An MCS moved into the southern portions of the county warning area during the evening hours. As the system move east northeast through southern lower Michigan, scattered wind damage was reported in Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Calhoun, and Ingham counties.
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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.
An MCS moved into the southern portions of the county warning area during the evening hours. As the system move east northeast through southern lower Michigan, scattered wind damage was reported in Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Calhoun, and Ingham 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 May 22, 5:31 PM EST, 36 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI 631 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011 LATEST UPDATE...AVIATION... .SYNOPSIS...(353 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011) STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TONIGHT AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE AREA. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL LINGER THROUGH MONDAY EVENING THEN COME TO AN END. TUESDAY LOOKS MAINLY DRY...WITH THE NEXT CHANCE OF RAIN COMING ON WEDNESDAY WITH LOW PRESSURE PASSING TO OUR SOUTH. TEMPERATURES WILL COOL OFF...FROM THE 70S ON MONDAY...INTO THE 60S FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. && .SHORT TERM...(353 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011) (TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT) SEVERE POTENTIAL STILL APPEARS RATHER GOOD LATE THIS EVENING. A LINE OF STORMS WERE COMING TOGETHER AHEAD OF COLD FRONT FROM CENTRAL WISCONSIN TO CENTRAL ILLINOIS. THESE SHOULD HOLD TOGETHER AS A COUPLED UPPER JET MOVES IN THIS EVENING. THEN TOWARD MIDNIGHT A LOW LEVEL JET APPROACHES TO HELP MAINTAIN THE STORMS. IT APPEARS THE HIGHEST CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER FOR SW LOWER MICHIGAN WILL COME BETWEEN 8 PM AND 3 AM. THIS TIMING ALSO COINCIDES WITH THE ARRIVAL OF STRONGER MID LEVEL WINDS AND A SHARP THETA-E RIDGE. SHEAR VALUES IN THE LOWEST 1KM RAMP UP SIGNIFICANTLY AROUND 03Z OVER THE WESTERN HALF OF THE CWA...SO WE WILL HAVE TO MAINTAIN WATCH FOR AN ISOLATED TORNADO LATER THIS EVENING. THE FRONT OCCLUDES AND COMES THROUGH EARLY MONDAY MORNING...HOWEVER THERE WILL BE A SECONDARY COLD FRONT THAT WILL NOT COME THROUGH UNTIL MONDAY EVENING. IT APPEARS THERE WILL BE ENOUGH MOISTURE AND LIFT LINGERING TO HAVE SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS MUCH OF THE DAY. WITH THE SECONDARY COLD FRONT COMING THROUGH AFTER THE DAYTIME INSTABILITY HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED...THERE COULD BE MORE STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS OVER FAR SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN. THE RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF THE JET COMES OVERHEAD DURING THE EVENING HOURS TOO WHICH IS WHEN THE STORMS SHOULD PEAK. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS SHOULD EXIT THE AREA TOWARD MIDNIGHT MONDAY NIGHT AS THE FRONT PASSES. && .LONG TERM...(353 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011) (TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY) DIFFERENCES REMAIN BETWEEN THE GFS AND ECMWF THROUGH THE LONG TERM. SYSTEMS ARE MOVED AT A STEADY PACE FROM WEST TO EAST THROUGH THE LONG TERM... EXCEPT FOR A LOW IN THE ECMWF PROGGED TO SLOW OR STALL NEAR THE AREA THURSDAY INTO SATURDAY. THE GFS KEEPS THE SYSTEM MOVEMENT MORE CONSISTENT... SO LEANED TOWARD DRIER WITH HIGH PRESSURE OVERHEAD AS SHOWN BY THE GFS. THIS WOULD BRING RAIN TO MICHIGAN... AND THUNDERSTORMS TO SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN... WEDNESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT. RAIN WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA INTO THURSDAY NIGHT. CUT TO 20 POPS FOR FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. WOULD REMOVE PRECIPITATION... IF IT WOULD NOT CREATE AN ISLAND IN THE GRIDS. LEFT THE WEEKEND DRY... AS A STRONG AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE DEPICTED IN THE GFS... KEEPS SYSTEMS TO THE NORTH OR SOUTH OF THE REGION. THE TEMPERATURES WILL BE AROUND TO A LITTLE BELOW NORMAL. NORMAL HIGHS RANGE FROM AROUND 70 DEGREES TO THE MID 70S. NORMAL LOWS ARE AROUND 50 DEGREES. && .AVIATION...(631 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011) VFR CONDITIONS WITH A FEW CUMULUS AND A WARM ATMOSPHERE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY WINDS AROUND 12 KTS GUSTING INTO THE LOWER 20S OUT OF THE SOUTH. AREAS OF THUNDERSTORMS HAVE FORMED ACROSS THE REGION. THE MAIN THREAT FOR THUNDERSTORMS... AND POSSIBLY SEVERE STORMS... WILL COME LATE THIS EVENING INTO TONIGHT. VISIBILITIES AND CEILINGS SHOULD MOSTLY BE IN THEIR VFR RANGES... WITH SCATTERED MVFR CONDITIONS AND ISOLATED IFR IN THE THUNDERSTORMS. MAY HAVE A LULL IN THE WINDS OVERNIGHT... BUT THEY SHOULD PICK UP AGAIN BY MONDAY AFTERNOON AS THE COLD FRONT APPROACHES WITH ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. && .MARINE...