Hail and Damaging Winds in Michigan, June 20 to 21, 2021

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Michigan, June 20 to 21, 2021
Start: 2021-06-20T17:55
End: 2021-06-21T02:30
Location: Michigan

June 20 to 21, 2021 · NWS IWX · 27 events in 5 counties and zones

This was a multi-round severe weather event. The first round started around 6pm with discrete cells and a few clusters moving from Knox, IN to Hillsdale, MI until around 9pm.

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: $7,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 27

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 IWX wrote it up.

This was a multi-round severe weather event. The first round started around 6pm with discrete cells and a few clusters moving from Knox, IN to Hillsdale, MI until around 9pm. The second round featured additional isolated development along a boundary draped across the northern CWA 9P-1A. The third round associated with the primary cold front swept across the CWA 1AM-5AM.

After further assessment, there appears to be lack of damage for any conclusive tornado event in Coldwater, MI. Most of the severe weather across southern Michigan was in the form of damaging winds, but there was also some large hail on the evening of the 20th.

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 Northern Indiana wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 20, 1:40 PM EST, 4 hours 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 20, 1:40 PM EST, 4 hours 15 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
240 PM EDT Sun Jun 20 2021

.SYNOPSIS...
Issued at 240 PM EDT Sun Jun 20 2021

There is increasing confidence for strong to severe thunderstorms
late this afternoon into this evening. The strongest storms will be
capable of damaging winds, large hail and even a tornado. Cooler and
drier air will then settle in Monday through the middle of the week.

&&

.SHORT TERM...(This Afternoon through Monday)
Issued at 240 PM EDT Sun Jun 20 2021

The main focus remains on the severe weather threat late this
afternoon into this evening. A MCV and associated cluster of
convection, located across ne MO, will be the main feature of
interest as it tracks into the local area by this time, with
convection growing upscale in the vicinity of a lingering sfc
boundary oriented w-e just north of US 30. An increasingly
moist/unstable boundary layer under strengthening southwest
flow/shear support SPC's higher probs for severe storms. Initial
storm evolution by 21-23z may favor discrete storms (with HP
supercell structures), likely transitioning to broken line segments
or an organized bowing segment. All hazards (hail/wind/tornado)
remain on the table as hodographs enlarge and wind fields
strengthen. Large hail and isolated tornadoes will likely be the
primary threats to start, then trending toward damaging winds with
any linear segments. Overall confidence in this severe storm
threat has increased, especially along/north of US 24...so be
weather alert and stay tuned for updates.

A second line of convection is still expected to develop along a
cold front in eastern IA/WI this evening, with the bulk of CAMs
bringing this east in the 5-9z Monday AM time window. Wind appears
the be the primary threat by this time, conditional on how
convection evolves late this afternoon and evening. Expectations at
this time are for this higher end gusts within the weakening
MCS/QLCS to be more isolated and confined to areas mainly west of
Interstate 69.

A few showers may linger into Monday morning before the cold front
exits to the east, especially along/east of I-69. Gusty northwest
winds and cooler otherwise into the afternoon.

&&

.LONG TERM...(Monday Night through Sunday)
Issued at 240 PM EDT Sun Jun 20 2021

A quick shot of cool air will be the wx story post-frontal Monday
night through Tuesday night with lows mid 40s to low 50s. Skies will
trend mainly clear otherwise as low level ridging translates through
on the backside of an exiting upper trough.

Wednesday into Thursday will feature a warming trend on the backside
of high pressure with any convection to focus off to the northwest
on the nose of a LLJ. Fold over of this moisture channel and
front will then bring the next decent chance for showers and
storms into Thursday night and Friday. Troughing then lingers over
the region into next weekend with additional rain chances and
cooler temps.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Monday Morning)
Issued at 709 AM EDT Sun Jun 20 2021

Dense fog had cleared the SBN terminal according to the ASOS
observation, but believe VSBY could go back down briefly before
14Z. Otherwise, initial round of storms possible with EML arrival
and low level theta E surge this afternoon. More convection will
arrive overnight ahead of a strong front. Will likely need to put
more detail in as better storm/timing resolution becomes
available.

