Tornadoes · United States · Michigan · 2010

EF1 tornado, Utica Arpt to Mt Clemens, Michigan, August 19, 2010

From Utica Arpt to Mt Clemens, this EF1 tornado ran 2.5 miles across Macomb County on August 19, 2010, touching down at 7:29 PM EDT and reaching 250 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $500,000 of property damage.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

  1. EF065 to 85 mph

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. EF186 to 110 mphthis tornado

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. EF2111 to 135 mph

    Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.

  4. EF3136 to 165 mph

    Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

  5. EF4166 to 200 mph

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. EF5over 200 mph

    Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.

  7. Unrated

    The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.

The record

Rating
EF1
Date
August 19, 2010
Touchdown
7:29 PM EDT (23:29 UTC)
Lifted
7:35 PM EDT (23:35 UTC)
On the ground
6 minutes
Path length
2.5 miles (4.1 km)
Path width
250 yards (229 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$500,000
County
Macomb County
Touchdown point
42.663, -82.978
Lift-off point
42.627, -82.966
Record number
1008191729-01

What the Weather Service recorded

A supercell developed over far northern Saginaw late in the afternoon, then tracked southeast along a frontal boundary. This storm produced a swath of wind damage, large hail, and eventually spawning two tornadoes as it moved through Macomb County.

A tornado touched down near the intersection of 22 Mile and Hayes Road at 729 pm, tracking south-southeast before lifting at 735 pm just east of Hayes Road on M-59. Maximum winds were estimated to be up to 90 mph. Damage included multiple homes with roof damage, along with downed trees and power lines.

A tornado touched down on Dorchestour Court at 740 pm, just east of Romeo Plank and north of Canal Road. The tornado tracked southeast before lifting at 748 pm just west of the intersection of 14 Mile Road and Harper Avenue. Maximum winds were estimated up to 85 mph. A few homes sustained window, garage, and shingle damage. Wooden fences were blown over. Numerous trees were blown down.

From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.

The warnings

25 minutes of warning. NWS DTX issued a tornado warning for this county at 23:04 UTC, 25 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 00:00 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
23:04 UTC00:00 UTCTornado WarningDTX
23:40 UTC00:00 UTCTornado WarningDTX

Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.

The forecast that day

The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a General Thunderstorms Risk. The outlook in force was issued at 16:30 UTC.

SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.

The air that afternoon

The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.

Detroit, MI (KDTX), 12:00Z

11.5 hours before the tornado, 38 km from the path. August 19, 2010.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Detroit, MI at 12:00Z on 2010-08-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 19 joules per kilogram, CIN -64, lifted condensation level 1282 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Detroit, MI at 12:00Z on 2010-08-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 109 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 34 knots.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
19 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-64 J/kg
Surface CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1282 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
34 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
21 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
109 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
118 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.3
0-3 km lapse rate
5.1 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Detroit, MI (KDTX), 00:00Z

0.5 hours after it, 38 km from the path. August 20, 2010.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Detroit, MI at 00:00Z on 2010-08-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 432 joules per kilogram, CIN -14, lifted condensation level 1484 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Detroit, MI at 00:00Z on 2010-08-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 93 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 41 knots.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
432 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-14 J/kg
Surface CAPE
963 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1484 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
14 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
93 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
97 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
1.5
0-3 km lapse rate
7.8 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The radar

The Detroit radar (KDTX), 41 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 23:27 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track

Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.

What was reported nearby

Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.