(353 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011) TOOK THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY DOWN FOR ALL BUT AREAS SOUTH OF SOUTH HAVEN. THE FAR SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE LAKE SHOULD SEE THE STRONGEST SSW WINDS TONIGHT AS THIS AREA IS FARTHEST FROM THE BAGGINESS OF THE LOW PRESSURE THAT WILL CROSS THE LAKE SUPERIOR REGION. ALTHOUGH NO SCA IS IN AFFECT BEYOND TONIGHT...IT APPEARS THE LAKE WILL STAY SOMEWHAT CHOPPY AS COLD ADVECTION TAKES OVER LATE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. && .HYDROLOGY...(353 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011) MOST RAINFALL TOTALS SHOULD BE BETWEEN A QUARTER AND A HALF RAIN THROUGH MONDAY EVENING. HOWEVER...GIVEN THE CONVECTIVE NATURE OF THE PCPN AND WITH PWAT VALUES APPROACHING AN INCH AND A HALF...SOME LOCALIZED HEAVIER TOTALS WILL OCCUR. BRIEF PONDING OF WATER IN URBAN AREAS AND A JUMP IN WATER LEVELS OF SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS COULD OCCUR. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...NONE. LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH 5AM TONIGHT ST. JOESPH TO SOUTH HAVEN. && SYNOPSIS: JK SHORT TERM: JK LONG TERM: 63 AVIATION: 63 MARINE: JK HYDROLOGY: JK
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI 421 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011 MIZ037>040-043>046-050>052-056>059-064>067-071>074-231045- MASON-LAKE-OSCEOLA-CLARE-OCEANA-NEWAYGO-MECOSTA-ISABELLA-MUSKEGON- MONTCALM-GRATIOT-OTTAWA-KENT-IONIA-CLINTON-ALLEGAN-BARRY-EATON- INGHAM-VAN BUREN-KALAMAZOO-CALHOUN-JACKSON- 421 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS SOME OF WHICH MAY BE SEVERE ARE EXPECTED THIS EVENING INTO TONIGHT. STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AFTER 500 PM...WITH THE BEST CHANCES OCCURRING AFTER 800 PM. THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN...CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES...HAIL GREATER THAN ONE INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THUNDERSTORM MOVEMENT WILL BE TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 TO 45 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AGAIN MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...ESPECIALLY SOUTHEAST OF A BENTON HARBOR TO LANSING LINE. STORMS MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING MAY REACH SEVERE LEVELS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. LMZ844>849-231045- 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- 421 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS TO 30 KNOTS WILL POSE A HAZARD TO SMALLER CRAFT TONIGHT SOUTH OF SOUTH HAVEN. AREAS OF DENSE FOG WILL BE POSSIBLE TONIGHT OUT ON THE LAKE. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ON LAKE MICHIGAN TONIGHT. STRONG WINDS...LARGE HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND CLOUD TO WATER LIGHTNING ARE ALL POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ON MONDAY AS WELL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. DUKE JK
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
644 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011
MIZ064-071-222345-
ALLEGAN-VAN BUREN-
644 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
AT 639 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 26 MILES SOUTH OF SOUTH HAVEN...MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 40 MPH.
NICKEL SIZE HAIL...WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
KEELER... VAN BUREN STATE PARK...
PALISADES PARK... COVERT... HARTFORD...
HAMILTON TWP... MCDONALD... LAWRENCE...
DECATUR... SOUTH HAVEN... BANGOR...
PORTER TWP... LACOTA... BREEDSVILLE...
LAWTON...
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 8637 4240 8629
4242 8628 4242 8577 4207 8576
TIME...MOT...LOC 2244Z 229DEG 36KT 4206 8628
MEADEThe Grand Rapids radar (KGRR), 66 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:07 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Law enforcement reported isolated tree damage and power lines down in the Gobles area.
A 58 mph wind gust was measured by the Kalamazoo ASOS. Trained spotters also reported tree branches down in between the I-94 corridor and downtown Kalamazoo.
Calhoun county emergency manager reported multiple large, healthy trees down within Emmett Township.
A county official reported that multiple trees were uprooted near the intersection of E Kalamazoo Street and Shepard Street.
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, May 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: 298153, 298155, 298157, 298168.