Lake Superior, 2013

Marine Thunderstorm Winds in Lake Superior, May 31, 2013

May 31, 2013 · NWS MQT · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

Upper disturbances moving through a warm and unstable air mass produced several strong to severe thunderstorms over the west half of Lake Superior during the evening of the 31th.

Where it happened

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

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS MQT wrote it up.

Upper disturbances moving through a warm and unstable air mass produced several strong to severe thunderstorms over the west half of Lake Superior during the evening of the 31th.

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 31, 6:16 PM EST, 1 hour 34 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 31, 6:16 PM EST, 1 hour 34 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, May 31, 4:05 PM EST, 3 hours 45 minutes before
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In the hours before

Local storm report, May 31, 4:13 PM EST, 3 hours 37 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 31, 4:15 PM EST, 3 hours 35 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 31, 4:50 PM EST, 3 hours before
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Special weather statement, May 31, 4:53 PM EST, 2 hours 57 minutes before
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Special weather statement, May 31, 5:50 PM EST, 2 hours before
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Local storm report, May 31, 6:24 PM EST, 1 hour 26 minutes before
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The radar

The Marquette radar (KMQT), 117 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:51 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 marine thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Marine Thunderstorm Wind, Ontonagon to Upper Entrance of Portage Canal Mi

When
May 31, 7:50 PM EST to 8:10 PM EST
Where
Ontonagon to Upper Entrance of Portage Canal Mi forecast zone, Beacon Hill
Measured
51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
47.130, -88.820

Wind gusts at or above 50 knots were measured by the spotter in Freda and also the GLOS station at Portage Canal.

Marine Thunderstorm Wind, Upper Entrance of Portage Canal to Eagle River Mi

When
May 31, 8:08 PM EST to 8:10 PM EST
Where
Upper Entrance of Portage Canal to Eagle River Mi forecast zone, 4.19 mi NE of McClain State Park
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
47.276, -88.528

Measured wind gust at the Portage Canal GLOS.

Marine Thunderstorm Wind, Point Isabelle to Lower Entrance of Portage Canal Mi

When
May 31, 9:30 PM EST to 9:40 PM EST
Where
Point Isabelle to Lower Entrance of Portage Canal Mi forecast zone, Traverse Bay
Measured
39 kt (45 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
47.190, -88.230

Measured wind gusts at the Grand Transverse Bay GLOS.

Marine Thunderstorm Wind, Huron Islands to Marquette Mi

When
May 31, 10:00 PM EST to 10:05 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

Wind gust measured at the Big Bay Lighthouse.

Marine Thunderstorm Wind, Manitou Island to Marquette Mi and W of Grand Marais Mi to Us/Canadian Border Beyond 5nm of Shore

When
May 31, 10:00 PM EST to 10:05 PM EST
Where
Manitou Island to Marquette Mi and W of Grand Marais Mi to Us/Canadian Border Beyond 5nm of Shore forecast zone, Stannard Rock Light
Measured
36 kt (41 mph) measured gust
Reported by
C-MAN Station
Coordinates
47.180, -87.230

Measured wind gust at Stannard Rock Light.

What these are

Marine Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm winds of 34 knots or more over coastal or lake waters.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Lake Superior in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather history

Sources

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: 452391, 452396, 452397, 452398, 452399.