On the hottest day of early summer, scattered thunderstorms developed over North Central and Northeast Lower Michigan late in the day. A few of these became severe, producing damaging winds.
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 APX wrote it up.
On the hottest day of early summer, scattered thunderstorms developed over North Central and Northeast Lower Michigan late in the day. A few of these became severe, producing 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 Jun 24, 3:03 PM EST, 2 hours 11 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GAYLORD MI 403 PM EDT WED JUN 24 2009 .SYNOPSIS.../ISSUED AT 403 PM/ A COOL FRONT WILL SAG DOWN INTO NORTHERN MICHIGAN TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY AND BRING SOME CHANCES FOR NEEDED RAINFALL TO PORTIONS OF NORTHERN MICHIGAN. BEHIND THE FRONT...A LITTLE COOLER AND LESS MUGGY AIR WILL SETTLE INTO THE REGION TO WRAP UP THE WORK WEEK. HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND...A STRONGER COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH THE REGION AND BRING ADDITIONAL CHANCES FOR RAIN. ADAM && .SHORT TERM.../ISSUED AT 403 PM/...TONIGHT AFTERNOON TEMPS RANGING FROM THE UPPER 80S TO LOWER 90S ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA...WARMEST DAY IN SOMETIME WITH SOME SPOTS HITTING RECORD HIGHS (TVC) AND THE FIRST TIME SOME LOCATIONS HAVE REACHED 90F IN 2 YEARS. PLENTY OF HEAT BUT INLAND CU BUILD-UP/DEVELOPMENT OF AFTERNOON SHOWERS OR STORMS HAS BEEN DISAPPOINTING THUS FAR. INLAND SFC DEWPOINTS TELL THE STORY WITH VALUES DIPPING TO AROUND 60F THIS AFTERNOON...AND AS LOW AS 52F AT GOV AT ONE POINT...AS DEEP MIXING HAS TAPPED SOME DRIER AIR ABOVE 900 MB THAT WAS GLARING ON THE 12Z APX SOUNDING. SO DESPITE THE HEAT...STILL SOME CONVECTIVE INHIBITION HANGING AROUND DUE TO THE REDUCED LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...ALTHOUGH LAPS SOUNDINGS AS OF 19Z SHOWING VERY LITTLE CINH LEFT AS THE MIXED LAYER CONTINUES TO DEEPEN TO ABOVE 800 MB LATE THIS AFTERNOON. VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY FINALLY SHOWING SOME INLAND CU BUILD-UP ACROSS NRN LOWER MICHIGAN AND A BETTER NARROW CU LINE ACROSS EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN ALONG THE MARINE CONVERGENCE ZONE. ALSO...WITH HIGHER SFC DEWPOINTS STILL EVIDENT NEAR THE COASTS...POSSIBLE THAT BETTER MOISTURE MAY BEGIN TO POOL BACK INLAND OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS. UPSHOT TO ALL THIS...NOT READY TO GIVE UP ON THE IDEA OF SOME LATE AFTERNOON SHOWERS/THUNDER ACROSS THE INLAND AREAS AND WILL HANG ONTO ISOLATED-CHANCY POPS INTO THE EVENING. AFTER THAT...WILL BASICALLY HAVE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS UPSTREAM THIS EVENING TO SAY FOR SURE. UPPER FLOW PATTERN BEGINNING TO FLATTEN OUT ACROSS NRN PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON WITH SOME POCKETS OF CONVECTION ONGOING IN THE DAKOTAS AS WELL AS PORTIONS OF IOWA AND WISCONSIN. LIKE THE GFS IDEA OF ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACROSS MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN LATER THIS EVENING ALONG ANOTHER GOOD SURGE OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE INTO THE MIDWEST. BUT CERTAINLY THE GFS EXHIBITING CONVECTIVE FEEDBACK ISSUES DOWNSTREAM...DEVELOPING A COMPACT BULLSEYE OF GRID SCALE PRECIP (AND ASSOCIATED MID LEVEL MCV) AND SLIDING THAT THROUGH NRN LOWER MICHIGAN BY THURSDAY MORNING. REGARDLESS...THINK THE IDEA DOES HAVE MERIT ONLY WITH MUCH LESS PRECIP AND PERHAPS JUST A BIT FURTHER SOUTH. STILL TOO MUCH UNCERTAINTY TO GO WITH ANYTHING BUT CHANCE POPS SOUTH OF THE BRIDGE FOR NOW...WITH THE BEST CHANCES SOUTH OF M-72. ADAM && .LONG TERM.../ISSUED AT 403 PM/...THURSDAY AND BEYOND THE LONG RANGE FEATURES RIDGING GIVING WAY TO LOWER HEIGHTS AS A TROUGH ESTABLISHES ITSELF LATE IN THE WEEKEND INTO THE FIRST HALF OF NEXT WEEK ACROSS THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES. A ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEKEND WITH COOLER AND LESS HUMID CONDITIONS EXPECTED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD. THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS REVOLVE AROUND POPS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. THURSDAY...UPSTREAM CONVECTIVE COMPLEX WILL LIKELY BE EXITING THE REGION IN THE MORNING. NAM WITH SUPPORT OF THE UKMET FOR ONE WOULD BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND STORMS THROUGH IN THE AFTERNOON AS WELL. SEVERE STORMS ARE NOT ANTICIPATED AS WIND FIELDS REMAIN LIGHT AND FREEZING LEVELS ARE FAIRLY HIGH (13K OR SO). GFS MEANWHILE...ADVECTS IN LOTS OF DRY AIR FROM THE NORTHWEST ENDING ACTIVITY ALTOGETHER. WILL GO WITH A COMPROMISE SOLUTION AND CONTINUE WITH POPS SOUTH OF M-32 IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S AND LOWER 80S. THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...RIDGING AT THE SURFACE AND ALOFT WILL PROVIDE TRANQUIL WEATHER ACROSS THE REGION. NOT AS HUMID AS