Tornadoes · United States · Michigan · 2018

EF1 tornado, Campbells Corners, Michigan, August 28, 2018

This EF1 tornado ran 0.2 miles across Ogemaw County on August 28, 2018, touching down at 8:53 PM EDT and reaching 40 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $65,000 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 28, 2018
Touchdown
8:53 PM EDT (00:53 UTC)
Lifted
8:55 PM EDT (00:55 UTC)
On the ground
2 minutes
Path length
0.2 miles (0.3 km)
Path width
40 yards (37 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$65,000
County
Ogemaw County
Touchdown point
44.322, -84.168
Lift-off point
44.323, -84.165
Record number
1808281853-01

What the Weather Service recorded

Another line of thunderstorms crossed northern Michigan in the evening of the 28th. This line produced considerable wind damage, along with a handful of tornadoes.

A brief tornado with maximum winds of 100 mph touched down 4 miles northeast of West Branch, crossing Mud Lake Road. Damage was mostly confined to two homes on the east side of Mud Lake Road.

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

The warnings

No tornado warning for this county appears in the archive as in force at the moment the tornado touched down.

The county was under a severe thunderstorm watch, issued at 22:23 UTC and running to 01:24 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
21:00 UTC10:12 UTCFlood WatchAPX
22:23 UTC01:24 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WatchAPX
00:29 UTC01:15 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningAPX

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 Slight Risk, with a 0.02 chance of a tornado within 25 miles. The outlook in force was issued at 19:44 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.

Alpena, MI (KAPX), 00:00Z

0.9 hours before the tornado, 162 km from the path. August 29, 2018.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Alpena, MI at 00:00Z on 2018-08-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 1666 joules per kilogram, CIN -6, lifted condensation level 766 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°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, Alpena, MI at 00:00Z on 2018-08-29The 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 196 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 38 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
1666 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-6 J/kg
Surface CAPE
1678 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
766 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
196 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
165 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.2
Supercell composite
7.5
0-3 km lapse rate
5.7 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Alpena, MI (KAPX), 12:00Z

11.1 hours after it, 162 km from the path. August 29, 2018.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Alpena, MI at 12:00Z on 2018-08-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 8 joules per kilogram, CIN -84, lifted condensation level 504 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°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, Alpena, MI at 12:00Z on 2018-08-29The 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 45 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 44 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
8 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-84 J/kg
Surface CAPE
24 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
504 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
26 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
45 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
21 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
4.8 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

West Branch (Y31), 9 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
22:55 UTC78.8710° 0 kt1012.2
23:15 UTC7871.2140° 3 kt1011.9
23:35 UTC7871.6150° 3 kt1011.5
23:55 UTC7871.80° 0 kt1011.5
00:15 UTC77.572140° 5 kt1010.8
00:35 UTC77.272120° 9 kt151009.8
00:57 UTC73.266.4230° 10 kt351010.8+RA
01:15 UTC70.365.3340° 13 kt211011.2-RA
01:35 UTC69.665.720° 4 kt1011.5-RA
01:55 UTC6966.2350° 6 kt1011.5
02:15 UTC6865.8190° 6 kt1011.9
02:35 UTC67.665.5120° 5 kt1011.5

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.

