Severe thunderstorms developed during the late night hours producing wind gusts of over 60 mph across portions of Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Calhoun and Jackson 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 developed during the late night hours producing wind gusts of over 60 mph across portions of Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Calhoun and Jackson 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 Jul 28, 10:55 PM EST, 1 hour 50 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
1155 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2011
LATEST UPDATE...AVIATION...
.SYNOPSIS...(335 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2011)
ANOTHER ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED
TONIGHT...WHICH WILL RESULT IN A SIGNIFICANT THREAT FOR FLASH
FLOODING. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF THE AREA
UNTIL FRIDAY AFTERNOON. A WEAK SURGE OF DRIER AIR WILL PUSH SOUTH
THROUGH THE AREA FRIDAY AFTERNOON...BRINGING A DRY BUT HOT WEEKEND.
TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT
WORK WEEK.
&&
.SHORT TERM...(335 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2011)
(TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT)
THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH STILL LOOKS ON TRACK...AS WE EXPECT EPISODES
OF HEAVY RAIN TONIGHT...PARTICULARLY BEFORE 2 AM FRIDAY. SPC HAS
PLACED AREAS SOUTH OF I-96 IN A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
TONIGHT...BUT CURRENT THINKING IS THAT THE PRIMARY THREATS WILL BE
FLOODING FROM LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. MAIN CHANGES TO THE FORECAST WERE
TO INCREASE POPS TONIGHT.
WATER VAPOR IMAGES SHOW A WELL DEFINED UPPER PV MAX CROSSING THE
IA/MN BORDER THIS AFTERNOON. AN ADDITIONAL PV MAX WAS CROSSING THE
UPPER MIDWEST NEAR THE CANADIAN BORDER. AN MCS DRIVEN BY THE FIRST
PV MAX APPEARS TO BE WEAKENING AND LIMITING DOWNSTREAM INSOLATION.
ALTHOUGH THE SECOND PV MAX SHOULD PASS NORTH OF THE AREA...WE EXPECT
IT TO HELP THE LOW-LEVEL JET TONIGHT. CURRENT PROFILER/VWP DATA
SUGGEST THAT THE SHORT RANGE MODELS ALREADY ARE UNDER-REPRESENTING
LOW-LEVEL FLOW. AN EXTREMELY MOIST ATMOSPHERE /PRECIPITABLE WATER
GREATER THAN 2 INCHES/ COMBINED WITH A FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR
TRAINING/BACK-BUILDING CELLS NORTH OF A STATIONARY BOUNDARY ALL
POINT TOWARDS A VERY GOOD SETUP FOR ADDITIONAL VERY HEAVY RAIN
TONIGHT.
FOR FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT...FLOW VEERING TO THE NW BEHIND THE
EXITING PV MAX WILL USHER DRIER AIR INTO THE REGION AND END RAIN
CHANCES FOR THE AREA.
&&
.LONG TERM...(335 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2011)
(SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)
AN UPPER RIDGE WILL REDEVELOP OVER THE PLAINS DURING THE WEEKEND
BEFORE GRADUALLY FLATTENING AGAIN TOWARD THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK.
THE CHANCE FOR PCPN SUNDAY NIGHT ISN/T LOOKING REAL GOOD. A WEAK
COLD FRONT WILL PUSH SOUTH THROUGH THE CWA SUNDAY NIGHT. MOISTURE
TRANSPORT VECTORS RATHER SMALL. GIVEN THE OVERNIGHT TIMING...
INSTABILITY WILL BE AT A MINIMUM.
DRY WX THEN UNTIL LATE TUESDAY AHEAD OF THE NEXT FRONT. THAT FRONT
HAS MORE OF A PUNCH TO IT AND SHOULD ALSO HAVE MORE MOISTURE TO WORK
WITH. TUESDAY NIGHT LOOKS LIKE THE TIMEFRAME THAT HAS THE HIGHEST
CHANCE OF SEEING RAIN DURING THE EXTENDED PERIOD.
