Thunderstorms developed during the late afternoon and early evening hours across southern lower Michigan and produced reports of several scattered downed trees and power lines across portions of Kent and Ionia counties. This occurred due to gusty severe thunderstorm wind gusts of up to 60 mph.
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.
Thunderstorms developed during the late afternoon and early evening hours across southern lower Michigan and produced reports of several scattered downed trees and power lines across portions of Kent and Ionia counties. This occurred due to gusty severe thunderstorm wind gusts of up to 60 mph. The Gerald Ford Airport in Grand Rapids had a measured peak wind gust to 52 mph and a trained spotter measured a peak wind gust to 55 mph four miles north northwest of Lowell. Hail up to three quarters inch in diameter was reported near Scottville.
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 Sep 29, 3:00 PM EST, 1 hour 55 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
400 PM EDT THU SEP 29 2011
LATEST UPDATE...AVIATION...
.SYNOPSIS...(400 PM EDT THU SEP 29 2011)
A STRONG AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE FROM THE NORTHERN GREAT
LAKES TONIGHT INTO NEW YORK STATE BY FRIDAY EVENING. A COLD FRONT
WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE REGION THURSDAY EVENING...BRINGING WITH IT
SHOWERS AND EVEN A FEW THUNDERSTORMS. STRONG WINDS WILL DEVELOP IN
THE WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT GUSTING IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH ALONG THE
LAKE MICHIGAN COAST AND TO AROUND 40 MPH INLAND TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY
MORNING. LAKE EFFECT RAIN SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED OFF OF LAKE MICHIGAN
FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY AS COLD AIR POURS OVER THE LAKE.
HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL ONLY TOP OUT AROUND 50 FOR FRIDAY AND
SATURDAY.
&&
.SHORT TERM...(400 PM EDT THU SEP 29 2011)
(TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT)
MAIN CONCERNS WITH THE SHORT TERM PERTAIN TO THE CHANCES FOR STORMS
THIS EVENING AND THEN THE WIND.
REGARDING THE STORM THREAT...CONVECTION HAS INCREASED IN COVERAGE
BENEATH THE UPPER LOW OVER WISCONSIN. REFLECTIVITY HAS ALSO BEEN ON
THE UPSWING NEAR LUDINGTON ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT.
EXPECTING SCATTERED STORMS TO MOVE THROUGH SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN
LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING...BETWEEN 400 PM AND 900 PM.
INSTABILITY WILL BE AIDED BY THE WARMER WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN
CONTRIBUTING TO DEW POINTS IN THE MID TO UPPER 50S. CAPE VALUES WILL
LIKELY PUSH TO NEAR 500 J/KG. MAIN THREATS WILL BE SMALL HAIL
(SEVERAL 0.25 TO 0.50 DIAMETER REPORTS ALREADY ACROSS WI) AND WIND.
THE STORMS BEHIND THE FRONT WILL BE IN A STRONGER WIND REGIME AND
SOME OF THIS WIND MAY TRANSFER TO THE GROUND. THREAT FOR SEVERE IS
LIMITED...BUT WE WILL BE MONITORING STORMS AS THE PROGRESS RAPIDLY
TO THE EAST-SOUTHEAST.
THE GRADIENT WIND THREAT LOOKS TO BE HANDLED WELL BY THE THINKING
OFF THE MID SHIFT AND IS CONFIRMED BY THE 12Z MODEL RUNS. STRONGEST
WINDS WILL BE OVER LAKE MICHIGAN (FREQUENT STORM FORCE GUSTS BETWEEN
06Z-12Z) AND IN THE LAKESHORE COUNTIES. FEEL THE GUSTS ALONG THE
COAST FOR THE MOST PART WILL BE IN THE 45-55 MPH RANGE THUS MATCHING
UP WELL WITH THE WIND ADVISORY. FURTHER INLAND...THE GRADIENT IS A
BIT MORE SLACK....AND FEEL FOR THE MOST PART WE ARE LOOKING AT A
20-30 WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH FORECAST. CANNOT RULE OUT A FEW GUSTS TO
AROUND 45 MPH...BUT AT THIS POINT LEANING TOWARD NO HEADLINE INLAND
GIVEN THE MORE SLACK GRADIENT DUE TO THE LOW SLIDING SOUTHEAST FROM
NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN TOWARD LAKE ERIE. HIGHEST GUSTS WILL BE FROM
MUSKEGON SOUTH DOWN THE COAST...ESPECIALLY TOWARD HOLLAND...
SAUGATUCK...SOUTH HAVEN AND COVERT. POWER OUTAGES WILL BE POSSIBLE
IN THESE AREAS LATE TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING.
