Tornadoes · United States · Michigan · 2021
EF0 tornado, Burnips to Dorr, Michigan, August 11, 2021
From Burnips to Dorr, this EF0 tornado ran 2.8 miles across Allegan County on August 11, 2021, touching down at 9:01 PM EDT and reaching 100 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $300,000 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.
EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
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.
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.
EF4166 to 200 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
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.
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
- EF0
- Date
- August 11, 2021
- Touchdown
- 9:01 PM EDT (01:01 UTC)
- Lifted
- 9:05 PM EDT (01:05 UTC)
- On the ground
- 4 minutes
- Path length
- 2.8 miles (4.5 km)
- Path width
- 100 yards (91 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $300,000
- County
- Allegan County
- Touchdown point
- 42.737, -85.804
- Lift-off point
- 42.727, -85.751
- Record number
- 2108111901-01
What the Weather Service recorded
Severe storms produced numerous reports of wind gusts up to around 60 mph that brought down numerous trees and tree limbs. In addition an EF-0 tornado struck near Dorr in Allegan county.
An NWS storm survey determined that one outbuilding was destroyed near 26th street with metal roofing debris scattered along the path. A large irrigation structure was knocked over and damaged east of 26th street. Tornadic damage to trees was noted throughout the path. Intermittent roofing damage was also observed.
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.
| Issued (UTC) | Expired | Product | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15:50 UTC | 18:12 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | GRR |
| 16:51 UTC | 17:19 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRR |
| 17:22 UTC | 07:00 UTC | Beach Hazard Statement | GRR |
| 00:19 UTC | 01:31 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRR |
| 00:56 UTC | 01:45 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRR |
| 01:27 UTC | 05:02 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | GRR |
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 01:00 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), 00:00Z
1.0 hours before the tornado, 192 km from the path. August 12, 2021.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 12 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -458 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 282 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1474 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 39 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 25 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 243 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 373 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 4.2 K/km
Detroit, MI (KDTX), 12:00Z
11.0 hours after it, 192 km from the path. August 12, 2021.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 968 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -104 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 80 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 769 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 35 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 25 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 205 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 216 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 2.2
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 4.2 K/km
The surface observations
Holland (BIV), 26 km from the path, in the two hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Temp (°F) | Dew point (°F) | Wind | Gust (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23:05 UTC | 230° 7 kt | 1009.8 | ||||
| 23:10 UTC | 220° 5 kt | 1009.5 | ||||
| 23:15 UTC | 220° 5 kt | 1009.5 | ||||
| 23:19 UTC | 83 | 65 | 230° 5 kt | 1009.8 | TS | |
| 23:20 UTC | 240° 4 kt | 1009.8 | ||||
| 23:25 UTC | 260° 5 kt | 1009.8 | ||||
| 23:30 UTC | 270° 2 kt | 1010.2 | ||||
| 23:35 UTC | 0° 0 kt | 1009.8 | ||||
