH THESE STORMS. MOVE TO A STURDY BUILDING OR CAR WHEN THE STORMS APPROACH. THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE LOCALLY TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS THAT WILL CREATE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. SMALLER CREEKS AND STREAMS MAY RISE OUT OF THEIR BANKS WHERE HEAVIER RAIN PERSISTS. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 AM EDT FRIDAY MORNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN MICHIGAN. MEADE
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
333 AM EDT FRI JUN 19 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0333 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 S HOLLAND 42.75N 86.11W
06/19/2009 M1.36 INCH ALLEGAN MI ASOS
30 MINUTE RAIN TOTAL FROM 256 AM UNTIL 326 AM.
&&
GWETZELThe Grand Rapids radar (KGRR), 71 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 07:31 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Widespread tree damage with broken limbs and scattered trees blown down along an eleven mile long and 8 mile wide swath covering the southwest corner of the county.|Three trailer homes suffered damage from falling trees.|Numerous utility lines down throughout the area.
Widspread tree limbs and scattered trees blown down over a 10 mile long and 9 mile wide area extending from the northwest to the central part of the county. |Numerous utility lines were taken down by falling trees in Lacota, Grand Junction, and Breedsville.
Widespread tree limbs with several trees blown down along an eight mile long and 5 mile wide path which includes the town of Lawrence. Utility lines were downed by falling trees in Lawrence. Tree damage extended southeast to Eagle Lake.
Several trees and utility lines were reported down around Comstock.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, June 2009
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: 184740, 184743, 184745, 184778.