There were several reports of downed trees and limbs and power lines as a result of severe thunderstorm 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.
There were several reports of downed trees and limbs and power lines as a result of severe thunderstorm 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 20, 2:05 PM EST, 3 hours 13 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI 305 PM EDT Mon May 20 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Marginal Risk of Severe Weather This Evening - Slight Risk of Severe Weather Tuesday Night - Chance of Storms Wednesday && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 305 PM EDT Mon May 20 2024 - Marginal Risk of Severe Weather This Evening Multiple lines of convection from Lake Michigan to southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois this afternoon will be moving into Lower Michigan this evening. Latest radar trends are showing a weakening of the storms over Lake Michigan but these storms could strengthen again as they move back over land with 500 to 1000 J/kg of MUCAPE to work with. The main threat is isolated wind damage with the strongest convection. The severe threat will diminish with loss of sfc heating this evening. The showers will be exiting the eastern zones around midnight. - Slight Risk of Severe Weather Tuesday Night There should be a lull in the convection as the first shortwave trough minors out/moves east and is replaced by flat ridging before heights fall again late Tuesday afternoon and evening as the next shortwave trough axis swings through along with increasing shear profiles and deep lift. Scattered convection in the afternoon will give way to increasing POPs as organized convection along and ahead of the cold front pushes in from the west. Primary threat will again be scattered wind damage with stronger updrafts or bowing line segments, but model soundings from the GFS and NAM show possible QLCS tornado threat with favorable low level helicity as near sfc winds veer strongly with height. - Chance of Storms Wednesday The front bringing the chance for severe weather Tuesday night continues to drive south and east during the day on Wednesday. The GFS/NAM have trended towards the ECMWF suggesting the front clears our southeast CWA in the vicinity of 18z Wednesday. Given how early the front clears the area, the potential for convective redevelopment is uncertain. There are signals for the potential of showers and storms to develop south and east of Grand Rapids, mainly down towards Jackson, Wednesday afternoon and evening aided by a passing vorticity maximum.. If any development can happen on the warm side of the front, a strong to severe storm cannot be ruled out given 40-45 knots of deep layer shear hence the current marginal risk for severe storms. Rain chances end early Thursday. Dry weather is expected Thursday into Friday as surface ridging aided by zonal flow at 500mb ridging by Friday and little to no deep layer moisture. The lack of moisture also keeps plenty of sunshine in the forecast with highs well into the 70s Thursday and Friday. An lead shortwave ahead of a parent trough approaches early Saturday increasing clouds and rain chances, further increasing Saturday and into the day on Sunday as a weakening surface low sends a front through the area with renewed cyclogenesis over the central Great Lakes. Exact timing and placement of important features, as expected over 5 days out, is still uncertain but the broader signal across guidance is generally similar. So, while timing and extent of any precipitation is uncertain, the chance does exist for rain during the memorial day weekend. This means the NBM 30-40 percent PoPs are appropriate for the end of the week. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY/... Issued at 107 PM EDT Mon May 20 2024 The next 24 hours will feature two primary concerns in terms of aviation impacts. The first is a line of thunderstorms that will arrive near MKG around 22z and move east, exiting LAN/JXN by 4z-5z.Scattered storms cannot be ruled out ahead of the line this afternoon but confidence is too low to include in the TAFs. Gusty winds and MVFR to IFR conditions are possible in any storms. Behind the storms, fog and low stratus are expected to develop north of a front affecting GRR and MKG. IFR and possibly LIFR, particularly at MKG are expected. LAN has a chance of impacts as well but lower being just south of where the front sets up. Scattered IFR clouds and patchy fog are possible at AZO/BTL/JXN. Conditions improve after 13z as winds increase and daytime heating mixes out moisture. && .MARINE... Issued at 305 PM EDT Mon May 20 2024 Offshore winds and waves below 3 feet through Tuesday although there could be some locally strong winds and choppy waves in the vicinity of thunderstorms this evening and again Tuesday night. Winds will pick up Tuesday night and Wednesday with waves building to 6 to 8 feet Wednesday morning. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...None. MARINE...None. && DISCUSSION...Ostuno/Thomas AVIATION...Thomas MARINE...Ostuno