&&

.IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IN...Beach Hazards Statement from 1 AM CDT Monday through late Monday
     night for INZ003.

MI...Beach Hazards Statement from 2 AM EDT Monday through late Monday
     night for MIZ077.

OH...NONE.
LM...Small Craft Advisory from 2 AM to 11 PM EDT Monday for LMZ043-
     046.

&&

SYNOPSIS...Steinwedel
SHORT TERM...Steinwedel
LONG TERM...Steinwedel
AVIATION...Skipper

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 20, 1:32 PM EST, 4 hours 23 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
232 PM EDT Sun Jun 20 2021

INZ004>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ078>081-OHZ001-002-004-005-
015-016-024-025-211845-
St. Joseph IN-Elkhart-Lagrange-Steuben-Noble-De Kalb-Starke-Pulaski-
Marshall-Fulton IN-Kosciusko-Whitley-Allen IN-White-Cass IN-Miami-
Wabash-Huntington-Wells-Adams-Grant-Blackford-Jay-Cass MI-
St. Joseph MI-Branch-Hillsdale-Williams-Fulton OH-Defiance-Henry-
Paulding-Putnam-Van Wert-Allen OH-
232 PM EDT Sun Jun 20 2021 /132 PM CDT Sun Jun 20 2021/

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northern Indiana, southwest
Michigan and northwest Ohio.

.DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight.

Thunderstorms are expected late this afternoon into tonight. Severe
thunderstorms are possible, especially late this afternoon and
evening with large hail, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes the
main threats.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

Chances for thunderstorms return Friday.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotters will likely be needed late this afternoon into tonight.

INZ003-MIZ077-211845-
La Porte-Berrien-
232 PM EDT Sun Jun 20 2021 /132 PM CDT Sun Jun 20 2021/

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM EDT /1 AM CDT/ MONDAY
THROUGH LATE MONDAY NIGHT...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northern Indiana and
southwest Michigan.

.DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Beach Hazards Statement.

Thunderstorms are expected late this afternoon into tonight. Severe
thunderstorms are possible, especially late this afternoon and
evening with large hail, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes the
main threats.

Chances for thunderstorms return Friday.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Beach Hazards Statement.

Chances for thunderstorms return Friday.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotters will likely be needed late this afternoon into tonight.

LMZ043-046-211845-
New Buffalo MI to St Joseph MI-Michigan City IN to New Buffalo MI-
232 PM EDT Sun Jun 20 2021

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 11 PM EDT MONDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the nearshore waters of
southeastern Lake Michigan.

.DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Small Craft Advisory.

Severe thunderstorms are possible late this afternoon into tonight.
Winds and waves may be higher in the vicinity of storms.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Small Craft Advisory.

Chances for thunderstorms return Friday.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 20, 1:14 PM EST, 4 hours 41 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
214 PM EDT SUN JUN 20 2021

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1008 PM     HAIL             5 NNE PRATTVILLE        41.84N 84.36W
06/19/2021  M4.00 INCH       HILLSDALE          MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SEVERAL PICTURES OF LARGE 3-4 INCH
            HAILSTONES SHARED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.

&&

TH

Local storm report, Jun 20, 1:48 PM EST, 4 hours 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
248 PM EDT SUN JUN 20 2021

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1037 PM     TSTM WND DMG     SAN PIERRE              41.21N 86.89W
06/19/2021                   STARKE             IN   BROADCAST MEDIA

            *** 1 FATAL ***
            A COLLAPSE OF A BUILDING IN SAN PIERRE
            RESULTING IN 1 FATALITY. TIME ESTIMATED FROM
            RADAR.