RECENTLY WITH DEWPOINTS MAINLY IN THE MORE COMFORTABLE 50S. LOWS IN THE MIDDLE 50S TO LOWER 60S. HIGHS FRIDAY IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 80S. SATURDAY...THE RIDGE SLOWLY EXITS TO THE EAST IN THE AFTERNOON WITH A FRONT/UPPER LEVEL TROUGH APPROACHING FROM THE NORTHWEST. MODEL TIMING IS STILL A BIT SLOWER THAN PREVIOUS GUIDANCE SO WILL DELAY POPS UNTIL AFTER 18Z (THIS MAY END UP BEING TOO FAST AS WELL). HIGHS IN THE LOWER AND MIDDLE 80S. SATURDAY NIGHT...SURFACE COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH LATE WHICH WILL LIKELY BRING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE REGION. STILL PRETTY FAR OUT THERE IN TIME BUT WIND FIELDS LOOK CONDUCIVE TO POSSIBLY PRODUCE DECENT STORMS (GOOD DIRECTIONAL AND FAIR SPEED SHEAR). LOWS IN THE UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S. SUNDAY THROUGH NEXT WEDNESDAY...MUCH COOLER AND LESS HUMID AIRMASS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE REGION WHICH IS A RELIEF TO SOME. EXTENDED MODELS MAY BE A BIT OVERAMPLIFIED WITH A TROUGH THAT DROPS SOUTHEAST INTO THE REGION. NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT LOOKS TO COOL HIGHS INTO THE 70S FOR THE MOST PART. THE UNSEASONABLY DEEP CUTOFF UPPER LOW WHICH IS DEPICTED BY SOME EXTENDED MODELS APPEARS TO BE THE EXTREME. NATIONAL GUIDANCE DISCARDS THE OPERATIONAL GFS AS AN OUTLIER SO WILL NOT BUY INTO THIS SOLUTION AND SURROUNDING OFFICES COLLABORATION KEEPS THIS TIME PERIOD DRY SO WILL FOLLOW SUIT. SULLIVAN && .MARINE.../ISSUED AT 403 PM/ A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL PASS THROUGH THE REGION TONIGHT WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...ESPECIALLY OVER LAKE MICHIGAN. WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE NORTHWEST LATE TONIGHT AND CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY...BUT REMAIN BELOW SCA THRESHOLDS. AJS && .AVIATION.../ISSUED AT 142 PM/...VALID FOR 18Z TAFS MID-HIGH LEVEL DEBRIS CLOUDS...FROM DISSIPATING SHRAS OVR MN-IA... WILL MOVE THRU AREA TERMINALS THRU 06Z. EXPECT ISOLATED SHWRS/TSTMS TO REDEVELOP THIS AFTN OVR INLAND AREAS. STABILIZING MARINE INFLUENCE SHOULD KEEP TERMINALS DRY THIS AFTN-EVNG...BUT THERE IS LOW POTENTIAL FOR APN. WEAK COLD FNT WILL MOVE THRU TNGT. CONFIDENCE IS LOW AFTER 06Z. FORECAST IS HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON TSTM EVOLUTION/ ORGANIZATION UPSTREAM OVER MN/WI. POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR SHWRS/TSTMS AT PLN/TVC AFTER 06Z AND APN AFTER 09Z. KEPT THUNDER POTENTIAL AFTER 12Z AS APPROACHING SHORTWAVE TROF COULD TRIGGER ADDITIONAL TSTMS TOMORROW AS WELL...EVEN IF OVERNIGHT COMPLEX DOES NOT OCCUR. PLEASE MONITOR LATER TAFS FOR UPDATES AS TSTM DETAILS BECOME MORE CLR. JH && .APX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...NONE. LM...NONE. LH...NONE. LS...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GAYLORD MI 455 PM EDT WED JUN 24 2009 LHZ345>349-LMZ323-341-342-344>346-LSZ321-322-MIZ008-015>036-041-042- 251000- 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-GRAND TRAVERSE BAY- SEUL CHOIX PT TO MACKINAC BRDG-NORWOOD TO MACKINAC BRDG- SLEEPING BEAR PT TO GRAND TRAVERSE LT-PT BETSIE TO SLEEPING BEAR PT- MANISTEE TO PT BETSIE-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- 455 PM EDT WED JUN 24 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN... EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN...AND ADJACENT NEARSHORE WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN...LAKE HURON AND LAKE SUPERIOR. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS REMAIN POSSIBLE INTO THE EVENING HOURS ACROSS INLAND AREAS OF NORTHERN LOWER AND EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED...HOWEVER ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN ACROSS MOST OF THE OUTLOOK AREA LATE TONIGHT...WITH THE BEST CHANCES SOUTH OF M-72. SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN...BUT NO SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THE SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE OUTLOOK AREA ON THURSDAY. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AGAIN OVER ALL OF THE NORTHERN MICHIGAN LATE SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT...AS A STRONG COLD FRONT PUSHES ACROSS THE REGION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. ADAM
The NCL Michigan radar (KAPX), 80 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:12 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees were downed along US-127 at mile marker 184.
Several trees and power lines were downed in the Gladwin area. M-61 was temporarily closed at the west end of town due to fallen tree limbs. A street light was toppled in the city limits.
Three barns were destroyed by high winds. Many trees were downed.
Sporadic large trees and power lines were downed in a large area from Skidway Lake to Prescott.
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: 179782, 179781, 179785, 179786.