An isolated EF1 tornado developed over extreme southeastern Kent county during the evening hours of April 10th. Dozens of large trees were snapped or uprooted and three barns were heavily damaged.
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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.
An isolated EF1 tornado developed over extreme southeastern Kent county during the evening hours of April 10th. Dozens of large trees were snapped or uprooted and three barns were heavily damaged. The damage began on 100th St just east of Alden Nash Ave and then continued to the east-northeast, crossing Wingeier Ave where a barn lost metal roofing. One metal section was carried 0.6 miles by the tornado and landed in a field.
The tornado damage intensified as the funnel narrowed and crossed 92nd St in the vicinity of the Tyler Creek Golf Course, where a swath of trees were snapped and uprooted. Peak winds in this area were estimated at 90 mph. The tornado crossed Freeport Ave and Keim Road. It then crossed Hastings Road with peak winds estimated around 65 mph, taking down large tree limbs. The damage ended around Bell Road north of Keim Road. There were also isolated reports of large hail and wind damage across portions of western lower Michigan.
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 Apr 10, 2:30 AM EST, 3 hours 58 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI 330 AM EDT Mon Apr 10 2017 LATEST UPDATE... Synopsis/Short Term/Long Term/Marine .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 330 AM EDT Mon Apr 10 2017 Strong to severe thunderstorms are possible today as a low pressure system moves through the region. A round of storms is possible this morning across Central Lower Michigan mainly, with the entire area forecast to see storms this afternoon and evening. Some of the storms will be capable of damaging winds and hail. It will be another warm April day with temperatures rising into the lower to middle 70s in many areas. Colder and drier air will wrap in behind the system for Tuesday. && .SHORT TERM...(Today through Wednesday) Issued at 330 AM EDT Mon Apr 10 2017 Trends are such in the models that the threat for severe weather today and this evening is increasing. The Storm Prediction Center has the entire area in a Slight Risk for severe weather and agree with this forecast. Convection allowing models like the NAM3km have showed more in the way of storms with each model run. The SPC SREF and SPC SSEO also corroborate a threat for severe weather today There looks to be two rounds of possibly severe weather today, one occurring towards daybreak this morning, and another this afternoon and evening. The first window of opportunity is associated with a surge of elevated moisture and instability. Most unstable CAPE values are already surging towards 2000 J/KG entering the western CWA at this time. NAM3km data suggests we may see in excess of 2000 CAPE values in the 12z to 15z time frame in the northwest CWA. This morning's threat looks to be elevated hailers. Numerous reports of large hail have been reported upstream in Wisconsin. The key feature to watch is the lead shortwave which moves through our area this morning. It is what is responsible for the convection in Iowa at present and the storms drifting from Wisconsin in Illinois. So, hail threat this morning between 600am and around noon, mainly across Central Lower. A brief lull occurs in the early to mid afternoon hours before another round this afternoon and evening. The storms this afternoon and evening look to be more widespread and have a better chance at being severe. All the parameters we look at for severe weather are in play, namely shear, moisture, instability and lift. Shear values are on the order of 40-60 knots in the 0-6km layer more than enough for rotating updraft. Thinking the storms will evolve this afternoon and evening from cellular early to more linear as the event evolves given the unidirectional flow. Moisture is quite ample for early April with 850mb dew points of +10 to +12C and surface dew points likely nosing above 60F in spots. Instability this afternoon will see CAPE values around 1500 J/KG and 850 LI's around -5C. The lift is what may push a marginal event more into the Slight risk category as the upper level jet is coupled this evening. Diffluence aloft spread in near and just after max heating with the main 500mb shortwave. The cold pool at 500mb's will increase lapse rates to near 8C/km. Bottom line, damaging winds and hail look to be threats today and we cannot rule out a tornado initially in the more cellular convection. Precipitation will wind down tonight with dry weather then forecast for Tuesday into Wednesday as high pressure builds in from the west. .LONG TERM...(Wednesday night through Sunday) Issued at 330 AM EDT Mon Apr 10 2017 Southerly flow on the back side of the departing ridge and out ahead of the next system Wednesday night will result in increasing moisture and a chance for showers as early as Wednesday night. Some showers will linger into Thursday before another mid level ridge builds in to bring fair weather Thursday night and Friday. The rather active wx pattern will continue as the next low pressure system approaches from the west and brings more showers Saturday through Saturday night which could linger into Sunday. At this time we will leave mention out of the forecast for now given uncertainty regarding the evolution of this system and amount of instability which will be present Saturday. Temperatures will be seasonable Wednesday night and Thursday before undergoing a gradual moderating trend Friday into Saturday. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Monday night) Issued at 1141 PM EDT Sun Apr 9 2017 We continue to expect LLWS at all the terminals overnight with strong sw winds of around 45 kts at 2 kft agl. Vfr conditions will continue overnight. A brief period of thunderstorms is possible Monday morning from around 11Z through 14Z mainly at KMKG which could cause brief reductions to IFR there. A few showers and storms may also develop further south at KGRR/KLAN Monday morning but there is not enough potential for this to occur to warrant mention in those terminal fcsts at this time. Otherwise conditions should remain VFR at all the terminals Monday morning through late afternoon. More widespread thunderstorms will develop and potentially affect all of the terminals late Monday afternoon through Monday evening when conditions will also gradually deteriorate to mainly MVFR. The storms may cause brief reductions to IFR and also potentially bring a brief period of strong winds. && .MARINE... Issued at 330 AM EDT Mon Apr 10 2017 Small Craft Advisory remains in effect through this evening. Strong southerly flow will continue through the day, so wave heights are forecast to remain in the 3 to 5 foot range into this evening. Storms sweeping across the lake this afternoon and evening may locally increase waves higher and pose a wind/lightning/hail threat to mariners as well. Winds and waves are forecast will decrease to below advisory levels for Tuesday and Wednesday. && .HYDROLOGY... Issued at 247 PM EDT Sun Apr 9 2017 Minor river flooding is ongoing across Southwest Lower Michigan. The Grand River in Comstock Park is the only site at, or expected to reach, moderate flood levels. The river should continue in moderate flood through Tuesday. Road closures have occurred in the Lansing and Grand Rapids areas, due to river water flowing and ponding outside of the river banks. Most sites have crested or are cresting and should fall into Monday. Additional rainfall early next week may exacerbate the issues on the rivers. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...None. LM...Small Craft Advisory until 10 PM EDT this evening for LMZ844>849. && SYNOPSIS...Duke SHORT TERM...Duke LONG TERM...Laurens AVIATION...Laurens HYDROLOGY...63 MARINE...Duke
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI 419 AM EDT Mon Apr 10 2017 MIZ037>040-043>046-050>052-056>059-064>067-071>074-110830- Mason-Lake-Osceola-Clare-Oceana-Newaygo-Mecosta-Isabella-Muskegon- Montcalm-Gratiot-Ottawa-Kent-Ionia-Clinton-Allegan-Barry-Eaton- Ingham-Van Buren-Kalamazoo-Calhoun-Jackson- 419 AM EDT Mon Apr 10 2017 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of southwest Lower Michigan. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Two rounds of thunderstorms are possible today, both of which may contain severe storms. The first is possible this morning across mainly Central Lower Michigan with hail being the main threat. A second round of storms will sweep the entire area this afternoon and evening between roughly 300pm and Midnight. The storms this afternoon and evening will be capable of damaging winds, large hail to around 1 inch in diameter and locally heavy rain. An isolated tornado cannot be ruled out either. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is possible today. LMZ844>849-110830- 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- 419 AM EDT Mon Apr 10 2017 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of southwest Lower Michigan. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Winds and waves will pose a hazard to smaller craft today. Winds and waves will be locally higher in and near thunderstorms. Storms are in the forecast from this morning through this evening. Wind gusts in excess of 35 knots, large hail and cloud to water lightning strikes are all possible with the strongest storms. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is possible today. DUKE
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI
710 AM EDT MON APR 10 2017
MIZ037>040-043>046-050>052-057-101200-
Oceana MI-Montcalm MI-Osceola MI-Isabella MI-Gratiot MI-Muskegon MI-
Lake MI-Mecosta MI-Newaygo MI-Clare MI-Mason MI-Kent MI-
710 AM EDT MON APR 10 2017
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY...
At 707 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 22
miles southwest of Stony Lake, moving northeast at 60 mph. Other
storms were forming over West Central Lower Michigan near Ludington,
Mears and Sand Lake. Storms are expected to increase in coverage
this morning across Central Lower Michigan. Hail, heavy rain and
lightning will be the main threats.
Locations impacted include...
Muskegon... Mount Pleasant... Big Rapids...
Alma... Ludington... Clare...
Ithaca... Hart... Newaygo...
Evart... Stanton... White Cloud...
Baldwin... Ludington SP... Shelby...
St. Louis... Fremont... North Muskegon...
Whitehall... Reed City...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Frequent cloud to ground lightning are occurring with these storms.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 4416 8461 4347 8461 4346 8437 4325 8437
4325 8635 4362 8654 4382 8643 4407 8651
4418 8639
TIME...MOT...LOC 1107Z 230DEG 52KT 4337 8684
DUKEThe Grand Rapids radar (KGRR), 101 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:29 UTC.
2 tornado, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail up to one and three quarters inches in diameter was reported near Shelby.
An NWS storm survey confirmed that an EF1 tornado occurred with peak winds of 90 mph and a path width of 220 yards. Dozens of large trees were blown down and there was significant damage to several outbuildings.
An EF1 tornado over extreme southeastern Kent county continued to move east northeast into far southwestern Ionia county. It took down several tree limbs before dissipating.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Michigan, 2017Warnings in Michigan, April 2017
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: 692199, 692196, 692197.