&&

NDM

Local storm report, Jun 20, 1:56 PM EST, 3 hours 59 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
256 PM EDT SUN JUN 20 2021

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1037 PM     TSTM WND DMG     SAN PIERRE              41.21N 86.89W
06/19/2021                   STARKE             IN   BROADCAST MEDIA

            *** 1 FATAL ***
            CORRECTS PREVIOUS TSTM WND DMG REPORT FROM
            SAN PIERRE. A COLLAPSE OF A BUILDING IN SAN
            PIERRE RESULTING IN 1 FATALITY. TIME
            ESTIMATED FROM RADAR. LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORT
            RELAYED TO NWS BY BROADCAST MEDIA (WSBT).

&&

NDM

Local storm report, Jun 20, 3:18 PM EST, 2 hours 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
418 PM EDT SUN JUN 20 2021

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1037 PM     TSTM WND DMG     SAN PIERRE              41.21N 86.89W
06/19/2021                   STARKE             IN   BROADCAST MEDIA

            *** 1 FATAL, 1 INJ ***
            CORRECTS PREVIOUS TSTM WND DMG REPORT FROM
            SAN PIERRE. A MOBILE HOME WAS ROLLED AND
            DISINTEGRATED. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
            LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORT RELAYED TO NWS BY
            BROADCAST MEDIA (WSBT).

&&

NDM

Local storm report, Jun 20, 5:41 PM EST, 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
641 PM EDT SUN JUN 20 2021

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0640 PM     TSTM WND GST     OSCEOLA                 41.67N 86.08W
06/20/2021  E55 MPH          ST. JOSEPH         IN   PUBLIC

            WIND GUSTS AT LEAST 55 MPH. NO SIGNS OF
            DAMAGE YET.

&&

LWF

The radar

The Northern Indiana radar (KIWX), 83 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:55 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

20 thunderstorm wind, 7 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Berrien

When: June 20, 5:55 PM EST to 5:56 PM EST
Where: Berrien County, 0.69 mi S of Berrien Spgs
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.940, -86.330

Thunderstorm Wind, Berrien

When: June 20, 5:55 PM EST to 5:56 PM EST
Where: Berrien County, Niles
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 41.830, -86.250

WSBT relayed via Twitter a picture of a few broken tree branches.

Hail, Berrien

When: June 20, 6:00 PM EST to 6:01 PM EST
Where: Berrien County, 2.07 mi SW of Berrien Center
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.930, -86.300

Hail, Berrien

When: June 20, 6:00 PM EST to 6:01 PM EST
Where: Berrien County, 0.69 mi S of Berrien Spgs
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.940, -86.330

Hail, Berrien

When: June 20, 6:05 PM EST to 6:06 PM EST
Where: Berrien County, 0.69 mi N of Eau Claire
Measured: 2 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.990, -86.300

Hail, Cass

When: June 20, 6:15 PM EST to 6:16 PM EST
Where: Cass County, Sandy Shores
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 42.050, -86.180

Hail, Cass

When: June 20, 6:18 PM EST to 6:19 PM EST
Where: Cass County, 1.47 mi NNW of Sandy Shores
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 42.070, -86.190

Local media reported via twitter on the west side of Magician Lake.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cass

When: June 20, 6:20 PM EST to 6:25 PM EST
Where: Cass County, 0.86 mi SW of Cassopolis
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.910, -86.010

Trees and power lines down across Cassopolis.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Joseph

When: June 20, 6:45 PM EST to 6:46 PM EST
Where: St. Joseph County, Centreville
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.920, -85.530

Power lines down.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Joseph

When: June 20, 6:45 PM EST to 6:46 PM EST
Where: St. Joseph County, 1.47 mi NNE of Centreville
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.940, -85.520

A tree down across road.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Joseph

When: June 20, 6:45 PM EST to 6:46 PM EST
Where: St. Joseph County, 1.72 mi SW of Kirsch Muni Arpt
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: State Official
Coordinates: 41.800, -85.470

Tree down and blocking roadway.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Joseph

When: June 20, 6:50 PM EST to 6:52 PM EST
Where: St. Joseph County, Sturgis
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: State Official
Coordinates: 41.800, -85.420

Multiple power lines downed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hillsdale

When: June 20, 6:54 PM EST to 6:59 PM EST
Where: Hillsdale County, 2.66 mi ESE of Pittsford
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 41.860, -84.420

Three trees down across SE half of county.

