An isolated severe thunderstorm produced wind damage in the Houghton Lake area.
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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 APX wrote it up.
An isolated severe thunderstorm produced wind damage in the Houghton Lake area.
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 Gaylord, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 25, 2:39 PM EST, 1 hour 28 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Gaylord MI 339 PM EDT WED MAY 25 2016 .SHORT TERM...(This evening and overnight) Issued at 338 PM EDT Wed May 25 2016 High impact weather potential: Nothing too significant. Perhaps some brief heavy rains and small hail within non-severe thunderstorms this afternoon through Thursday. Pattern synopsis/expected evolution: Warm and increasingly muggy pattern found across the northern lakes this afternoon as upper level ridge axis continues to dominate. Combination of increasing moisture and those warm temperatures kicking off some scattered showers and thunderstorms this afternoon, making it look and feel even more like mid-summer. Southwest flow developing down through the column, with the surface winds the last to respond as quasi- stationary warm front has set up just to our south. Surface features will eventually respond to stronger mid and upper level forcing, eventually bowing that warm front north into our area by morning. This front will attempt to mix further north Thursday, but per the usual, cold lake waters will largely dictate how far north it eventually makes it. Vicinity of this front and passage of mid level support will bring additional chances for some much needed rain in the coming days. Primary forecast concerns/challenges: Addressing shower and thunderstorm chances through the period. Details: Diurnally driven scattered showers and thunderstorms will will continue to propagate across the northern lower landscape the remainder of this afternoon and early evening. "Greatest" coverage expected to be south of M-32 and across interior areas where convergence will be focused via terrain influences and lake breeze fronts. Not expecting any severe weather given weak wind fields and marginal instability, but slow propagation could result in some locally heavy rains, and suppose some very small hail is possible. Attention this evening and overnight turns to respectable surge of theta-e advection in strengthening southwest flow regime (enhanced by passing mid level wave). Broken band of showers should accompany such, although honestly not very confident on exact timing and coverage. Decent band of elevated instability, with upwards of 1k j/kg 0-6km most unstable cape punching into southwest zones overnight. So, thunder is certainly possible, but given depletion of surface based instability and only marginal deep layer shear, feel thunderstorm intensity should remain well below severe limits. A rather soupy airmass (ok...by northern Michigan standards) spreads across the area Thursday as that warm front slowly mixes north, with dewpoints pushing the lower 60s. Not much of a deep trigger around, with the front itself largely devoid of any mid level support. Still, given progged ml cape development in excess of 1k joules/kg (think NAM-WRF's 2k+ is simply too high, based off its mid and upper 60 degree dewpoints), some convection should fire along the front and any lake/elevation driven convergence maxima. No big severe threat, although given better instability, any very well organized updrafts may support some brief larger hail. .LONG TERM...(Thursday through Wednesday) Issued at 338 PM EDT Wed May 25 2016 Thursday night through Saturday... Pattern synopsis/Expected evolution: Upper level ridging evident across the middle of the country this afternoon will gradually push east through the end of the work week leaving northern Michigan on the eastern periphery of long wave troughing expected to settle into the western two-thirds of the CONUS. Several shortwaves of interest visible on water vapor imagery/upper level analysis with the first arriving tonight into Thursday morning with several additional pieces of energy expected to continue off-and-on precip chances through the upcoming holiday weekend. Forecast challenges: PoPs/QPF/precip timing Friday through Saturday. Details: A fairly active period expected overall; however, little in the way of concern at the start of the period (Thursday night) as it stands now due to a pocket of low-mid level dry air expected to rotate through the upper Great Lakes. However, more active conditions are expected to arrive during the day Friday as one of several shortwaves rotating in from the southwest is expected to arrive during the late morning-early afternoon hours. Will gradually increase PoPs/thunder chances from southwest to northeast during the day Friday, becoming likely (but still in a scattered fashion) late morning through the remainder of the afternoon hours. Severe weather parameters look fairly anemic as a whole Friday-Friday night. Despite 700-1500 J/kg of 0-1 km MLCAPE, bulk shear values under 30 kts will certainly inhibit any long-lived updrafts and limit the overall severe threat. PWs surge upwards of 1.25-1.50+ inches providing a heavy rain threat within any thunderstorms. Precip chances continue Friday night into the day Saturday, both synoptically driven from another shortwave or two rotating through the Great Lakes and diurnally driven during the day Saturday. Once again, just a very limited severe threat, but certainly the heavy rain threat will continue in any scattered thunderstorms with similar PWs as Friday, approaching 1.50 inches. Above normal temperatures are expected to continue through the period, ranging from the low-middle 70s along the immediate lakeshores to the middle 80s in downloping locations of northeast Lower. Unseasonably mild overnight lows are expected with temps 10- 15 degrees above normal, ranging from the upper 50s north to middle 60s near Saginaw Bay. Gillen Extended (Sunday through Wednesday)... The upper level trough