An upper low moving over a warm front that stretched across northern Lower Michigan set the stage for heavy rainfall on May 3rd. Training thunderstorms (storms that move over the same location) produced 5 to 7 inches of rainfall across portions of Mason and Lake counties.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
An upper low moving over a warm front that stretched across northern Lower Michigan set the stage for heavy rainfall on May 3rd. Training thunderstorms (storms that move over the same location) produced 5 to 7 inches of rainfall across portions of Mason and Lake counties. The heavy rainfall resulted in roads that were either flooded or washed out. As the day progressed, strong to severe storms developed in the warm humid airmass. Golf ball size hail was reported in Mason and a 10 x 20 foot section of roof was blown off of a commercial building a few miles south of Lansing.
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 3, 3:10 AM EST, 1 hour 25 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI 410 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 410 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012 NUMEROUS WAVES OF LOW PRESSURE WILL RIDE ALONG A FRONTAL SYSTEM THAT IS SITUATED NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS MORNING. THESE WAVES OF LOW PRESSURE WILL OCCASIONALLY BRING ROUNDS OF SHOWERS AND STORMS TO THE AREA ALONG WITH MILD AIR. A FEW OF THE SHOWERS AND STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE. SOME LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. THE RAINFALL SHOULD CLEAR SOUTH OF THE AREA DURING THE DAY ON FRIDAY. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY) ISSUED AT 410 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012 MAIN CHALLENGE OF THE SHORT TERM CONTINUES TO BE DETERMINING CONVECTIVE TRENDS AND SEVERE WX POTENTIAL. MAIN AXIS OF NOCTURNAL STORM ACTIVITY EXTENDS FROM CENTRAL WI THROUGH THE U.S.-10 CORRIDOR EARLY THIS MORNING. THIS IS ALL AT THE NOSE OF THE LOW LEVEL JET/MOISTURE TRANSPORT AHEAD OF THE NEXT WAVE RIDING ALONG THE UPPER FLOW. THE AXIS OF PCPN IS STARTING TO SHOW A TENDENCY TO TRAIN OVER THE SAME AREAS...HOWEVER THE ENTIRE AXIS IS IN THE PROCESS OF SHIFTING NORTH OF THE AREA. WE EXPECT THIS RAIN TO SHIFT NORTH OF THE AREA...AND THE WHOLE AREA OF RAIN TO MOVE EAST AS THE WAVE AND LOW LEVEL JET MOVES EAST/NORTHEAST. THERE SHOULD THEN BE A BREAK IN THE ACTIVITY INTO EARLY THIS AFTERNOON WITH SUBSIDENCE BEHIND THE DEPARTING WAVE THIS A.M.. WE WILL SEE UPPER RIDGING CURRENTLY OVER THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST SHIFT TO THE NE. THIS WILL STRENGTHEN THE SFC RIDGE ACROSS SRN CANADA. THIS PROCESS WILL HELP TO SHIFT THE FRONT BACK DOWN INTO THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WE WILL SEE INSTABILITY BUILD TODAY WITH SOME SUN AND TEMPS RISING INTO THE LOWER 80S. LI/S ARE FCST TO DROP DOWN ALMOST TO -10C. THE FRONT SINKING SOUTH...COMBINED WITH THE INSTABILITY...AND ANY SHORT WAVE THAT COULD MOVE THROUGH COULD TOUCH OFF A LINE OF STORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON. THERE IS A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR STORMS TO BECOME STRONG TO SEVERE WHEN INITIATION TAKES PLACE. THE WINDOW WOULD LAST UNTIL MID EVENING WHEN INSTABILITY WOULD WANE...AND WE SEE PCPN BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD AHEAD OF THE FRONT. DEEP LAYER SHEAR OF 30 KNOTS WOULD BE MARGINALLY SUFFICIENT FOR ORGANIZATION. LARGE HAIL WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITH THICK -10 TO -30C LAYER CAPE PROFILES. DAMAGING WINDS WOULD BE POSSIBLE DUE TO DRY MID LEVELS AND 45 KNOTS OR SO AROUND 500 MB. BEST THREAT WOULD BE IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE CWFA. ONCE THE DIURNAL INSTABILITY IS LOST...THE SEVERE THREAT WOULD LIKELY EVOLVE TO MORE OF A HYDRO THREAT. WOULD COULD SEE SOME POTENTIAL TRAINING OF STORMS ALONG THE SLOW MOVING FRONT. WE WILL LIKELY SEE AT LEAST A COUPLE OF WAVES MOVING ALONG THE FRONT BEFORE THE FRONT WOULD SINK SOUTH OF THE AREA FRIDAY MORNING. THE GOOD THING IS THE HEAVIER RAINFALL THUS FAR HAS BEEN OVER THE NORTH. SOUTHERN AREAS HAVE SOME ROOM BEFORE RAINFALL WOULD BECOME AN ISSUE. WE WILL SEE THE HEAVIER RAINFALL END OVER THE AREA BY DAYBREAK FRI MORNING AS THE WAVES AND ASSOCIATED LLJ MOVE EAST AND WEAKEN. THE FRONT WILL SINK SOUTH...AND WE WILL SEE A DRY NE FLOW SET UP. .LONG TERM...(FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 410 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012 THE WEATHER WITH THE GREATEST IMPACT IMPLICATIONS IS THE SYSTEM EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. THIS WILL BRING THE THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. THE OVERALL UPPER AIR PATTERN FEATURES A LONGWAVE TROUGH OVER THE WESTERN CONUS AND UPPER RIDGE OVER THE EASTERN CONUS. HOWEVER THERE IS A BLOCKING UPPER HIGH SOUTH OF GREENLAND THAT SEEMS TO WANT TO RETROGRADE OVER TIME. THAT IN COMBINATION WITH THAT STORM SYSTEM FROM THE ALEUTIANS...THAT I HAVE BEEN WRITING ABOUT FOR NEARLY A WEEK...DIGS INTO THE GULF OF ALASKA BY EARLY NEXT WEEK AND WILL FORCE THE ENTIRE PATTERN TO RETROGRADE. THAT BRINGS LONGWAVE TROUGHING TO THE EASTERN CONUS AND UPPER RIDGING MOUNTAIN STATES BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. BEING NEAR THE LONGWAVE TROUGH WOULD BRING AN OVERALL COOLING PATTERN HERE BUT IT ALSO WOULD BRING MORE RAIN TO THE AREA. THE END RESULT OF ALL THIS IS THE FRONTAL SYSTEM IN OUR AREA NOW WILL DROP SOUTH AS THE UPPER JET ALSO DROPS SOUTH OVER TIME. SHORTWAVE RIDGING AND LARGE CANADIAN HIGH WILL PROVIDE A DRY WEEKEND FOR THE AREA WITH SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES. THEN AS A PACIFIC SHORTWAVE (KICKED OUT BY THE STORM FROM ALASKA) CROSSES THE CONUS TO THE CENTRAL CONUS BY MONDAY...IT WILL PHASE WITH A DIGGING SYSTEM FROM NORTHEASTERN CANADA. THAT IN TURN HELPS TO DIG THE EASTERN TROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. NOW THE STAGE IS SET FOR A RAIN EVENT HERE IN THE MONDAY TIME FRAME. THE WARM ADVECTION SURGE AHEAD OF THE PACIFIC SYSTEM WILL BRING WARMER AND MORE MOIST AIR INTO THE AREA WITH THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY. BY TUESDAY THE SYSTEM WILL BE EAST OF SOUTHWEST LOWE MICHIGAN AS AN UPPER LOW STARTS TO CLOSE OFF NORTH OF MINNESOTA. THAT WILL KEEP UNSETTLED BUT COOLER WEATHER GOING HERE INTO WEDNESDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z THURSDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 149 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012 MAIN CHALLENGES TO AVIATION INTERESTS OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS WILL BE CONVECTIVE TRENDS AND WIND GUSTS. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS CONVECTION IS CURRENTLY ONGOING TO THE NORTH AND WEST OF THE TERMINALS EARLY THIS MORNING. MODELS ARE PRETTY MUCH IN AGREEMENT IN KEEPING ALL THE CONVECTION TONIGHT NORTH OF THE TERMINALS. WE CAN NOT RULE OUT AN ISOLATED SHOWER POPPING UP...HOWEVER THE VERY LIMITED COVERAGE THIS FAR SOUTH WILL KEEP IT FROM BEING INSERTED INTO THE FCST. SOME MID CLOUD COVER AND SOME LIGHT MVFR TYPE FOG IS REALLY ALL THAT IS EXPECTED THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT. WINDS WILL PICK UP MID THU MORNING WITH GUSTS TO 25-30 KNOTS EXPECTED. A DECENT AMOUNT OF SUN SHOULD BE FOUND AT THE TERMINALS...WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR THE ATMOSPHERE TO CHARGE UP FOR SOME STORMS LATER THU. BEST TIME FOR STORMS ON THU LOOKS TO BE VERY LATE AFTERNOON AND INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. EXACT PLACEMENT IS STILL IN QUESTION...SO VCTS WAS USED FOR NOW. SHOWERS AND STORMS DO LOOK LIKELY FOR THU NIGHT. && .MARINE... ISSUED AT 410 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012 MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE THAT WINDS WILL REMAIN UP A BIT... HOWEVER THE STRONGEST WINDS SHOULD REMAIN ABOVE THE SFC DUE TO THE COOLER ENVIRONMENT OVER THE LAKE. WE EXPECT THAT MORE OF THE SAME WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH WINDS AROUND 10 TO 20 KNOTS WITH WAVES REMAINING BELOW 3 FEET. WINDS SHOULD DIMINISH A BIT ON THURSDAY NIGHT AS THE FRONTAL SYSTEM MOVES OVERHEAD WITH A WEAK GRADIENT. && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 410 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012 IT APPEARS MOST OF THE AREA SHOULD SEE A GOOD SOAKING OF RAINFALL AT SOME TIME BETWEEN NOW AND FRIDAY MORNING. PWATS ARE UP TO AROUND 1.25 TO 1.50 INCHES