A marginal severe thunderstorm produced a brief tornado in Lakefield Township in Saginaw County. Then another isolated severe thunderstorm moved through the northern suburbs of Detroit.
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 DTX wrote it up.
A marginal severe thunderstorm produced a brief tornado in Lakefield Township in Saginaw County. Then another isolated severe thunderstorm moved through the northern suburbs of Detroit.
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 Detroit, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 9, 12:19 PM EST, 1 hour 49 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI 119 PM EDT TUE AUG 9 2011 .AVIATION... //DISCUSSION... A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH A COLD FRONT IS CURRENTLY MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN. ANTICIPATING THIS LINE TO REACH THE NORTHERN TAF SITES BY LATE AFTERNOON WHICH WILL BRING SHOWERS AND POSSIBLY A THUNDERSTORM TO MBS AND FNT. CURRENTLY NOT EXPECTING ANY OF THE THUNDERSTORMS TO BECOME SEVERE. WINDS WILL REMAIN FROM THE WEST-NORTHWEST THROUGH THE MAJORITY OF THE TAF PERIOD. SKY COVER WILL DIMINISH BEHIND THE FRONT...HOWEVER CLOUDS WILL BUILD IN AGAIN TOWARDS 12Z WEDNESDAY BEFORE SLOWLY LIFTING BY EARLY AFTERNOON. FOR DTW... WHILE THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS CONTINUING TO DEVELOP SOUTHWARD...THERE IS STILL MUCH UNCERTAINTY IF THE SHOWERS WILL ACTUALLY MAKE IT TO DTW. DUE TO THIS UNCERTAINTY...RAIN IS CURRENTLY LEFT OUT OF THE DTW TAF...BUT WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND UPDATE AS NECESSARY THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON. //DTW THRESHOLD THREATS... * LOW CONFIDENCE IN THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRING BETWEEN 18Z AND 00Z. * HIGH CONFIDENCE THAT THE CEILING WILL REMAIN AT OR BELOW 5000FT FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE TAF PERIOD. && .PREV DISCUSSION...ISSUED 350 AM EDT TUE AUG 9 2011 SHORT TERM...TODAY AND TONIGHT STRONG UPPER LEVEL WAVE ADVANCED INTO SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN EARLY THIS MORNING...PROVIDING GOOD FORCING AND MOISTURE ADVECTION ABLE TO GENERATE SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS WHICH PRODUCED LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IN EXCESS OF 2 INCHES. THIS STRONGER THAN ADVERTISED UPPER WAVE WILL HAVE AN IMPACT TO OUR FORECAST TODAY...AS MOISTURE...INDICATED IN THE PW VALUES AND 850-700 MB THETA-E FIELDS ACTUALLY DECREASES THROUGH THE DAY...WHICH IS EXPECTED TO LIMIT THE COVERAGE OF ACTIVITY WITH THE COLD FRONT WHICH ARRIVES LATER TODAY. ONCE MORNING ACTIVITY EXITS...PLANNING ON CARRYING PREDOMINATELY SCATTERED POPS...AS FRONT IS CURRENTLY NOT TERRIBLY ACTIVE ACROSS FAR SOUTHERN MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN...WHICH IS CLOSE TO THE UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT. WE WILL BE EVEN FARTHER REMOVED...BUT WILL HAVE THE DAYTIME INSTABILITY TO WORK WITH...BUT STILL DON'T SEE MIXED LAYER CAPES GETTING MUCH PAST 1000 J/KG. WITH A BIT LESS MOISTURE TO WORK WITH...TRANSLATING TO ADDITIONAL SUNSHINE...LOW TO MID 80S SHOULD BE NO PROBLEM WITH 850 MB TEMPS AROUND 15 C. THE ONLY POSSIBLE HANGUP IS IF WE FOG IN THIS MORNING AS WE CLEAR OUT TOWARD SUNRISE. INITIAL COLD FRONT LOOKS TO BE EXITING AROUND 00Z...WHICH SHOULD PRETTY MUCH END THE THREAT FOR ACTIVITY BY MID EVENING ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA...AS SUFFICIENT DRYING TAKES PLACE (50 PERCENT MEAN 1000-500 MB RH). HOWEVER...A SECONDARY COLD FRONT WILL BE DROPPING IN FROM NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN OVERNIGHT...AND WITH ADDED MOISTURE BOOST FROM SAGINAW BAY...A FEW SHOWERS OR EVEN AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM CAN NOT BE RULED OUT ACROSS THE FAR NORTH/NEAR SAGINAW BAY. BLEND OF GUIDANCE PLACES MINS IN THE UPPER 50S NORTHWEST TO LOWER 60S SOUTHEAST IN A FAIRLY MIXED BOUNDARY LAYER. LONG TERM... THE COLD FRONT WILL BE THROUGH SE MICHIGAN BY SUNRISE WEDNESDAY MORNING WITH THE DOOR OPEN FOR COOLER AND LESS HUMID AIR ARRIVING ON NORTHWEST FLOW. THE LATEST MODEL RUNS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE DEPICTION OF A BURST OF COLD ADVECTION DURING THE MORNING THAT WEAKENS DURING THE AFTERNOON BUT STILL MANAGES TO COOL THE LOW LEVELS CONSIDERABLY COMPARED TO RECENT DAYS. JUDGING BY 850 MB TEMPS DROPPING TO AROUND 10C, OUR STRING OF HIGH TEMPERATURES AT 80 OR HIGHER WILL END WITH READINGS SOLIDLY CONFINED TO THE MID 70S. THIS WILL BE UNDER NO BETTER THAN PARTLY SUNNY CONDITIONS WITH A BROKEN FIELD OF CUMULUS EXPECTED TO FURTHER INHIBIT SURFACE HEATING. HIGHS IN THE MID 70S ARE ONLY ABOUT 5 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL BUT WILL BE A NOTICEABLE DEPARTURE FROM OUR RECENT STRETCH OF HOT WEATHER. A BROAD EXPANSE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE AREA BY THURSDAY AND LAST THROUGH FRIDAY WHICH WILL MAINTAIN OUR STRETCH OF PLEASANT WEATHER CONDITIONS. IT WILL BE DRY AND TEMPERATURES WILL MODERATE ABOUT A CATEGORY EACH DAY, AND BACK INTO THE LOWER 80S BY FRIDAY, AS THE SURFACE HIGH MATURES AND THE UPPER FLOW GRADUALLY SHIFTS FROM CONFLUENT NORTHWEST TOWARD A ZONAL CONFIGURATION. AGREEMENT IS GOOD AMONG THE 00Z MODEL RUNS IN THIS REGARD WITH THE LARGER SCALE PATTERN EXHIBITING CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD PREDICTABILITY. THE TROUBLE SPOT IS FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY WHEN SOME LONG WAVE AMPLIFICATION IS SHOWN TO GET UNDERWAY AND THE NEXT SHORT WAVE IS EXPECTED IN THE GREAT LAKES. THE INTENSIFICATION OF THIS SYSTEM IS TIED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LARGE TROUGH OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA, A FEATURE THE MODELS SHOULD HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON AS LONG AS THE TIMING HOLDS. THIS SEEMS TO BE THE CASE IN THE 00Z DATA WITH THE BULK OF SOLUTIONS INDICATING THE SHORT WAVE AND ASSOCIATED MOISTURE PATTERN ARRIVING IN THE GREAT LAKES FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY, IN LINE WITH OUR GOING FORECAST. MARINE... THE FIRST SHOT OF AUTUMN LIKE AIR WILL INVADE THE CENTRAL GREAT LAKES LATE TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW...CREATING UNSTABLE LOW LEVEL CONDITIONS...CONDUCIVE TO GOOD WAVE GROWTH AS NORTHWEST WINDS RAMP UP BETWEEN 20 AND 30 KNOTS OVER LAKE HURON BY WEDNESDAY MORNING. A SERIES OF COLD FRONTS WILL LIKELY TRIGGER A COUPLE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND TONIGHT AS WARM WATERS PROVIDE A MOISTURE BOOST. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL PERSIST DURING THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY...WITH SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES LIKELY NEEDED. WINDS WILL DIMINISH AS WE HEAD INTO THURSDAY WITH HIGH PRESSURE SETTLING OVER THE AREA. && .DTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...NONE. LAKE HURON...NONE. LAKE ST CLAIR...NONE. MI WATERS OF LAKE ERIE...NONE. && AVIATION.....RK SHORT TERM...SF LONG TERM....BT MARINE.......SF YOU CAN OBTAIN YOUR LATEST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTS ONLINE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/DETROIT (ALL LOWER CASE).