The radar

The NCL Michigan radar (KAPX), 78 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 00:55 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
00:20 UTCTSTM WND GST 5510 Ne HarrisonClare, MINWS STORM SURVEY FOUND SEVERAL SMALL TREE BRANCHES DOWN CONSISTENT WITH STRAIGHT LINE WINDS OF 45-55 MPH. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
00:23 UTCTSTM WND GST 47Houghton Lake - RoscommRoscommon, MIASOS STATION HTL, HOUGHTON LAKE - ROSCOMMON COUNTY AIRPORT.
00:35 UTCTSTM WND DMGBeavertonGladwin, MIREPORT FROM SOCIAL MEDIA OF POWER OUTAGES AND LARGE TREES ON HOMES.
00:37 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Nnw Twin Lakes AreaRoscommon, MIREPORT FROM PUBLIC OF EXTENSIVE DAMAGE AROUND HIS PROPERTY. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
00:37 UTCHEAVY RAIN 1.03LovellsCrawford, MITHE DURATION OF THE HEAVY RAIN EVENT WAS 30 MINUTES.
00:50 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 E West BranchOgemaw, MILAW ENFORCEMENT RELAYED REPORT OF ROOF RIPPED OFF A HOUSE. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR AND TIME OF REPORT RECEIVED.
00:53 UTCTORNADO4 Ne West BranchOgemaw, MIA BRIEF EF-1 TORNADO WITH MAXIMUM WINDS OF 100 MPH TOUCHED DOWN 4 MILES NORTHEAST OF WEST BRANCH IN CENTRAL OGEMAW COUNTY. DAMAGE WAS MAINLY CONFINED TO TWO HOMES ALONG MUD LAKE RD. TORNADO PATH LENGTH WAS 0.17 MILES WIT
00:58 UTCTORNADO4 Ne SterlingArenac, MIAN EF-0 TORNADO WITH ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WINDS OF 85 MPH BRIEFLY TOUCHED DOWN ALONG THE RIFLE RIVER ABOUT 3.75 MILES NORTHEAST OF STERLING. TORNADO PATH LENGTH WAS 0.40 MILES WITH A MAXIMUM WIDTH OF 40 YARDS.
01:00 UTCTSTM WND DMGSterlingArenac, MIREPORTS OF 4 HOUSES WITH EXTENSIVE DAMAGE IN THE AREA. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
01:05 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 N PinconningBay, MIMULTIPLE TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN ACROSS BAY COUNTY.
01:14 UTCTORNADO2 S Au GresArenac, MIAN EF-1 TORNADO WITH ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WINDS OF 100 MPH BRIEFLY TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 2.25 MILES SOUTH OF AU GRES NEAR THE POINT AU GRES CAMPGROUND BEFORE LIFTING NEAR THE LAKE HURON SHORELINE. TORNADO PATH LENGTH WAS 0.91
01:15 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 S Au GresArenac, MIDAMAGE ALONG LAKESHORE INCLUDING BOATS WITH DAMAGE, AS WELL AS A PERSON TRAPPED IN AN OVERTURNED CAMPER.
01:40 UTCNON-TSTM WND GST 422 Se East TawasIosco, MIMESONET STATION TAWM4, 2 SE EAST TAWAS.
02:02 UTCNON-TSTM WND GST 454 S Sid TownIosco, MIMESONET STATION SCKM4, 4 S SID TOWN.

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

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2018 tornado in MichiganEvery tornado in Michigan since 1950Warnings in force in Michigan nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of August 28, 2018

25 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
August 283:00 PM CDTEF1Marquette, WI0.750
August 283:03 PM CDTEF1Marquette, WI1.875
August 283:17 PM CDTEF1Green Lake, WI3.190
August 283:25 PM CDTEF0Green Lake, WI2.150
August 283:55 PM CDTEF1Fond du Lac, WI4.6175
August 284:00 PM CDTEF0Fond du Lac, WI0.650
August 284:04 PM CDTEF1Fond du Lac, WI4.4100
August 284:08 PM CDTEF0Fond du Lac, WI0.150
August 284:09 PM CDTEF1Fond du Lac, WI0.9100
August 284:11 PM CDTEF1Fond du Lac, WI0.180
August 284:11 PM CDTEF2Fond du Lac, WI3.9150$169,000
August 284:12 PM CDTEF1Dodge, WI2.7100
August 284:16 PM CDTEF1Fond du Lac, WI2.8100
August 284:22 PM CDTEF1Fond du Lac, WI4.590
August 284:27 PM CDTEF1Fond du Lac, WI4.0100
August 284:30 PM CDTEF0Fond du Lac, WI0.080
August 284:33 PM CDTEF1Calumet, WI1.075$75,000
August 284:36 PM CDTEF1Sheboygan, WI5.3100
August 284:57 PM CDTEF0Sheboygan, WI0.375
August 287:27 PM EDTEF0Lake, MI1.1500$100,000
August 287:30 PM EDTEF1Lake, MI1.0500$100,000
August 287:49 PM EDTEF0Antrim, MI6.670$80,000
August 287:09 PM CDTEF0Scott, IA4.125
August 288:58 PM EDTEF0Arenac, MI0.440$45,000
August 289:14 PM EDTEF1Arenac, MI0.950$70,000

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.