Time (UTC)ReportWhereCountyRemark
22:34 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Wnw LapeerLapeer, MINUMEROUS TREES DOWN
22:35 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 E DavisonGenesee, MINUMEROUS POWERLINES AND 24-30 INCH DIAMETER TREES DOWN
22:35 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Se DavisonGenesee, MIDAMAGE TO ROOF, 3 INCH DIAMETER STEAL FLAG POLE BENT
22:38 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 E DavisonLapeer, MIROOF OFF, BOATS FLIPPED
22:45 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Nw MetamoraLapeer, MILARGE BUSINESS SIGNS BLOWN DOWN
22:45 UTCTSTM WND DMGMetamoraLapeer, MINUMEROUS LARGE TREES DOWNED
23:03 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Sse OxfordOakland, MINUMEROUS TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN
23:03 UTCTSTM WND DMGOxfordOakland, MINUMEROUS TREES DOWNED THROUGHOUT TOWN WITH ESSENTIALLY ALL TREES IN DOWNTOWN AREA DAMAGED. POWERLINES ARE ALSO DOWNED AND ELECTRICITY IS OUT.
23:03 UTCTSTM WND DMGWnw OxfordOakland, MI7 TO 8 INCH DIAMETER TREES DOWN. SEVERAL SMALLER 4 INCH BRANCHES DOWN
23:07 UTCTSTM WND DMGLake OrionOakland, MI8 TO 10 INCH DIAMETER LIMBS DOWNED
23:25 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 S RomeoMacomb, MINUMEROUS TREE LIMBS UP TO 10 INCHES IN DIAMETER DOWNED ALONG VAN DYKE FROM 22 TO 25 MILE ROADS.
23:25 UTCTSTM WND DMGShelby TownshipMacomb, MINUMEROUS TREES DOWNED IN STONY CREEK PARK WITH BOATS IN DRY DOCK BLOWN OVER.
23:25 UTCNON-TSTM WND DMGShelby TownshipMacomb, MI4 10 INCH DIAMETER TREES DOWNED BY ESTIMATED 60 MPH WINDS.
23:27 UTCTORNADO3 Wsw Macomb TownshipMacomb, MIA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY CONFIRMED AN EF1 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF 22 MILE ROAD AND HAYES ROAD. THE TORNADO...WITH WINDS ESTIMATED UP TO 90 MPH...TOUCHED DOWN AT 727 PM AND TRACKED NEA
23:31 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 W Macomb TownshipMacomb, MINUMEROUS 15 INCH TREES DOWN
23:31 UTCTSTM WND DMG5 N Sterling HeightsMacomb, MITREES AND POWER LINES DOWN
23:31 UTCHAIL 0.755 Ese RochesterMacomb, MI
23:32 UTCTSTM WND GST 744 Wsw Macomb TownshipMacomb, MI
23:32 UTCHAIL 14 Wsw Macomb TownshipMacomb, MI
23:35 UTCHAIL 0.75Sterling HeightsMacomb, MI
23:40 UTCTSTM WND GST 703 Ssw Mount ClemensMacomb, MI
23:43 UTCTORNADO2 Sw Mount ClemensMacomb, MIA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY CONFIRMED AN EF0 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ON GROESBECK HIGHWAY, A HALF MILE NORTH OF 16 MILE ROAD. THE TORNADO...WITH WINDS ESTIMATED UP TO 85 MPH...TOUCHED DOWN AT 743 PM AND TRACKED
23:45 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Ese Mount ClemensMacomb, MISEVERAL TREES DOWN
23:45 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Ssw Mount ClemensMacomb, MILARGE LIMBS DOWN AT 15 MILE AND LITTLE MACK
23:45 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Ssw Mount ClemensMacomb, MIMULTIPLE LARGE TREES DOWN NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF GRATIOT AND 15 MILE ROADS. NUMEROUS TREES SNAPPED SEVERAL FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.
23:45 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 Ene RochesterMacomb, MITREES AND POWER LINES DOWN NEAR AND ALONG 26 MILE BETWEEN MOUND AND VAN DYKE ROADS.
23:45 UTCTSTM WND DMGClinton TownshipMacomb, MINUMEROUS TREES DOWNED BETWEEN 8 AND 18 INCHES IN DIAMETER
23:45 UTCTSTM WND DMGMount ClemensMacomb, MISEVERAL LARGE TREES UP TO 18 INCHES IN DIAMETER DOWNED
23:46 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Ssw Mount ClemensMacomb, MITREE DIVIDED HOUSE IN HALF
23:48 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Sse Mount ClemensMacomb, MIUPROOTED TREES 30 INCHES IN DIAMETER AND ANOTHER TREE SNAPPED 4 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND
23:48 UTCTSTM WND GST 605 S Mount ClemensMacomb, MI

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2010 tornado in MichiganEvery tornado in Michigan since 1950Warnings in force in Michigan nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of August 19, 2010

1 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
August 197:40 PM EDTEF0Macomb, MI5.0200$300,000

What this means

Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.

Sources

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.