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI 435 AM EDT TUE AUG 9 2011 MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-100845- MIDLAND-BAY-HURON-SAGINAW-TUSCOLA-SANILAC-SHIAWASSEE-GENESEE-LAPEER- ST. CLAIR-LIVINGSTON-OAKLAND-MACOMB-WASHTENAW-WAYNE-LENAWEE-MONROE- 435 AM EDT TUE AUG 9 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE SCATTERED AROUND SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN TODAY AND THIS EVENING...BUT SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE THE MAIN CONCERN...ESPECIALLY DURING THE MORNING HOURS. THE STRONGEST STORMS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING WILL BE CAPABLE OF PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS NEAR 40 MPH. STORM MOTION WILL BE WEST TO EAST AT 25 MPH. A COMPACT AND STRONG WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE WILL SLIDE EASTWARD DURING THE MORNING FOLLOWED BY A SERIES OF COLD FRONTS. THE BEST CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ALONG THE INITIAL COLD FRONT AS IT MOVES THROUGH DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EXITING THE AREA BY MIDNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THE NEXT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL ARRIVE WITH A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT PLANNED TODAY AND TONIGHT. LCZ422-LHZ361>363-421-422-441>443-462>464-100845- ST. CLAIR RIVER- LAKE HURON FROM 5NM EAST OF MACKINAC BRIDGE TO PRESQUE ISLE LT BEYOND 5 NM OFF SHORE- LAKE HURON FROM PRESQUE ISLE LIGHT TO STURGEON POINT MI BEYOND 5NM OFF SHORE- LAKE HURON FROM STURGEON POINT TO ALABASTER MI BEYOND 5NM OFF SHORE- OUTER SAGINAW BAY SW OF ALABASTER TO PORT AUSTIN MI TO INNER SAGINAW BAY-INNER SAGINAW BAY SW OF POINT AU GRES TO BAY PORT MI- PORT AUSTIN TO HARBOR BEACH MI-HARBOR BEACH TO PORT SANILAC MI- PORT SANILAC TO PORT HURON MI- LAKE HURON FROM PORT AUSTIN TO HARBOR BEACH BEYOND 5NM OFF SHORE- LAKE HURON FROM HARBOR BEACH TO PORT SANILAC BEYOND 5NM OFF SHORE- LAKE HURON FROM PORT SANILAC TO PORT HURON BEYOND 5NM OFF SHORE- 435 AM EDT TUE AUG 9 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR LAKE HURON AND SAGINAW BAY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SHOWERS WILL BE NUMEROUS BUT THUNDERSTORMS WILL JUST BE SCATTERED IN COVERAGE OVER LAKE HURON AND SAGINAW BAY. SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED. HEAVY RAINFALL AND LIMITED VISIBILITY WILL BE THE MAIN CONCERN...ESPECIALLY DURING THE MORNING HOURS. THE STRONGEST STORMS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING WILL BE CAPABLE OF PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS NEAR 35 KNOTS. STORM MOTION WILL BE WEST TO EAST AT 25 KNOTS. A COMPACT AND STRONG WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE WILL SLIDE EASTWARD DURING THE MORNING FOLLOWED BY A SERIES OF COLD FRONTS. THE BEST CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ALONG THE INITIAL COLD FRONT AS IT MOVES THROUGH DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EXITING THE AREA BY MIDNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED WEDNESDAY AS GUSTY NORTHWEST WIND AND COOLER AIR INTERACT WITH THE WARM LAKE WATER TO BUILD WAVES ABOVE 4 FEET. THE NEXT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL ARRIVE WITH A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT PLANNED TODAY AND TONIGHT. LCZ423-460-LEZ444-100845- DETROIT RIVER-LAKE ST. CLAIR- MICHIGAN WATERS OF LAKE ERIE FROM DETROIT RIVER TO NORTH CAPE MI- 435 AM EDT TUE AUG 9 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF LAKE ERIE AND LAKE ST CLAIR. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE SCATTERED AROUND SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN AND ADJOINING MARINE AREAS TODAY AND THIS EVENING...BUT SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE THE MAIN CONCERN...ESPECIALLY DURING THE MORNING HOURS. THE STRONGEST STORMS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING WILL BE CAPABLE OF PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS NEAR 35 KNOTS. STORM MOTION WILL BE WEST TO EAST AT 25 KNOTS. A COMPACT AND STRONG WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE WILL SLIDE EASTWARD DURING THE MORNING FOLLOWED BY A SERIES OF COLD FRONTS. THE BEST CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ALONG THE INITIAL COLD FRONT AS IT MOVES THROUGH DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EXITING THE AREA BY MIDNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THE NEXT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL ARRIVE WITH A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT PLANNED TODAY AND TONIGHT. BT YOU CAN OBTAIN YOUR LATEST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTS ONLINE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/DETROIT (ALL LOWER CASE).
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
936 AM EDT TUE AUG 09 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN SAGINAW 43.42N 83.95W
08/09/2011 M1.31 INCH SAGINAW MI CO-OP OBSERVER
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 3 NNE ANN ARBOR 42.32N 83.70W
08/09/2011 M3.06 INCH WASHTENAW MI TRAINED SPOTTER
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 3 WSW SOUTH LYON 42.45N 83.70W
08/09/2011 M2.20 INCH LIVINGSTON MI 911 CALL CENTER
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 5 W SAGINAW 43.42N 84.05W
08/09/2011 M1.72 INCH SAGINAW MI 911 CALL CENTER
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 1 S CHELSEA 42.30N 84.02W
08/09/2011 M2.10 INCH WASHTENAW MI TRAINED SPOTTER
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN WATERFORD 42.66N 83.39W
08/09/2011 M1.20 INCH OAKLAND MI TRAINED SPOTTER
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 5 SSE WHITE LAKE 42.59N 83.47W
08/09/2011 M1.04 INCH OAKLAND MI COCORAHS
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN COMMERCE 42.59N 83.49W
08/09/2011 M1.15 INCH OAKLAND MI COCORAHS
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN YPSILANTI 42.24N 83.62W
08/09/2011 M1.26 INCH WASHTENAW MI COCORAHS
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 3 NW SAGINAW 43.45N 83.99W
08/09/2011 M1.40 INCH SAGINAW MI COCORAHS
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 4 ESE MILFORD 42.56N 83.53W
08/09/2011 M1.49 INCH OAKLAND MI COCORAHS
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 W DEARBORN 42.31N 83.25W
08/09/2011 M1.50 INCH WAYNE MI COCORAHS
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN PLYMOUTH 42.37N 83.47W
08/09/2011 M1.69 INCH WAYNE MI COCORAHS
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN CANTON 42.31N 83.48W
08/09/2011 M3.17 INCH WAYNE MI COCORAHS
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN WYANDOTTE 42.21N 83.16W
08/09/2011 M1.42 INCH WAYNE MI CO-OP OBSERVER
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 NNE GROSSE POINTE 42.41N 82.89W
08/09/2011 M1.37 INCH WAYNE MI CO-OP OBSERVER
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 3 NE DEARBORN 42.35N 83.17W
08/09/2011 M1.60 INCH WAYNE MI CO-OP OBSERVER
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 NW ANN ARBOR 42.29N 83.76W
08/09/2011 M2.00 INCH WASHTENAW MI CO-OP OBSERVER