LAKE EFFECT RAIN SHOWERS WILL KICK IN OVERNIGHT AS COLD AIR SWEEPS
ACROSS LAKE MICHIGAN. DELTA T/S OVER THE LAKE ON FRIDAY WILL
INCREASE INTO THE MIDDLE TO UPPER TEENS C. RAIN SHOWERS WILL BE
LIKELY FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY AS THE LAKE COMPONENT
COMBINES WITH THE UPPER TROUGH OVERHEAD.
FRIDAY NIGHT RAIN SHOWERS SHOULD TAPER OFF AS THE FLOW GOES
NORTHERLY AND THE COLUMN DRIES OUT. SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT LOOK
TO BE PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLEAR AND DRY. FROST POSSIBLE SATURDAY NIGHT.
&&
.LONG TERM...(400 PM EDT THU SEP 29 2011)
(SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)
COOLER NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT OVER THE REGION LATE IN THE WEEKEND
GIVES WAY TO A BUILDING RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE THAT IS ON TRACK TO
BRING A MILDER AND MUCH DRIER STRETCH OF WEATHER TO SOUTHWEST LOWER
MICHIGAN THROUGH MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. THE ONLY EXCEPTION TO A
COMPLETELY DRY WEEK WOULD BE WHETHER OR NOT SHOWERS DEVELOP ALONG A
WEAK COLD FRONT THAT DROPS THROUGH MICHIGAN TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY.
FOR NOW...WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP PRECIPITATION CHANCES BELOW 20
PERCENT FOR THIS FRONT AS IT DOES CONTINUE TO LOOK MOISTURE
STARVED.
AFTERNOON HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE MID 60S TO AROUND 70
DEGREES FOR MUCH OF NEXT WEEK WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS GENERALLY
BOTTOMING OUT IN THE MID TO UPPER 40S FROM SUNDAY NIGHT ON.
&&
.AVIATION...(139 PM EDT THU SEP 29 2011)
WINDS AND PERIODS OF MVFR AND IFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES IN RAIN
SHOWERS THE MAIN AVIATION CONCERNS DURING THE PERIOD. GUSTY
SOUTHWEST WINDS UP TO 30KTS WILL DEVELOP EARLY IN THE TAF
PERIOD...BEFORE WIND GUSTS INCREASE UP TO 45KTS AND WINDS SHIFT TO
THE NORTHWEST AROUND OR SHORTLY AFTER 00Z. GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS AND
RAIN SHOWERS WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THE ENTIRE TAF
PERIOD. SOME BREAKS IN THE RAIN MAY BE POSSIBLE BETWEEN 00Z AND 10Z
FRIDAY....THOUGH BREAK SHOULD BE SHORT LIVED. WINDS WILL BEGIN TO
GRADUALLY DIMINISH TOWARD THE END OF THE TAF PERIOD...BUT BREEZY
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY.
&&
.MARINE...(400 PM EDT THU SEP 29 2011)
WILL MAINTAIN THE STORM WARNING OUT ON LAKE MICHIGAN INTO EARLY
FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THE CORE OF THE WIND SHOULD SWEEP ACROSS THE LAKE
BETWEEN 200AM AND 800AM TONIGHT. EXPECTING SOLID 40-50 KNOT
SUSTAINED WINDS WITH GUSTS INTO THE 50-55 KNOT RANGE. GIVEN A MULTI
HOUR PERIOD WITH THE THREAT OF FREQUENT STORM FORCE GUSTS...THE
STORM WARNING LOOKS SOLID. WAVES SHOULD PEAK AROUND DAYBREAK FRIDAY
BETWEEN SOUTH HAVEN AND MICHIGAN CITY. WAVES WILL LIKELY TOP OUT IN
THE 12 TO 17 FOOT RANGE. BEACH EROSION...BLOWING SAND AND LARGE
WAVES SWAMPING OVER THE PIERS CAN BE EXPECTED. PIERS AND BREAKWATERS
TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY NIGHT WILL NOT BE A SAFE PLACE TO BE.
&&
.HYDROLOGY...(400 PM EDT THU SEP 29 2011)
NOT EXPECTING ANY HYDRO ISSUES AS RAINFALL AMOUNTS ASSOCIATED WITH
THIS SYSTEM SHOULD BE ON THE ORDER OF THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH OR
LESS. OCCASIONAL LIGHT RAINS HAVE OCCURRED THE LAST SEVERAL
DAYS...BUT NOT ENOUGH TO AFFECT MAIN STEM RIVERS. RIVER LEVELS ARE
ALL WELL WITHIN BANK. DRY WEATHER IS FORECAST INTO THE WEEKEND WITH
HIGH PRESSURE IN CONTROL.