AS EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA. THE AXIS OF HEAVIEST RAIN THIS MORNING IS UP NORTH. SOME LOCATIONS COULD SEE A TOTAL OF AN INCH OF RAIN THIS MORNING BEFORE IT MOVES OUT OF THE AREA. THE NORTH WILL SEE SOME MORE RAIN TODAY/TONIGHT...HOWEVER THE BEST THREAT OF RAINFALL LOOKS TO HAPPEN ACROSS THE SOUTH AS THE FRONT SINKS SOUTH. THIS MOVEMENT IN THE AXIS OF BEST RAINFALL COMBINED WITH THE SOUTH SEEING LITTLE RAINFALL THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS SHOULD KEEP FROM ANY MAJOR ISSUES OCCURRING. RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL GENERALLY RANGE FROM AROUND AN INCH OR TWO WITH SOME LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS LIKELY. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...NONE. LM...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...NJJ SHORT TERM...NJJ LONG TERM...WDM AVIATION...NJJ HYDROLOGY...NJJ MARINE...NJJ
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI 510 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012 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- 510 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT ACROSS ALL OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. THE AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS NORTH OF ROUTE 10 EARLY THIS MORNING WILL CONTINUE TO LIFT NORTHEAST OUT OF THIS AREA BY 8 AM. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...SMALL HAIL...LOCALLY VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS ARE THE ASSOCIATED HAZARDS WITH THESE STORMS. LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT A AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE SLOWLY SOUTHEAST ACROSS SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST. THESE STORM PRIMARILY WILL BE URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD THREAT WITH SOME AREA RECEIVING OVER AN INCH OF RAIN IN LESS THAN A HOUR. LOCAL STORM TOTALS TO OVER THREE INCHES ARE POSSIBLE. THE STRONGEST STORMS MAY HAVE HAIL TO ONE INCH AND WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 60 MPH. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL ACCOMPANY MOST OF THE STORMS. THESE STORMS WILL MOVE EAST AROUND 35 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THE TREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY SOUTH OF ROUTE 10 AS THE FRONT CONTINUES TO MOVE SOUTHWARD SLOWLY. THE PRIMARY ISSUE WILL BE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...MOSTLY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 96. THAT WILL MOSTLY BE DURING THE DAY TIME HOURS OF FRIDAY. ANOTHER PERIOD OF THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED MONDAY. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE THE PRIMARY ISSUE WITH THESE STORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS 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- 510 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT PERIODS OF THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED INTO TONIGHT. HEAVY RAIN AND FOG WILL GREATLY REDUCE VISIBILITIES. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE GUSTY WINDS...INCREASED WAVE HEIGHTS AND CLOUD TO WATER LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE SOUTH OF GRAND HAVEN FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY EVENING. GUSTY WINDS...INCREASED WAVES AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS. ANOTHER PERIOD OF THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... POTTER ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. WDM
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
255 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012
MIZ037>040-043>046-052-030815-
CLARE-GRATIOT-ISABELLA-LAKE-MASON-MECOSTA-NEWAYGO-OCEANA-OSCEOLA-
255 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
AT 251 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 18 MILES WEST OF
PENTWATER TO 4 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BIG RAPIDS TO 9 MILES SOUTH OF
MOUNT PLEASANT TO 22 MILES SOUTHEAST OF ALMA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35
MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL...WINDS AROUND 30 MPH...OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
TROY TWP... BITELY... ST. LOUIS...