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 5 NNW RICHMOND 42.88N 82.80W
08/09/2011 M1.18 INCH MACOMB MI CO-OP OBSERVER
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN EASTPOINTE 42.47N 82.96W
08/09/2011 M1.04 INCH MACOMB MI CO-OP OBSERVER
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 ESE PONTIAC 42.64N 83.26W
08/09/2011 M1.13 INCH OAKLAND MI CO-OP OBSERVER
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN ALGONAC 42.62N 82.53W
08/09/2011 M1.60 INCH ST. CLAIR MI CO-OP OBSERVER
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN MERRILL 43.41N 84.34W
08/09/2011 M2.72 INCH SAGINAW MI CO-OP OBSERVER
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 1 SE FRANKENMUTH 43.32N 83.72W
08/09/2011 M1.27 INCH SAGINAW MI CO-OP OBSERVER
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 1 NE CHESANING 43.19N 84.11W
08/09/2011 M2.27 INCH SAGINAW MI CO-OP OBSERVER
12 HOUR TOTAL
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 5 S AUBURN 43.53N 84.09W
08/09/2011 M1.21 INCH SAGINAW MI ASOS
12 HOUR TOTAL AT MBS AIRPORT
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 1 NE ANN ARBOR 42.29N 83.71W
08/09/2011 M1.77 INCH WASHTENAW MI CO-OP OBSERVER
12 HOUR TOTAL
&&
ADODSONSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI 155 PM EDT TUE AUG 9 2011 MIZ047-048-053-091930- BAY-MIDLAND-SAGINAW- 155 PM EDT TUE AUG 9 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY... AT 153 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 7 MILES WEST OF COLEMAN TO 26 MILES WEST OF ST. CHARLES...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. PEA SIZE HAIL...WINDS UP TO 40 MPH...OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. * THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR... PLEASANT VALLEY AND OIL CITY BY 205 PM EDT... EDENVILLE AND MARION SPRINGS BY 225 PM EDT... OAKLEY BY 235 PM EDT... CHESANING AND ST. CHARLES BY 240 PM EDT... FREELAND AND AUBURN BY 250 PM EDT... PINCONNING AND ZILWAUKEE BY 305 PM EDT... BRIDGEPORT AND BAY CITY BY 310 PM EDT... GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TRASH BINS TO BLOW AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE PASSED. AGD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI 258 PM EDT TUE AUG 9 2011 MIZ068-092000- LIVINGSTON- 258 PM EDT TUE AUG 9 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY... AT 254 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES WEST OF FOWLERVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WINDS GREATER THAN 40 MPH...OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. * THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... FOWLERVILLE BY 310 PM EDT... OAK GROVE AND HOWELL BY 325 PM EDT... HARTLAND BY 340 PM EDT... GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TRASH BINS TO BLOW AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED. MM
The Detroit radar (KDTX), 102 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:08 UTC.
3 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A weak tornado over Lafayette Township in Gratiot County tracked east-northeast into Saginaw County before lifting. Just some minor crop damage was observed, with winds estimated at 70 mph.
Small tree branches up to 3 inches in diameter were reported blown down.
A person from the general public estimated a 60 mph thunderstorm wind gust.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Michigan, 2011Warnings in Michigan, August 2011
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: 332636, 341556, 341553, 341557, 341554, 341555.