A quasi linear convective system (QLCS) produced wind damage along a fifty mile long and a half to 5 mile swath that cut through parts of downtown Grand Rapids. Significant wind damage was observed within to just east of the city.
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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.
A quasi linear convective system (QLCS) produced wind damage along a fifty mile long and a half to 5 mile swath that cut through parts of downtown Grand Rapids. Significant wind damage was observed within to just east of the city. The most intense damage occurred at Belknap apartments in downtown Grand Rapids where two thirds of the roof was ripped off of the three story complex. There was also scattered tree damage and a few shingles missing from houses near the apartment complex. A microburst containing winds of up to around 100 mph caused the damage. Additional significant damage was noted about 1.5 miles east of the Belknap apartments where several buildings incurred significant damage. Hundreds of trees were either snapped off or uprooted.
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 Sep 11, 2:29 PM EST, 1 hour 31 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI 329 PM EDT Wed Sep 11 2019 LATEST UPDATE... Synopsis/Discussion/Marine .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 301 PM EDT Wed Sep 11 2019 - Risk for severe thunderstorms with heavy rain this evening - Another round of storms possible later Thursday into Friday - Hazardous winds and waves over Lake Michigan Friday into Saturday - Cooler for the weekend && .DISCUSSION...(This evening through next Wednesday) Issued at 301 PM EDT Wed Sep 11 2019 The main challenges in the forecast period deal with the potential for severe weather through Friday. For the remainder of this afternoon into the evening the combination of stronger effective deep layer shear and abundant ML CAPE supports the risk for severe weather. A boundary has slipped down into the northern parts of the CWA with a strong cell noted over Lake MI tracking along this zone. This cell is headed east and should continue to increase as it comes ashore. Low level helicity values are highest across the north for now. That is forecasted to shift east southeast through the evening. There is some uncertainty as to how far south the severe convection will go. Over the next few hours the Holland to Grand Rapids area should be in a lull...with satellite imagery showing not much cloud growth there as the wind comes off the water. However later this afternoon and more so this evening the storms could organize into a line and drop down through the remainder of the CWA. Low clouds may linger for much of Thursday which would limit the severe risk. However the approach of the mid level shortwave Thursday evening into Friday morning will support increasing shear and the potential for general destabilization. It may take until we see some heating on Friday for that severe risk to see a significant increase. A cool down arrives Friday into Saturday. Some warm air advection is shown on Sunday but that may result in a period of overrunning and showers. After that for Monday into Wednesday...another surge of warm air advects in from the south with well above normal temperatures forecasted. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Thursday afternoon) Issued at 139 PM EDT Wed Sep 11 2019 The atmosphere will be very unstable into the evening. Indications are that a couple of strong storms could develop over the interior TAF sites this afternoon. Then a stronger of storms line moves in from the west and impacts all TAF sites this evening. A period of higher winds may accompany the passage of these storms. IFR clouds are forecasted to arrive later tonight or Thursday morning. These impactful clouds may linger much of the day. && .MARINE... Issued at 301 PM EDT Wed Sep 11 2019 A wind shift will drop south through the marine sites for the rest of the afternoon into tonight as the storms track through the region. Then as the cold front moves through Thursday night into Saturday morning the winds and waves will likely become hazardous for mariners and swimmers. Any storms through the period could generate high winds and waves. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...None. LM...None. && SYNOPSIS...MJS DISCUSSION...MJS AVIATION...MJS MARINE...MJS
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI 1058 AM EDT Wed Sep 11 2019 MIZ037>040-043>046-050>052-056>059-064>067-071>074-121500- Mason-Lake-Osceola-Clare-Oceana-Newaygo-Mecosta-Isabella-Muskegon- Montcalm-Gratiot-Ottawa-Kent-Ionia-Clinton-Allegan-Barry-Eaton- Ingham-Van Buren-Kalamazoo-Calhoun-Jackson- 1058 AM EDT Wed Sep 11 2019 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of southwest Lower Michigan. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight There is a slight risk for severe weather this afternoon and evening. The main threats are damaging winds with downed tree limbs, large hail, and a brief/weak tornado. Torrential rainfall and localized flooding will also be possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Thunderstorms are possible through early Friday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed this afternoon and evening. LMZ844>849-121500- 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- 1058 AM EDT Wed Sep 11 2019 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of southwest Lower Michigan. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Thunderstorms with frequent lightning, large hail, and strong winds are possible this afternoon and evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Winds and waves may be hazardous to small craft Thursday night through Saturday. BORCHARDT
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
1245 PM EDT WED SEP 11 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1235 PM HAIL 2 ENE LITTLE POINT SABL 43.65N 86.50W
09/11/2019 M0.88 INCH OCEANA MI PUBLIC
DIME TO NICKEL-SIZED HAIL NEAR MEARS.
ONGOING FOR AT LEAST 5 MINUTES.
&&
HLOSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI
141 PM EDT Wed Sep 11 2019
MIZ038>040-044>046-051-052-111830-
Montcalm-Isabella-Osceola-Gratiot-Lake-Mecosta-Clare-Newaygo-
141 PM EDT Wed Sep 11 2019
...Showers and Thunderstorms with Heavy Rain and Small Hail...
Shower and thunderstorms are currently located across central Lower
Michigan. The strongest storms will produce torrential rainfall,
frequent cloud to ground lightning, and hail up to nickel size
through the early afternoon hours. Additional showers and storms are
expected later this afternoon and into the evening hours.
Move indoors if you hear thunder. Motorists are encouraged to slow
down on water-coated roadways roadways. Please report any hail to
the National Weather Service in Grand Rapids.
LAT...LON 4415 8461 4347 8461 4346 8437 4312 8437
4312 8531 4329 8532 4330 8603 4417 8603
TIME...MOT...LOC 1736Z 246DEG 49KT 4366 8525
BORCHARDTThe Grand Rapids radar (KGRR), 83 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:00 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
An emergency manager reported that scattered trees were blown down along Poplar Road between Van Buren and 6 Mile Road.
Hail up to one and a half inches in diameter was reported near Vestaburg.
Several trees were blown down and uprooted near Pine Junction.
NWS storm surveys confirmed that a quasi linear convective system produced significant wind damage in and just east of Grand Rapids. The survey team estimated that microbursts containing winds of up to 100 mph caused the damage. Damage included significant roof damage to the Belknap apartment complex and significant damage in a subdivision a mile and a half east of Belknap apartments. Some building damage also occurred due to falling trees and many roads were blocked due to downed trees and power lines.
Apartment building on Fairview Ave NE just east of Division Street had roofed peeled off. Roof landed on homes immediately to the east of the apartment building.
NWS storm surveys in eastern Kent county found that hundreds of trees were either snapped or uprooted across three distinct swaths near Ada and Forest Hills. Some building damage occurred as a result of falling trees and many roads were blocked by downed trees and power lines.
The public reported that a large barn was blown off it's foundation and there was minor damage to a small barn in the same area near Woodbury. Scattered wind damage was also noted from southeast of Lowell to Lake Odessa in the form of scattered downed trees and limbs.
There were two houses that sustained damage in the form of broken windows and lost roofing and shingle damage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Michigan, 2019Warnings in Michigan, September 2019
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: 851139, 851138, 851142, 851140, 863127, 851141, 851144, 851143.