Thunderstorm Wind, Branch

When: June 20, 7:15 PM EST to 7:20 PM EST
Where: Branch County, 0.69 mi S of Coldwater
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.940, -85.000

Tree limbs down along US-12.

Thunderstorm Wind, Branch

When: June 20, 7:22 PM EST to 7:25 PM EST
Where: Branch County, 2.92 mi SE of Girard
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 42.000, -84.960

Trees uprooted or snapped.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hillsdale

When: June 20, 8:05 PM EST to 8:07 PM EST
Where: Hillsdale County, 1.03 mi W of Hillsdale
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.920, -84.640

Large limbs down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Branch

When: June 20, 9:00 PM EST to 9:01 PM EST
Where: Branch County, 0.69 mi S of Coldwater
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 41.940, -85.000

Large tree snapped and fell on house.

Thunderstorm Wind, Branch

When: June 20, 9:07 PM EST to 9:10 PM EST
Where: Branch County, 2.31 mi SSE of Girard
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 42.000, -84.980

Power poles broken. Three inch tree limbs broken.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hillsdale

When: June 20, 9:30 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Hillsdale County, 0.51 mi W of Hillsdale
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 41.920, -84.630

Several reports of trees and powerlines down across northern Hillsdale County from 2230 to 2300 EDT.

Hail, Cass

When: June 20, 11:49 PM EST to 11:50 PM EST
Where: Cass County, 1.47 mi NNW of Sandy Shores
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 42.070, -86.190

MPing report.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cass

When: June 21, 12:30 AM EST to 12:35 AM EST
Where: Cass County, 1.38 mi N of Indian Lake
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: State Official
Coordinates: 42.020, -86.200

Several trees down across northern part of county.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cass

When: June 21, 12:40 AM EST to 12:42 AM EST
Where: Cass County, 0.69 mi N of Red Mill
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 42.060, -86.120

Four to six inch diameter branches down, along with power lines.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cass

When: June 21, 12:43 AM EST to 12:45 AM EST
Where: Cass County, 0.69 mi S of Glenwood
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 42.040, -86.030

Large tree limbs 10 to 12 inches in diameter down on a house.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hillsdale

When: June 21, 2:15 AM EST to 2:17 AM EST
Where: Hillsdale County, 0.51 mi W of Hillsdale
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.920, -84.630

Power poles broken, along with three inch tree limbs.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hillsdale

When: June 21, 2:20 AM EST to 2:25 AM EST
Where: Hillsdale County, 0.51 mi E of Somerset Center
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 42.050, -84.410

Several power poles and transmission lines down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hillsdale

When: June 21, 2:25 AM EST to 2:27 AM EST
Where: Hillsdale County, 3.16 mi SSE of Wheatland
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.930, -84.370

Two foot diameter tree branches down in roadway.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hillsdale

When: June 21, 2:27 AM EST to 2:30 AM EST
Where: Hillsdale County, 0.51 mi W of Somerset
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 42.050, -84.380

Large tree branch down on house and power lines down.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Michigan in 2021 Every state in 2021 This day in weather history Warnings in Michigan, June 2021

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 967401, 967402, 967403, 967404, 967405, 967406, 967407, 967408, 967409, 967410, 967411, 967412, 967413, 967414, 967415, 967416, 967417, 967418, 967419, 967420, 967421, 967422, 967423, 967424, 967425, 967426, 967427.