Isolated severe thunderstorms produced several reports of large hail of up to one and three quarters inches in diameter and isolated damaging wind gusts.
Every event with a place to put it. 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.
Isolated severe thunderstorms produced several reports of large hail of up to one and three quarters inches in diameter and isolated damaging wind gusts.
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 2, 6:56 PM EST, 49 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI 756 PM EDT Wed May 2 2018 LATEST UPDATE... Aviation .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 334 PM EDT Wed May 2 2018 Rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected to work across Lower Michigan this evening through Friday morning. A few storms may become severe, especially Thursday night. The main threats from these storms will be lightning, heavy rainfall which could cause some localized flooding, and possibly large hail and damaging wind gusts. Temperatures will remain above normal through the end of the week in a warm and humid airmass. && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Friday) Issued at 334 PM EDT Wed May 2 2018 SPC Model analysis and satellite and visual observations of clouds hint that a cap is over the area and working to suppress convection. Forecast model soundings show this cap should begin to erode through the very late afternoon and early evening, roughly along and south of I-96, and we may see a few thunderstorms develop there prior to 8PM. Better window for showers and thunderstorms will open up after about 8PM this evening as storms firing over a low-level boundary situated over Iowa/Wisconsin/Illinois progress eastward into the area. The boundary itself should also work into southern counties overnight, supporting storm development as the low level jet noses into far southern Michigan. Instability should begin to increase this evening, with airmass causing more congested look on visible satellite over N Indiana/Illinois working northward into the area. Model forecast soundings continue to support storms becoming elevated overnight which would limit severe wind threat, but there could be a few hours in the evening before this happens. Hi-res models then show strong support for an additional round of storms late overnight into Thursday morning, as convective complex works in from the Plains. Instability over Michigan looks to decrease towards the early morning hours, and threat for severe weather will be more limited with the second round. Tornado threat this evening and tonight looks limited given limited instability and limited directional shear, but cannot completely rule it out over far southwest Michigan given low LCL heights and close vicinity of the low-level boundary. Additional showers and thunderstorms may develop on Thursday, but activity is more favored to occur during the evening and overnight hours as warm front lifts through the area and surface low pressure crosses Northern Michigan ahead of a strong upper trough. 60 knot low-level jet will help provide more organization for storms, and a few storms may become severe. Given low CAPE, SPC marginal risk looks appropriate for now. .LONG TERM...(Friday night through Wednesday) Issued at 334 PM EDT Wed May 2 2018 The long term period overall is quite uneventful. Northwest upper flow will be in place to begin the long term Friday night. The main weather maker, a weak shortwave, is forecast to dive southeast through the region Saturday night and Sunday. Some scattered showers and possibly an isolated thunderstorm is forecast during that time frame. 850mb LI's drop to around zero C, with the bulk of the instability remaining west of Lake Michigan. Otherwise dry weather is forecast ahead of the weak system over the weekend for Friday night and Saturday and again in the early portion of next week. Temperatures will be above normal in the 70s for highs on Saturday, cooling into the 60s for Sunday and Monday which is normal for this time of year. Readings early next week should be near to above normal once again. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Thursday evening) Issued at 755 PM EDT Wed May 2 2018 Numerous shwrs and tstms will impact the srn Lwr MI terminals tonight. Cigs are VFR with this first round of rain, although ocnl MVFR to IFR vsbys will occur in heavier downpours. Could also be some brief gusty winds to 40kts and small hail. Cigs are expected to trend down to predominately MVFR late tonight as fairly widespread rain persists. A period of IFR stratus looks likely for MKG/GRR/LAN, and possible for AZO/BTL/JXN on Thursday morning as the sfc boundary sinks south behind the overnight/early morning rain, and some dense fog off Lake MI could impact the MKG terminal. Later in the day Thursday, by 21Z, we should see improvement in cigs to MVFR to VFR category. However with sfc heating we should also see new development of sct'd tstms. && .MARINE... Issued at 334 PM EDT Wed May 2 2018 Large waves are expected to subside over the area this evening. Wave heights are expected to remain at three feet or less over the next few days with lighter winds forecast. The main threat to marine interests will be round of thunderstorms that will occur this evening through Friday morning. && .HYDROLOGY... Issued at 239 PM EDT Wed May 2 2018 River levels are around normal for the time of year. Showers and thunderstorms are possible tonight into Friday and rain amounts will be variable across Southwest Lower Michigan. Rainfall totals through the weekend will range from an inch up to several inches. This would lead to rises on area rivers by the weekend and perhaps some minor flooding. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...None. LM...None. && SYNOPSIS...HLO SHORT TERM...HLO LONG TERM...Duke AVIATION...Meade HYDROLOGY...63 MARINE...HLO
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI 515 AM EDT Wed May 2 2018 MIZ037>040-043>046-050>052-056>059-064>067-071>074-030915- Mason-Lake-Osceola-Clare-Oceana-Newaygo-Mecosta-Isabella-Muskegon- Montcalm-Gratiot-Ottawa-Kent-Ionia-Clinton-Allegan-Barry-Eaton- Ingham-Van Buren-Kalamazoo-Calhoun-Jackson- 515 AM EDT Wed May 2 2018 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of southwest Lower Michigan. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A few thunderstorms are possible, mainly tonight. An isolated severe storm is possible. Damaging winds and large hail is the main risk. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Additional storms are possible Thursday and more so Thursday night. A few severe storms are possible with damaging winds and large hail the main risks. Any stronger storm will contain frequent lightning. Where the storms persist, urban and poor drainage flooding may occur. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed Thursday through Thursday night. LMZ844>849-030915- 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- 515 AM EDT Wed May 2 2018 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of southwest Lower Michigan. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Winds and waves will be hazardous to small craft today. Thunderstorms may pose a risk to mariners into tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Additional storms Thursday and more so Thursday night may create hazardous conditions for mariners. Some of the storms will have frequent lightning, gusty winds and possibly hail. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed Thursday through Thursday night.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI 654 PM EDT Wed May 2 2018 MIZ056>058-064>066-071>073-030100- Ottawa-Kent-Ionia-Allegan-Barry-Eaton-Van Buren-Kalamazoo-Calhoun- Including the cities of Grand Haven, Jenison, Grand Rapids, Ionia, Holland, Hastings, Charlotte, South Haven, Kalamazoo, and Battle Creek 654 PM EDT Wed May 2 2018 ...Strong Thunderstorms Approaching Southwest Michigan... At 650 pm EDT, numerous thunderstorms, some strong, were over southern Lake Michigan and northern Illinois. The storms were moving east-northeast at around 40 mph and will begin impacting southwest lower Michigan after 730 PM this evening. The main threat from these storms will be gusty winds up to 50 mph, hail up to dime size, dangerous lightning strikes, and heavy downpours. If skies darken in your area or you hear thunder, curtail any outdoor activities and seek shelter until 30 minutes after the storm has passed. If caught outside stay away from high objects such as trees. Meade
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI 701 PM EDT WED MAY 2 2018 MIZ074-022345- Jackson MI- 701 PM EDT WED MAY 2 2018 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY... At 701 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over Hanover, or 10 miles southwest of Vandercook Lake, moving east at 40 mph. Dime size hail and winds in excess of 40 mph with downed tree limbs will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Jackson... Vandercook Lake... Brooklyn... Grass Lake... Leoni... Spring Arbor... Napoleon... Norvell... Pulaski... Concord... Horton... Hanover... Oak Point... Sunset Beach... Michigan Center... LAT...LON 4207 8471 4216 8471 4231 8413 4208 8413 TIME...MOT...LOC 2301Z 251DEG 35KT 4209 8454 HOVING
The Grand Rapids radar (KGRR), 68 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:45 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
The public reported hail of up to one and three quarters inches in diameter across portions of Newaygo county.
An estimated wind gust to 60 mph was reported by the public just west of Jackson.
The public reported that wind driven hail caused damage to the siding of two homes just north of Mt. Pleasant. Shingle damage was also incurred to the roof of one home and one tree was blow down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, May 2018
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: 759161, 759163, 759162.