GIVEN THE RIDGE NEARBY...HIGH TEMPS DURING THE PERIOD WILL REMAIN
AOA AVERAGE.
&&
.AVIATION...(1155 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2011)
AT 0345Z... NUMEROUS TSTMS WITH VERY HVY RAIN WERE DEVELOPING AND
EXPANDING OVER SRN LWR MI. THESE STORMS SHOULD LAST THROUGH ABOUT
09Z THEN MOVE OUT OF THE AREA. MKG MAY NOT BE IMPACTED MUCH IF AT
ALL WITH TSTMS AFTER 06Z... AND THE STORMS SHOULD END IN A NW TO SE
FASHION AFTER 07Z-08Z. A BRIEF PERIOD OF MVFR/LOCAL IFR CIGS MAY
ACCOMPANY THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT LATE TONIGHT INTO MID
MORNING FRIDAY... OTHERWISE WIDESPREAD /HIGH CONFIDENCE/ VFR
CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP FOR FRIDAY BY 18Z.
&&
.MARINE...(335 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2011)
NO CONCERNS THROUGH THE PERIOD DUE TO A WEAK PRESSURE GRADIENT...
RESULTING IN LIGHT WINDS AND LOW WAVE HEIGHTS.
&&
.HYDROLOGY...(335 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2011)
THE THREAT REMAINS HIGH FOR LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING TONIGHT.
DOPPLER RADAR AND RAINFALL REPORTS BOTH INDICATE THAT 4+ INCHES OF
RAIN HAD FALLEN IN A SWATH EXTENDING SOUTHEAST FROM GRAND RAPIDS TO
JUST SOUTH OF LANSING. CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR ADDITIONAL
HEAVY RAIN TONIGHT...WITH RAINFALL RATES OF 1-2 INCHES PER HOUR
CERTAINLY POSSIBLE. CREEKS AND SOME MAINSTEM RIVERS ALREADY HAVE
RISEN FROM THE PREVIOUS RAIN. THESE FACTORS...COMBINED WITH
SATURATED SOIL CONDITIONS...SUGGEST THAT ADDITIONAL LOCALIZED FLASH
FLOODING AND CREEK/RIVER RISES CAN BE EXPECTED TONIGHT.
&&
.GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MI...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT SOUTH OF A WHITEHALL TO ALMA LINE
UNTIL FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
LM...NONE.
&&
SYNOPSIS: TJT
SHORT TERM: TJT
LONG TERM: 93
AVIATION: MEADE
MARINE: TJT
HYDROLOGY: TJTHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI 340 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2011 MIZ037>040-043>046-050>052-056>059-064>067-071>074-291000- MASON-LAKE-OSCEOLA-CLARE-OCEANA-NEWAYGO-MECOSTA-ISABELLA-MUSKEGON- MONTCALM-GRATIOT-OTTAWA-KENT-IONIA-CLINTON-ALLEGAN-BARRY-EATON- INGHAM-VAN BUREN-KALAMAZOO-CALHOUN-JACKSON- 340 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINFALL AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED AGAIN TONIGHT. ALTHOUGH THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR DAMAGING WINDS...THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE FLASH FLOODING. STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE TO THE EAST AROUND 30 MPH...BUT SOME AREAS MAY SEE PROLONGED PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN FROM A SERIES OF STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THE THREAT FOR HEAVY RAIN SHOULD END FRIDAY MORNING. HOWEVER... SWOLLEN CREEKS AND STREAMS WILL CONTINUE TO POSE A FLOODING HAZARD IN SOME AREAS. ANYONE LIVING NEAR THE LARGER RIVERS AND STREAMS SHOULD MONITOR RIVER LEVELS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED TONIGHT MAINLY SOUTH OF I-96 TO MONITOR FLOODING. LMZ844>849-291000- 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- 340 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINFALL AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED AGAIN TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR WINDS GREATER THAN 34 KNOTS NEAR THE STRONGER STORMS. STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE TO THE EAST AROUND 30 MPH...BUT SOME AREAS MAY SEE PROLONGED PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN FROM A SERIES OF STORMS. EXPECT LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL... FREQUENT CLOUD TO WATER LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS AND INCREASED WAVE HEIGHTS NEAR THE BIGGER STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO MID MORNING FRIDAY WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL... GUSTY WINDS...INCREASED WAVE HEIGHTS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED TONIGHT. TJT
