Lake Superior, 2012Marine Hail in Lake Superior, May 20, 2012
May 20, 2012 · NWS MQT · 7 events in 6 counties and zones
The passage of a strong cold front produced severe thunderstorms over nearshore portions of Lake Superior on the afternoon of the 20th.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
Open the live radar over this ground
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 7
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 passage of a strong cold front produced severe thunderstorms over nearshore portions of Lake Superior on the afternoon of the 20th.
What forecasters said that day
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 Marquette, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 20, 6:30 AM EST, 5 hours 45 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 20, 6:30 AM EST, 5 hours 45 minutes before
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</html>Hazardous weather outlook, May 20, 3:11 AM EST, 9 hours 4 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 20, 11:35 AM EST, 40 minutes before
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</html>Marine Hail, Ontonagon to Upper Entrance of Portage Canal Mi
- When
- May 20, 12:15 PM EST to 12:18 PM EST
- Where
- Ontonagon to Upper Entrance of Portage Canal Mi forecast zone, 3.03 mi NE of Beacon Hill
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 47.154, -88.767
There was a report of one inch hail near Redridge.
Marine Hail, Point Isabelle to Lower Entrance of Portage Canal Mi
- When
- May 20, 3:12 PM EST to 3:25 PM EST
- Where
- Point Isabelle to Lower Entrance of Portage Canal Mi forecast zone, 0.84 mi SW of Keweenaw Lower Entrance Light
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 46.960, -88.440
The spotter near Chassell measured 0.75 inch diameter hail at 15:10 EST.
Marine Hail, Portage Lake to Huron Is Mi to Lower Entrance of Portage Canal to Huron Is Inc Keweenaw and Huron Bays
- When
- May 20, 3:12 PM EST to 3:25 PM EST
- Where
- Portage Lake to Huron Is Mi to Lower Entrance of Portage Canal to Huron Is Inc Keweenaw and Huron Bays forecast zone, 1.02 mi SW of Keweenaw Lower Entrance Light
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 46.960, -88.445
The spotter near Chassell measured 0.75 inch diameter hail at 15:10 EST.
Marine Thunderstorm Wind, Huron Islands to Marquette Mi
- When
- May 20, 4:50 PM EST to 6:20 PM EST
- Where
- Huron Islands to Marquette Mi forecast zone, Granite Island Light
- Measured
- 66 kt (76 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 46.720, -87.410
The observing station at Granite Island Light measured maximum wind gusts of 66 knots during the passage of severe thunderstorms.
Marine Thunderstorm Wind, Manitou Island to Marquette Mi Beyond 5nm From Shore
- When
- May 20, 4:50 PM EST to 6:20 PM EST
- Where
- Manitou Island to Marquette Mi Beyond 5nm From Shore forecast zone, 11.76 mi N of Marquette
- Measured
- 66 kt (76 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 46.720, -87.410
The observing station at Granite Island Light measured maximum wind gusts of 66 knots during the passage of severe thunderstorms.
Marine Thunderstorm Wind, Huron Islands to Marquette Mi
- When
- May 20, 5:28 PM EST to 5:40 PM EST
- Where
- Huron Islands to Marquette Mi forecast zone, Big Bay Point Light
- Measured
- 39 kt (45 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 46.840, -87.680
The observing station at the Big Bay Lighthouse measured thunderstorm wind gusts to near 40 knots.
Marine Hail, Marquette to Munising Mi
- When
- May 20, 6:21 PM EST to 6:30 PM EST
- Where
- Marquette to Munising Mi forecast zone, 1.09 mi SSW of Shot Point
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 46.496, -87.179
The spotter near Shot Point measured 0.75 inch diameter hail.
- Marine Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger over water.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Wildfire in Michigan, May 20 to 31, 2012$12 million · 2 events
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Indiana, May 20, 2012$250,000 · 78 kt wind · 3 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Illinois, May 20, 2012$180,000 · 1.75 in hail · 9 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, May 20 to 21, 2012$82,000 · 1.5 in hail · 13 events
- Flash Flood and Hail in Illinois, May 20, 2012$68,000 · 1 in hail · 14 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Michigan, May 20, 2012$42,000 · 1 in hail · 20 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, May 20, 2012$10,000 · 1.75 in hail · 19 events
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Illinois, May 20, 20121 in hail · 14 events
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Wisconsin, May 20, 2012$7,000 · 1 in hail · 5 events
- Hail in Colorado, May 20, 20121 in hail · 5 events
- Hail in Wisconsin, May 20, 20121 in hail · 4 events
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds in Lake Michigan, May 20, 20124 events
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 379591, 379592, 379593, 395903, 395904, 395908, 379594.