will gradually dampen (fill in) through the extended forecast period leaving a nearly zonal flow aloft. However, there will be yet another upper level disturbance that will bring a decent shot of showers and thunderstorms Sunday. There could be some diurnally driven convection that pops during mainly Memorial Day afternoon (low chance pops). Only a slight chance for more activity Tuesday followed by chance pops again next Wednesday with perhaps another upper level disturbance. So overall, a little active but nothing widespread or prolonged is expected. Humidity/dewpoints slowly decreases through the period. It will remain very warm to start the period then temperatures should settle back toward climatology numbers for early June by the middle of next week. Sullivan && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Thursday afternoon) Issued at 131 PM EDT Wed May 25 2016 Patch of stratus continues to impact KPLN, and looks to do so for a few more hours. Otherwise, just some cirrus and high based cu across northern Michigan. These cu will continue to develop, with isolated/scattered showers and thunderstorms expected this afternoon. Not convinced these will impact the taf sites, with most coverage expected across the interior. Band of more organized showers spreads overhead tonight, although cigs look to be relatively high based. Will need to monitor for some isolated heavy rain producing storms, which could cause brief restrictions at the airports. Another round of stratus and mist late tonight and early Thursday morning, although once again not completely sold on how widespread it will be. Some improvement expected Thursday morning as warming helps raise cigs. Light winds through the forecast. && .MARINE... Issued at 338 PM EDT Wed May 25 2016 Rather light winds to continue for the foreseeable future as stability remains high in an unseasonably warm airmass. Those same conditions will continue to result in areas of fog, which at times could be locally dense. Periods of showers and thunderstorms the next several days, any of which could produce brief gusty winds. && .APX Watches/Warnings/Advisories... MI...NONE. LH...NONE. LM...NONE. LS...NONE. && SHORT TERM...MSB LONG TERM...Sullivan/Gillen AVIATION...MSB MARINE...MSB
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GAYLORD MI 342 PM EDT WED MAY 25 2016 LHZ345>349-LMZ323-341-342-344>346-LSZ321-322-MIZ008-015>036-041- 042-261200- STRAITS OF MACKINAC WITHIN 5 NM OF MACKINAC BRIDGE INCLUDING MACKINAC ISLAND-ST IGNACE TO FALSE DETOUR CHANNEL- 5NM EAST OF MACKINAC BRIDGE TO PRESQUE ISLE LIGHT MI INCLUDING BOIS BLANC ISLAND- PRESQUE ISLE LIGHT TO STURGEON PT MI INCLUDING THUNDER BAY NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY-STURGEON PT TO ALABASTER MI- GRAND TRAVERSE BAY SOUTH OF A LINE GRAND TRAVERSE LIGHT TO NORWOOD MI-SEUL CHOIX POINT TO 5NM WEST OF MACKINAC BRIDGE- NORWOOD MI TO 5NM WEST OF MACKINAC BRIDGE INCLUDING LITTLE TRAVERSE BAY-SLEEPING BEAR POINT TO GRAND TRAVERSE LIGHT MI- POINT BETSIE TO SLEEPING BEAR POINT MI- MANISTEE TO POINT BETSIE MI- WHITEFISH BAY (U.S. PORTION)/WHITEFISH POINT TO POINT IROQUOIS MI- ST. MARYS RIVER POINT IROQUOIS TO E. POTAGANNISSING BAY-CHIPPEWA- MACKINAC-EMMET-CHEBOYGAN-PRESQUE ISLE-CHARLEVOIX-LEELANAU-ANTRIM- OTSEGO-MONTMORENCY-ALPENA-BENZIE-GRAND TRAVERSE-KALKASKA-CRAWFORD- OSCODA-ALCONA-MANISTEE-WEXFORD-MISSAUKEE-ROSCOMMON-OGEMAW-IOSCO- GLADWIN-ARENAC- 342 PM EDT WED MAY 25 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN... EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN...AND ADJACENT NEARSHORE WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN...LAKE HURON AND LAKE SUPERIOR. .DAY ONE...REST OF THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS INTERIOR SECTIONS OF NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING... ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF M-32. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE NUMEROUS ACROSS ALL OF NORTHERN MICHIGAN FROM LATE EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT. WHILE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED...SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS WILL PRODUCE SMALL HAIL AND BRIEF PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL CONTINUE THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER AND RAINFALL AMOUNTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. REPORTS MAY BE MADE ONE OF THREE WAYS: ONLINE: WEATHER.GOV/GAYLORD FACEBOOK: FACEBOOK.COM/NWSGAYLORD TWITTER: TWITTER.COM/NWSGAYLORD && FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WEATHER.GOV/GAYLORD. MSB
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GAYLORD MI
342 PM EDT WED MAY 25 2016
MIZ021-026>029-032>035-041-042-252000-
OGEMAW-CRAWFORD-WEXFORD-OSCODA-ANTRIM-ARENAC-ROSCOMMON-GLADWIN-GRAND
TRAVERSE-MISSAUKEE-KALKASKA-
342 PM EDT WED MAY 25 2016
...AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT CRAWFORD...
SOUTHWESTERN OSCODA...ROSCOMMON...WEXFORD...KALKASKA...GLADWIN...
OGEMAW...SOUTHEASTERN ANTRIM...ARENAC...MISSAUKEE AND SOUTHEASTERN
GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTIES...
AT 336 PM EDT...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE CLUSTERED ALONG M-
55...WITH OTHER SHOWERS AND STORMS DEVELOPING ALONG M-72. THESE
STORMS WERE MOVING SLOWLY TO THE NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL AND HEAVY RAINFALL WILL OCCUR WITH THESE STORMS.
LAT...LON 4383 8460 4416 8461 4416 8581 4442 8580
4486 8494 4470 8408 4415 8391 4415 8357
4412 8357 4406 8360 4403 8368 4399 8368
4400 8383 4391 8391 4391 8404 4400 8405
4400 8417 4383 8417
TIME...MOT...LOC 1936Z 238DEG 8KT 4426 8543
SMDThe NCL Michigan radar (KAPX), 62 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:07 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A few trees and several large tree limbs were downed. A carport was thrown into a stand of trees. Wind gusted to 59 mph at the Roscommon County Airport.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, May 2016
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: 639451.