Severe thunderstorms developed during the evening hours of May 7th, resulting in several reports of damaging wind gusts and large hail. An EF-2 tornado struck southern Kalamazoo county as well resulting in twelve injuries and hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to area homes and businesses.
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.
Severe thunderstorms developed during the evening hours of May 7th, resulting in several reports of damaging wind gusts and large hail. An EF-2 tornado struck southern Kalamazoo county as well resulting in twelve injuries and hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to area homes and businesses.
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 7, 2:19 PM EST, 2 hours 13 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI 319 PM EDT Tue May 7 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Stormy this evening, chance of rain Wednesday night - Rain Expected Thursday and Saturday && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 318 PM EDT Tue May 7 2024 - Stormy this evening, chance of rain Wednesday night The forecast is progressing as expected and severe storms are a distinct possibility the rest of this afternoon and evening. Radar shows the initial push of showers/non-severe storms has migrated to the eastern cwa and clearing is rapidly filling in behind it across the southwest cwa. Destabilization is rapidly occuring and as a strong short wave moves closer, severe storms have developed over northeast IL and are moving northeast toward Lower MI. SPC mesoanalysis shows SBCAPE around 2500 j/kg and bulk shear greater than 60 kts across northeast IL. Severe storms will continue to develop to the southwest through early evening and move into the cwa and all severe hazard types are possible: hail, wind, tornadoes. Areas south of I-96 have the highest risk for severe storms, but all of the cwa has a chance. The severe threat will end after 10 pm as the short wave axis rotates north out of the cwa. Wednesday will be dry with weak ridging moving into the cwa. However, it will be short lived as the rest of the upper trough pivots through the state beginning Wednesday night. Highs will be in the 70s Wednesday and lows in the 40s Wednesday night. - Rain Expected Thursday and Saturday Rainfall begins early Thursday morning and continues into the day Thursday as a low-pressure system tracking through the Ohio Valley, aided by a mid-level wave, sends a band of deformation rainfall across the area. Highest rain potential will be across southwest lower Michigan closer to the low's track with better FGEN. Rain chances are lower across Central Region as its further away from the better forcing. Can't rule out a bit of thunder given 6-7C mid-level lapse rates but chances are low and would mainly be limited to near and south of I94 if at all. Shortwave ridging and an area of high pressure keep Friday dry across the area. Highs will warm into the low 60s. Our next chance of rain is Saturday as a shortwave sends a surface low near Lake Michigan. Could see some diurnal enhancement to shower activity as the upper-level cold pool moves overhead with steeper mid-level lapse rates supporting thunder chances. Best rain chances will be across the southwest half of the CWA between the low track and placement of the upper-level cold pool. Predictability then decreases going into the start of next week as model spread in the upper-level pattern increases. Showers may continue into the start of next week but low confidence in when they will end. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z WEDNESDAY/... Issued at 118 PM EDT Tue May 7 2024 Line of showers with a few embedded thunderstorms will be just clearing the terminals near 18z. Additional thunderstorm development is likely with this afternoon and evening, especially near and south of GRR. Thunderstorms bring the potential of locally IFR conditions and gusty winds and hail. Have added VCTS along with a TEMPO group for the highest confidence window. A few hours of MVFR cigs is possible post showers and storms near I96 before skies become MVFR with the exception of MKG who should keep MVFR until tomorrow morning. Southeast winds become southwest tonight into tomorrow generally 7-12 knots and locally higher in TSRA. && .MARINE... Issued at 318 PM EDT Tue May 7 2024 The main threat for boaters tonight are severe storms with large hail and strong winds. Additionally, as dewpoints climb into the lower 60s areas of fog will develop. Wednesday looks less chaotic as the fog will dissipate and storms are not expected. && .GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MI...None. MARINE...None. && DISCUSSION...04/Thomas AVIATION...Thomas MARINE...04
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI 416 AM EDT Tue May 7 2024 MIZ037>040-043>046-050>052-056>059-064>067-071>074-080800- Mason-Lake-Osceola-Clare-Oceana-Newaygo-Mecosta-Isabella-Muskegon- Montcalm-Gratiot-Ottawa-Kent-Ionia-Clinton-Allegan-Barry-Eaton- Ingham-Van Buren-Kalamazoo-Calhoun-Jackson- 416 AM EDT Tue May 7 2024 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of southwest Lower Michigan. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Thunderstorms are likely this afternoon through evening. While lightning is a hazard in any thunderstorm, some storms may be locally severe, with damaging wind gusts, large hail, or a brief tornado. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed today, most likely between 4 PM and 10 PM. LMZ844>849-080800- 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- 416 AM EDT Tue May 7 2024 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of southwest Lower Michigan. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Thunderstorms are likely this afternoon through evening. While lightning is a hazard in any thunderstorm, some storms may be locally severe, with briefly stronger wind gusts or large hail. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday Winds and waves on Lake Michigan may be hazardous to small craft on Thursday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed today, most likely between 4 PM and 10 PM.
The Northern Indiana radar (KIWX), 83 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:30 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees were uprooted and snapped off near Decatur and large hail was reported as well.
An EF-2 tornado touched down near the intersection of South 10th Street and West R Avenue and traveled east northeast for around 11 miles until it lifted north of East N Avenue just west of 31st street. Many homes, including two mobile home parks, were severely damaged. Over 500 homes were impacted, 305 of which were in Portage. Twenty three of those homes were destroyed. A number of businesses had significant damage. Thousands of trees were either snapped or uprooted. A large section of the roof of an industrial warehouse also collapsed near the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek international airport. Twelve people were injured. There were no fatalities.
Hail up to two inches in diameter was reported in and near Oakwood.
Numerous trees and power lines were blown down in and near Tekonsha.
Seven eighths inch diameter hail was reported near Montague.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Michigan, 2024Warnings 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: 1184854, 1184863, 1184859, 1184856, 1184858.