A line of severe thunderstorms struck from Muskegon to Newaygo and Isabella counties on the morning of September 3rd. A National Weather Service storm survey found a 40 mile path of intermittent downburst wind damage, with winds estimated to be from 40 to 70 mph.
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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.
A line of severe thunderstorms struck from Muskegon to Newaygo and Isabella counties on the morning of September 3rd. A National Weather Service storm survey found a 40 mile path of intermittent downburst wind damage, with winds estimated to be from 40 to 70 mph.
Several trees were downed at around 8:35 a.m. in the southern part of the town of Newaygo. Scattered tree damage continued to Croton Dam. After a brief break, damage resumed near Morley in southern Mecosta County and continued to Remus in eastern Mecosta County where scattered trees and large limbs were downed. The most concentrated area of damage occurred in western Isabella County just northeast of Millbrook, where peak winds were estimated at 70 mph around 9:55 a.m. A tree fell on a house and roofs were damaged on an outbuilding and a trailer home.
Strong to severe thunderstorms struck Calhoun and Jackson Counties in the early evening. One inch diameter hail fell near Leroy in Calhoun County and several trees were downed along the path of the storms.
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 3, 6:45 AM EST, 35 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI 745 AM EDT SAT SEP 3 2011 LATEST UPDATE...AVIATION... .SYNOPSIS...(452 AM EDT SAT SEP 3 2011) A FRONTAL BOUNDARY STRETCHING FROM NORTHERN IOWA ACROSS NORTHERN LOWER MICHGIAN WILL SETTLE OVER CENTRAL LOWER TODAY. THIS BOUNDARY WILL BE A FOCUS FOR SHOWERS AND STORMS TODAY AND TONIGHT. SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BE STRONG TO SEVERE...ESPECIALLY THIS AFTERNOON. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE REGION SUNDAY SETTING THE STAGE FOR A MUCH COOLER WEEK. && .SHORT TERM...(452 AM EDT SAT SEP 3 2011) (TODAY THROUGH MONDAY) FORECAST CONCERNS DEAL WITH CONVECTIVE TRENDS THROUGH TONIGHT. MCS IS MOVING ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY FROM NORTHERN IOWA TO NRN LWR. LEADING STORMS SHOULD MOVE INTO THE NW CWA AROUND 8AM. MESO ANALYSIS SHOWS MUCAPE NEAR 3K J/KG ALREADY AND LI/S AROUND -2C. SHEAR VALUES REMAIN HIGHEST OVER WISCONSIN AROUND 45 KTS COMPARED TO 25KTS HERE. SO CELL ORGANIZATION SHOULD DECREASE A BIT AS THEY MOVE EAST. THAT SAID SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BE STRONG WHEN THEY MOVE TOWARD THE NW CWA LATER THIS MORNING. THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL REMAIN OVER THE CWA TODAY AND STORMS SHOULD CONTINUE TO FIRE. THE CWA REMAINS IN A SLIGHT RISK AREA FOR SVR STORMS TODAY. WINDS WILL BE UNIDIRCTIONAL WITH HEIGHT SUGGESTING A WIND THREAT. PWATS APPROACING 2 INCHES SUGGEST THAT THE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL. GIVEN THE STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND UNIDIRCTIONAL FLOW...ECHO TRAINING IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY THROUGH TONIGHT. THE MAIN COLD FRONT NOW STRETCHES FROM EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA SOUTH INOTO EASTERN NEBRASKA. THIS FRONT WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE CWA SUNDAY MORNING. RH PROGS SUGGEST THAT WE COULD SEE THE DRY SLOT MOVE INTO THE CWA SUNDAY MORNING BEFORE WRAPAROUND MOISTURE MOVES BACK IN LATER IN THE DAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT. STRONG COLD ADVECTION WILL DEVELOP SUNDAY MORNING AND CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY. HIRES ECMWF CONTINUES TO SHOW A STRONG SHORT WAVE APPROACHING THE CWA MONDAY. GIVEN THE STRONG LAKE DELTA T...WE SHOULD SEE LAKE EFFECT SHOWERS DEVELOP SUNDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUE MONDAY. MONDAY LOOKS COOL AND BREEZING WITH ISOLD TO SCT SHOWERS AND HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MID 60S. && .LONG TERM...(452 AM EDT SAT SEP 3 2011) (MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY) THE GOING EXTENDED FCST IS RATHER OPTIMISTIC AND HAVE NOT MADE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES... BUT THERE ARE SOME POTENTIAL ISSUES. FIRST...THE SFC HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE AXIS NEVER REALLY BUILDS INTO THE CWFA...REMAINING TO OUR NORTH AND WEST. THE LOW LEVEL FLOW THEREFORE REMAINS NORTHEASTERLY OFF LAKE HURON... AND SLIGHT/PERSISTENT THERMAL TROUGHING AT/BELOW H8 MAY TEND TO LINGER THROUGH MID WEEK. THIS SEEMS LIKE A GOOD RECIPE FOR EXTENSIVE DIURNAL CUMULUS DEVELOPMENT... ESPECIALLY SOUTHEAST OF GRR... SO THE CURRENT CLOUD COVER FCST MAY BE TOO OPTIMISTIC TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. THE SECOND ISSUE IS THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM LEE DURING THE MID TO LATE WEEK PERIOD. THIS IS A LOW CONFIDENCE SCENARIO ATTM... BUT WE/LL PROBABLY AT LEAST SEE SOME OF THE THICKER CIRRUS CANOPY SPREAD INTO THE AREA AS IT HEADS NORTHEAST TOWARD THE OHIO VALLEY REGION. ACTUALLY...THE GFS AND ECMWF ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT IN SHOWING THIS SYSTEM BECOMING A LARGE/BROAD CUTOFF UPPER LOW OVER KY/SRN INDIANA THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. THIS MAY LEAD TO SCATTERED SHOWERS MOVING FROM EAST TO WEST FOR THE LATE WEEK PERIOD OVER SRN MI...SO POPS MAY NEED TO BE ADDED FOR AT LEAST THE I-94 CORRIDOR. && .AVIATION...