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI 343 AM EDT Mon May 20 2024 MIZ037>040-043>046-050>052-056>059-064>067-071>074-210745- Mason-Lake-Osceola-Clare-Oceana-Newaygo-Mecosta-Isabella-Muskegon- Montcalm-Gratiot-Ottawa-Kent-Ionia-Clinton-Allegan-Barry-Eaton- Ingham-Van Buren-Kalamazoo-Calhoun-Jackson- 343 AM EDT Mon May 20 2024 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of southwest Lower Michigan. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Marginally severe storms with potential for damaging wind gusts and hail are expected from mid afternoon through late tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday There is a slight risk for severe weather mainly late Tuesday night into early Wednesday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed. LMZ844>849-210745- 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- 343 AM EDT Mon May 20 2024 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of southwest Lower Michigan. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Marginally severe storms will bring locally higher winds and waves posing a hazard to mariners this afternoon into tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday A slight risk for severe weather exists late Tuesday night with high winds and waves in and near thunderstorms posing a hazard to mariners. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI
452 PM EDT Mon May 20 2024
MIZ043-044-050-056-057-064-065-071-072-202245-
Oceana MI-Kalamazoo MI-Muskegon MI-Barry MI-Ottawa MI-Newaygo MI-
Allegan MI-Van Buren MI-Kent MI-
452 PM EDT Mon May 20 2024
...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of Van Buren, Allegan,
Kent, Ottawa, Newaygo, western Barry, Muskegon, Kalamazoo and Oceana
Counties through 645 PM EDT
...
At 451 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 35 miles west of Muskegon to 25 miles
northwest of St. Joseph. Movement was northeast at 35 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Grand Rapids... Kalamazoo... Portage...
Muskegon... Holland... Grand Haven...
Hastings... Allegan... South Haven...
Paw Paw... Hart... Newaygo...
White Cloud... Wyoming... Kentwood...
Walker... Shelby... Grandville...
Muskegon Heights... East Grand Rapids...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM EDT for
south central, central, southwestern and west central Michigan.
&&
LAT...LON 4207 8622 4224 8622 4224 8637 4246 8625
4275 8621 4309 8625 4362 8654 4381 8643
4381 8556 4330 8556 4329 8531 4207 8530
TIME...MOT...LOC 2051Z 234DEG 30KT 4305 8692 4232 8687 4188 8711
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
OSTUNOSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI
538 PM EDT Mon May 20 2024
MIZ064-202215-
Allegan MI-
538 PM EDT Mon May 20 2024
...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of northwestern Allegan
County through 615 PM EDT
...
At 537 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 9 miles southwest of Saugatuck to 7 miles
northwest of South Haven. Movement was northeast at 50 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Holland... Fennville... Saugatuck...
Dorr... Ganges... Hamilton...
Douglas... Burnips... Macatawa...
Glenn... Castle Park... Saugatuck Dunes SP...
Overisel...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM EDT for
southwestern Michigan.
&&
LAT...LON 4258 8623 4264 8623 4270 8620 4277 8621
4277 8580 4272 8571 4250 8624
TIME...MOT...LOC 2137Z 228DEG 48KT 4261 8637 4249 8636
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH
OSTUNOPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI
608 PM EDT Mon May 20 2024
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0547 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 NNW Saugatuck 42.68N 86.21W
05/20/2024 M56 MPH LMZ845 MI Buoy
Saugatuck Pier buoy.
&&
EOPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI
611 PM EDT Mon May 20 2024
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0557 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 2 SSE Holland 42.74N 86.09W
05/20/2024 M44 MPH Allegan MI ASOS
BIV ASOS peak wind gust.
&&
EOThe Grand Rapids radar (KGRR), 77 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:16 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees and power lines were blown down north of Fremont.
Numerous trees and power lines were blown down by severe thunderstorm wind gusts.
A few trees and power lines were brought down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, May 2024
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: 1184869, 1184870, 1184873.