HOME TWP... GRANT TWP... CHIPPEWA LAKE...
PARIS... SUMMIT TWP... SHEPHERD...
LAFAYETTE TWP... HAWKINS... BARRYTON...
LOGAN TWP... BEAL CITY... WEIDMAN...
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 4407 8652 4418 8639 4416 8461 4347 8460
4347 8436 4314 8436 4314 8479 4349 8482
4361 8549 4370 8651 4380 8644
TIME...MOT...LOC 0654Z 219DEG 29KT 4380 8676 4368 8540
4350 8480 4315 8437
NJJSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
404 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012
MIZ037>040-030915-
CLARE-LAKE-MASON-OSCEOLA-
404 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
AT 400 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 26 MILES NORTHWEST
OF BALDWIN TO 9 MILES NORTHWEST OF REED CITY...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.
ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WINDS GREATER THAN 30 MPH...FREQUENT
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH
THESE STORMS. DOPPLER RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF AROUND 2.5 INCHES IN THREE
HOURS HAS BEEN REPORTED NEAR SCOTTVILLE. SOME MINOR FLOODING IS
POSSIBLE.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
NEWKIRK TWP... IRONS... LEROY...
EVART... BRISTOL... HARTWICK TWP...
TUSTIN... SYLVAN TWP... ORIENT TWP...
SEARS... DIGHTON... MIDDLE BRANCH TWP...
MARION... FREEMAN TWP... LAKE...
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 4416 8463 4414 8461 4383 8460 4382 8643
4412 8645 4418 8639 4418 8631
TIME...MOT...LOC 0802Z 257DEG 35KT 4417 8619 4400 8557
WDMSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
439 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012
MIZ038>040-030945-
CLARE-LAKE-OSCEOLA-
439 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
AT 435 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 23 MILES NORTHWEST
OF HARRISON TO 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF REED CITY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
50 MPH.
PENNY SIZE HAIL...WINDS GREATER THAN 40 MPH...CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
HARTWICK TWP... EVART... SYLVAN TWP...
ORIENT TWP... SEARS... MARION...
MIDDLE BRANCH TWP... LAKE... FREEMAN TWP...
TEMPLE... WINTERFIELD TWP... LAKE GEORGE...
SHERIDEN TWP... LEOTA... HARRISON...
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 4415 8460 4388 8460 4384 8464 4386 8575
4417 8528 4416 8461
TIME...MOT...LOC 0839Z 247DEG 41KT 4427 8507 4395 8554
WDMSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
442 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012
MIZ037-038-030945-
LAKE-MASON-
442 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
AT 440 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 30 MILES NORTH OF
BALDWIN TO 14 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LUDINGTON...MOVING NORTH AT 25 MPH.
ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WINDS GREATER THAN 30 MPH...FREQUENT
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH
THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
HAMLIN LAKE... LUDINGTON STATE PARK...
BIG SABLE POINT... LAKE MICHIGAN RECREATION AREA...