&&
.GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MI...WIND ADVISORY COASTAL COUNTIES TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY
AFTERNOON.
LM...STORM WARNING TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
&&
SYNOPSIS: DUKE
SHORT TERM: DUKE
LONG TERM: MACZKO
AVIATION: MACZKO
MARINE: DUKE
HYDROLOGY: DUKEHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI 130 PM EDT THU SEP 29 2011 MIZ037>040-043>046-050>052-056>059-064>067-071>074-300945- MASON-LAKE-OSCEOLA-CLARE-OCEANA-NEWAYGO-MECOSTA-ISABELLA-MUSKEGON- MONTCALM-GRATIOT-OTTAWA-KENT-IONIA-CLINTON-ALLEGAN-BARRY-EATON- INGHAM-VAN BUREN-KALAMAZOO-CALHOUN-JACKSON- 130 PM EDT THU SEP 29 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE WEST. THERE IS A SMALL CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS NEAR 60 MPH BEING THE MAIN THREAT. STORM MOVEMENT WILL BE EAST SOUTHEAST AT UP TO 50 MPH. BEHIND THE COLD FRONT... NORTHWEST WINDS WILL GUST UP TO 55 MPH AT THE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORELINE TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE AT THE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORELINE FRIDAY MORNING. FROST AND FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE POSSIBLE FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED BETWEEN 2 PM AND 7 PM. LMZ844>849-300945- 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- 130 PM EDT THU SEP 29 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE WEST. CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 35 KNOTS ARE POSSIBLE. BEHIND THE COLD FRONT... NORTHWEST WINDS WILL REACH STORM FORCE TONIGHT... WHICH IS 50 KNOTS. WAVES WILL BUILD TO 12 TO 18 FEET. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY STORM FORCE WINDS OF 50 KNOTS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FRIDAY MORNING BEFORE GRADUALLY SUBSIDING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED BETWEEN 2 PM AND 7 PM. MEADE/DUKE
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
435 PM EDT THU SEP 29 2011
MIZ050-056-292100-
MUSKEGON-OTTAWA-
435 PM EDT THU SEP 29 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
AT 433 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORM OVER SOUTH CENTRAL MUSKEGON COUNTY MOVING
NORTHEAST AT AROUND 25 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL AND WINDS GREATER THAN 40 MPH...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM THROUGH 515 PM EDT.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TRASH BINS TO BLOW
AROUND. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS
PASSED.
&&
LAT...LON 4337 8604 4330 8603 4329 8579 4320 8579
4308 8609 4323 8623
TIME...MOT...LOC 2034Z 236DEG 30KT 4321 8606
MACZKOSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
530 PM EDT THU SEP 29 2011
MIZ037-038-043-044-050-056-057-064-292230-
ALLEGAN-KENT-LAKE-MASON-MUSKEGON-NEWAYGO-OCEANA-OTTAWA-
530 PM EDT THU SEP 29 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS CURRENTLY OUT OVER LAKE MICHIGAN WILL MOVE
THROUGH SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN OVER THE NEXT HOUR OR SO. THIS LINE
OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTAIN FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND MAY
CONTAIN GUSTY WINDS AT OR ABOVE 40 MPH.
THIS LINE OF STORMS WILL STRETCH FROM AROUND BIG SABLE POINT SOUTH
TO AROUND SAUGATUCK AND AFFECT POINTS TO THE EAST THROUGH AT LEAST
630 PM EDT.
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 4380 8644 4406 8652 4418 8639 4416 8556
4330 8556 4329 8532 4277 8531 4277 8555
4242 8555 4242 8613 4244 8627 4270 8621
4302 8624 4361 8655
TIME...MOT...LOC 2126Z 289DEG 35KT 4362 8640 4316 8658
4271 8714PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
555 PM EDT THU SEP 29 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0535 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 4 W BIG SABLE POINT 44.06N 86.59W
09/29/2011 LMZ849 MI TRAINED SPOTTER
THE FUNNEL REACHED HALFWAY TO THE WATER/S SURFACE BEFORE
DISSIPATING.
&&
WHThe Grand Rapids radar (KGRR), 125 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:54 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A strong thunderstorm produced predominantly one half inch hail with several three quarters inch diameter hailstones five miles south of Scottville.
A few trees and scattered power lines were blown down across portions of the southern half of Kent county, where a trained spotter measured a peak wind gust of 55 mph four miles north northwest of Lowell. A measured gust of 52 mph was recorded at the Gerald Ford airport in Grand Rapids.
A couple of power lines were blown down near Saranac in western Ionia county, along with some downed trees and power lines and possible extensive damage to a house in or near Lake Odessa and several downed trees and power lines in Belding.
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, September 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: 338419, 338421, 338420.