(745 AM EDT SAT SEP 3 2011) LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE TSTMS IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE MKG... GRR... AND LAN TERMINALS BETWEEN 12Z AND 15Z. THEY SHOULD REMAIN NORTH OF THE AZO... BTL AND JXN TERMINALS. WINDS MAY BRIEFLY GUST TO 30-40 KNOTS FROM THE W/NW HAS THESE SWEEP THROUGH. BEHIND THIS LINE OF STORMS... CONFIDENCE IS LOW ON TIMING/IMPACTS OF SUBSEQUENT STORMS LATER TODAY/TONIGHT. THEREFORE KEPT TIMING OF THE PREVIOUS TAFS. && .MARINE...(452 AM EDT SAT SEP 3 2011) THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE THE MAIN MARINE HAZARD TODAY. WINDS AND WAVES OUTSIDE OF STORMS WILL BE LESS THAN SCA CRITERIA. STRONG COLD ADVECTION SUNDAY WILL CAUSE WAVES TO BUILD ABOVE 3 FEET AND A SCA IS ANTICIPATED. && .HYDROLOGY...(452 AM EDT SAT SEP 3 2011) STORMS MOVING ALONG A STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL TODAY INTO TONIGHT. THE THREAT FOR HEAVY RAIN WILL END AS A STRONG COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...NONE. LM...NONE. && SYNOPSIS: 93 SHORT TERM: 93 LONG TERM: MEADE AVIATION: MEADE MARINE: 93 HYDROLOGY: 93
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI 535 AM EDT SAT SEP 3 2011 MIZ037>040-043>046-050>052-056>059-064>067-071>074-040915- MASON-LAKE-OSCEOLA-CLARE-OCEANA-NEWAYGO-MECOSTA-ISABELLA-MUSKEGON- MONTCALM-GRATIOT-OTTAWA-KENT-IONIA-CLINTON-ALLEGAN-BARRY-EATON- INGHAM-VAN BUREN-KALAMAZOO-CALHOUN-JACKSON- 535 AM EDT SAT SEP 3 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHES AND WARNINGS MAY BE ISSUED TODAY AND TONIGHT. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE WIND GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR GREATER AND/OR HAIL OF ONE INCH OR MORE IN DIAMETER. STORM MOVEMENT IS EXPECTED TO BE 30 TO 50 MPH FROM WEST TO EAST. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTING STRIKES AND TORRENTIAL RAINFALL ARE ALSO THREATS TODAY AND TONIGHT. URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING MAY OCCUR WHERE STORMS PERSIST. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXISTS SUNDAY MORNING... MAINLY SOUTH AND EAST OF GRAND RAPIDS. THESE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE SEVERE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE BEST THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER THIS MORNING IS NORTH OF GRAND RAPIDS. AREAS OF SOUTH OF GRAND RAPIDS STAND THE BEST CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. LMZ844>849-040915- 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- 535 AM EDT SAT SEP 3 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SPECIAL MARINE WARNINGS FOR STRONG OR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE ISSUED TODAY AND TONIGHT. STORM MOVEMENT IS EXPECTED TO BE 30 TO 50 KNOTS FROM WEST TO EAST. GUSTY WINDS OF 35 KNOTS OR MORE...HAIL OF ONE INCH OR MORE IN DIAMETER... AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO WATER LIGHTING STRIKES ARE POSSIBLE. INCREASING NORTHWEST WINDS AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT WILL CREATE CONDITIONS HAZARDOUS TO SMALL CRAFT AND TO ANYONE SWIMMING IN LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY WINDS AND WAVES HAZARDOUS TO SMALL CRAFT...AND ANYONE SWIMMING AT LAKE MICHIGAN BEACHES OR WALKING ON PIERS...ARE LIKELY SUNDAY AND MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE BEST THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER THIS MORNING IS NORTH OF GRAND HAVEN. AREAS OF SOUTH OF GRAND HAVEN STAND THE BEST CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. MEADE
The Grand Rapids radar (KGRR), 58 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 12:19 UTC.
7 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Law enforcement in Grand Haven reported that two trees were blown down.
Law enforcement from Muskegon reported receiving reports of numerous trees and power lines down across the county.
An NWS storm survey revealed that several trees were downed in the town of Newaygo and that scattered tree damage continued to Croton Dam.
An Isabella county official reported 1.75 inch diameter hail two miles east of Winn.
Kent county law enforcement reported two trees blown down in northern Kent county at 16 mile road and Sargent road.
An NWS storm survey found that scattered trees and large limbs were blown down from Morley to Remus.
An NWS storm survey found that peak winds estimated at 70 mph just northeast of Millbrook caused a tree to fall on a house and that roofs were damaged on an outbuilding and a trailer home.
An amateur radio operator reported one inch diameter hail near Leroy.
Several large tree limbs were blown down near Brooklyn and Horton in southern Jackson county.
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: 337988, 337989, 337990, 337993, 337994, 337991, 337992, 337995, 337997.