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 4412 8644 4418 8638 4417 8601 4417 8558
4383 8558 4382 8643 4397 8647 4403 8652
4406 8652
TIME...MOT...LOC 0842Z 194DEG 20KT 4434 8580 4387 8669
WDMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
511 AM EDT THU MAY 03 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0500 AM HEAVY RAIN 6 NNW SCOTTVILLE 44.03N 86.33W
05/03/2012 M1.24 INCH MASON MI COCORAHS
RAINFALL SINCE MIDNIGHT. 1.58 INCHES IN THE LAST 24
HOURS.
&&
NJJSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
530 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012
MIZ037>040-043>046-031030-
CLARE-ISABELLA-LAKE-MASON-MECOSTA-NEWAYGO-OCEANA-OSCEOLA-
530 AM EDT THU MAY 3 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
AT 525 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 24 MILES NORTH OF
REED CITY TO 17 MILES WEST OF BALDWIN...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
PENNY SIZE HAIL...WINDS GREATER THAN 40 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
TUSTIN... LAKE TWP... BALDWIN...
LEROY... TROY TWP... PINORA TWP...
NIRVANA... IDLEWILD... DIGHTON...
BITELY... CHASE... HARTWICK TWP...
MARION... REED CITY... HOME TWP...
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 4416 8461 4415 8460 4358 8460 4348 8461
4379 8632 4417 8607
TIME...MOT...LOC 0930Z 299DEG 37KT 4420 8543 4380 8611
WDMThe Grand Rapids radar (KGRR), 124 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:18 UTC.
17 hail, 4 thunderstorm wind, 3 flash flood, 2 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Three trees were blown down between Irons and Baldwin.
Several roads were either flooded or washed out across portions of Mason county. Radar estimated that up to 5 to 7 inches of heavy rain fell across portions of east central Mason county. A trained spotter reported that Barnett Boulevard was washed out in South Branch.
Radar estimated that up to 5 to 7 inches of heavy rain fell across a fairly large part of Lake county resulting in several roads that were either flooded or washed out.
Radar estimated that up to 5 to 7 inches of heavy rain fell across northwest Osceola county, resulting in a few roads that were either flooded or washed out.
The public estimated three quarters inch hail in Ludington.
A trained spotter reported up to one inch diameter hail in South Branch.
A county official reported hail up to one and three quarters inch in diameter in Scottville.
One inch diameter hail was reported by trained spotters in Hart and near Shelby.
Large Healthy Trees Down Blocking Roads in at least two different locations.
The public reported one inch hail five miles south of Wayland.
The public reported one and a quarter inch hail in Bradley.
One inch diameter hail was reported by the public two miles west of Bowens Mills.
A trained spotter reported three quarters inch hail and some branches down in Twin Lake.
A trained spotter reported one and a quarter inch diameter hail near East Paris road in Kentwood.
One inch hail was reported in Wayland.
Clinton county law enforcement reported severe damage to four barns in the vicinity of DeWitt road and M-21 as well as numerous trees down in St. John's.
Three quarters inch hail was reported by a trained spotter three miles south southwest of St. John's.
A trained spotter reported one inch diameter hail in Kalamazoo.
Three quarters inch hail was reported by a trained spotter near Gobles.
An amateur radio operator reported that power lines were downed two miles north northwest of Grand Rapids.
Three quarters inch hail was reported in Nashville.
The broadcast media reported that peak winds estimated near 80 mph caused damage to a barn and unroofed an outbuilding two miles northwest of Fenwick. Several healthy trees were snapped or uprooted.
An amateur radio operator reported three quarters inch hail in Sunfield.
A trained spotter measured hail up to an inch and a quarter in diameter in Mason.
Ingham county emergency management reported that a ten by twenty foot section of a roof was ripped off a commercial building. It was also reported that about 300 yards of power poles along Aurelius road were toppled.
A trained spotter reported hail up to two inches in diameter two miles southeast of Jackson with one inch hail in Jackson.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, May 2012
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: 377739, 369040, 369041, 369042, 369043, 369046, 369044, 369047, 378251, 369049, 369051, 369052, 369048, 369054, 369050, 369066, 369053, 369058, 369055, 377441, 369056, 369065, 369057, 369059, 369063, 369060.