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
1155 PM EDT THU JUL 28 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1154 PM HEAVY RAIN HOLLAND 42.78N 86.11W
07/28/2011 M0.54 INCH OTTAWA MI TRAINED SPOTTER
2 HOUR RAINFALL ENDING AT 1150 PM.
&&
MKALEMBKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
1210 AM EDT FRI JUL 29 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1155 PM HEAVY RAIN 2 S HOLLAND 42.75N 86.11W
07/28/2011 M0.80 INCH ALLEGAN MI ASOS
1 HOUR RAINFALL ENDING AT 1153 PM.
&&
MKALEMBKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
1221 AM EDT FRI JUL 29 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1220 AM HEAVY RAIN 3 SW WAYLAND 42.64N 85.68W
07/29/2011 M1.47 INCH ALLEGAN MI TRAINED SPOTTER
1 HOUR RAINFALL ENDING AT 1220 AM.
&&
MKALEMBKSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
1226 AM EDT FRI JUL 29 2011
MIZ064>066-071-072-290600-
ALLEGAN-BARRY-EATON-KALAMAZOO-VAN BUREN-
1226 AM EDT FRI JUL 29 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
AT 1221 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 4 MILES NORTHWEST OF
CHARLOTTE TO SOUTH HAVEN...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
FUNNEL CLOUDS...WINDS GREATER THAN 30 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BANGOR... KALAMO... BREEDSVILLE...
POTTERVILLE... CHARLOTTE... GLENDALE...
GOBLES... DIMONDALE... BANFIELD...
LACEY... KENDALL... HICKORY CORNERS...
ALAMO... ASSYRIA... BELLEVUE...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
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.
&&
LAT...LON 4252 8623 4273 8460 4257 8461 4245 8476
4242 8507 4242 8530 4230 8576 4225 8636
TIME...MOT...LOC 0425Z 273DEG 35KT 4258 8486 4235 8618
LAURENSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
115 AM EDT FRI JUL 29 2011
MIZ071-072-290645-
KALAMAZOO-VAN BUREN-
115 AM EDT FRI JUL 29 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
AT 110 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 9 MILES SOUTH OF SOUTH HAVEN...MOVING EAST AT 40
MPH.
FUNNEL CLOUDS...WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
LACOTA... BANGOR... GRAND JUNCTION...
BREEDSVILLE... LAWRENCE... HAMILTON TWP...
BLOOMINGDALE... GLENDALE... DECATUR...
GOBLES... PAW PAW... PORTER TWP...
KENDALL... LAWTON... MATTAWAN...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
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 4207 8622 4224 8623 4224 8636 4225 8636
4242 8627 4242 8530 4208 8529
TIME...MOT...LOC 0515Z 269DEG 36KT 4227 8617
LAURENSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
139 AM EDT FRI JUL 29 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0137 AM HEAVY RAIN N LANSING 42.74N 84.55W
07/29/2011 M1.32 INCH INGHAM MI TRAINED SPOTTER
3 HOUR RAINFALL ENDING AT 120 AM.
&&
MKALEMBKThe Grand Rapids radar (KGRR), 80 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:43 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A few trees were blown down across portions of Van Buren county, primarily in the vicinity of Paw Paw.
The Kalamazoo county road commission reported widely scattered tree damage across portions of the county.
A thunderstorm which became severe produced a 53 knot measured wind gust at the Battle Creek airport. Several trees and power lines were blown down in the vicinity of Battle Creek, Tekonsha, Marshall and Albion.
Broadcast media reported that aluminum siding was torn off of a house by estimated 50 to 60 mph wind gusts.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, July 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: 324667, 324672, 324669, 324673.