| 23:40 UTC | 0° 0 kt | 1009.8 | ||||
| 23:45 UTC | 180° 2 kt | 1009.8 | ||||
| 23:49 UTC | 80.6 | 68 | 140° 4 kt | 1009.5 | VCTS | |
| 23:50 UTC | 150° 5 kt | 1009.1 | ||||
| 23:53 UTC | 81 | 68 | 120° 7 kt | 1009.1 | VCTS | |
| 23:55 UTC | 120° 5 kt | 1009.1 | ||||
| 00:00 UTC | 81 | 68 | 130° 4 kt | 1009.1 | ||
| 00:00 UTC | 130° 4 kt | 1009.1 | ||||
| 00:05 UTC | 130° 5 kt | 1009.1 | ||||
| 00:10 UTC | 140° 5 kt | 1008.8 | ||||
| 00:15 UTC | 160° 5 kt | 1008.8 | ||||
| 00:20 UTC | 150° 7 kt | 1008.5 | ||||
| 00:22 UTC | 80 | 68 | 160° 7 kt | 1008.5 | VCTS | |
| 00:25 UTC | 170° 5 kt | 1008.5 | ||||
| 00:30 UTC | 170° 5 kt | 1008.8 | ||||
| 00:35 UTC | 170° 5 kt | 1008.8 | ||||
| 00:37 UTC | 80 | 68 | 170° 7 kt | 1008.8 | ||
| 00:40 UTC | 170° 7 kt | 1009.1 | ||||
| 00:45 UTC | 210° 5 kt | 1009.5 | ||||
| 00:50 UTC | 41 | |||||
| 00:53 UTC | 77 | 67 | 310° 10 kt | 41 | 1012.2 | +TSRA |
| 00:55 UTC | 14 kt | 23 | +RA | |||
| 01:00 UTC | 320° 10 kt | 16 | 1010.8 | +RA | ||
| 01:05 UTC | 330° 8 kt | 1009.8 | +RA | |||
| 01:06 UTC | 71 | 64 | 330° 11 kt | 22 | 1010.2 | +TSRA |
| 01:10 UTC | 11 kt | 16 | 1009.1 | +RA | ||
| 01:13 UTC | 70 | 64 | 320° 7 kt | 22 | 1009.1 | +TSRA |
| 01:15 UTC | 290° 5 kt | 1009.1 | -RA | |||
| 01:20 UTC | 11 kt | 19 | -RA | |||
| 01:25 UTC | 320° 7 kt | +RA | ||||
| 01:30 UTC | 230° 11 kt | 1009.1 | +RA | |||
| 01:31 UTC | 72 | 66 | 220° 13 kt | 17 | 1009.1 | +TSRA |
| 01:35 UTC | 190° 14 kt | 1008.8 | RA | |||
| 01:40 UTC | 210° 21 kt | 1008.5 | +RA | |||
| 01:41 UTC | 71 | 67 | 200° 18 kt | 32 | 1008.1 | +TSRA BR |
| 01:45 UTC | 210° 14 kt | 1007.8 | RA | |||
| 01:49 UTC | 71.6 | 66.2 | 250° 9 kt | 24 | 1008.5 | -TSRA |
| 01:50 UTC | 240° 10 kt | 1008.5 | -RA | |||
| 01:53 UTC | 73 | 67 | 250° 9 kt | 21 | 1008.5 | -TSRA |
| 01:55 UTC | 240° 11 kt | 16 | 1008.5 | -RA | ||
| 02:00 UTC | 230° 11 kt | 1008.5 | -RA | |||
| 02:05 UTC | 230° 10 kt | 15 | 1008.5 | -RA | ||
| 02:07 UTC | 74 | 67 | 240° 8 kt | 1008.5 | VCTS -RA | |
| 02:10 UTC | 240° 8 kt | 1008.5 | -RA | |||
| 02:15 UTC | 240° 5 kt | 1008.8 | ||||
| 02:20 UTC | 210° 2 kt | 1009.1 | ||||
| 02:20 UTC | 74 | 68 | 210° 3 kt | 1009.1 | ||
| 02:25 UTC | 150° 2 kt | 1009.5 | ||||
| 02:30 UTC | 160° 2 kt | 1009.5 | ||||
| 02:35 UTC | 130° 5 kt | 1009.8 | ||||
| 02:40 UTC | 110° 2 kt | 1009.8 | ||||
| 02:45 UTC | 110° 2 kt | 1009.5 | ||||
| 02:50 UTC | 110° 2 kt | 1009.5 | ||||
| 02:53 UTC | 73 | 69 | 130° 4 kt | 1009.5 | ||
| 02:55 UTC | 140° 4 kt | 1009.5 | ||||
| 03:00 UTC | 140° 7 kt | 1009.5 |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.
The radar
The Grand Rapids radar (KGRR), 26 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 01:04 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) | Report | Where | County | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00:10 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 Ene Delton | Barry, MI | DELAYED REPORT. A LARGE SPRUCE TREE WITH A HEIGHT OF 50 FEET FELL DOWN. |
| 00:39 UTC | TSTM WND GST 57 | 1 Sw Port Sheldon | Ottawa, MI | |
| 00:48 UTC | TSTM WND GST 56 | 1 N Macatawa | Ottawa, MI | MEASURED AT SPYGLASS CONDOS. |
| 00:50 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 W Drenthe | Ottawa, MI | SNAPPED UTILITY POLE...RELAYED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR. |
| 01:01 UTC | TORNADO | 2 E Burnips | Allegan, MI | EF0 TORNADO MOVED THROUGH NORTHERN PORTIONS OF ALLEGAN COUNTY FOR ABOUT 3 MILES. MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH WAS ABOUT 100 YARDS. ONE OUTBUILDING WAS DESTROYED NEAR 26TH STREET WITH METAL ROOFING DEBRIS SCATTERED ALONG THE PATH. |
| 01:05 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 W Dorr | Allegan, MI | ISOLATED SWATHS OF TREES DOWN ALONG 142ND AVE NEAR AND EAST OF 21ST ST. WAS A HALF-MILE SOUTH OF TORNADO PATH. |
| 01:07 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Dorr | Allegan, MI | SCATTERED TREE LIMBS SNAPPED OR TREES UPROOTED ACROSS WIDE SECTION OF DORR. VIEWER PHOTO TO BROADCAST MEDIA WITH WOOD-CONSTRUCTED BARN ON 140TH AVE THAT HAD TWO WALLS BLOWN IN. |
| 01:10 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Ene Dorr | Allegan, MI | DRONE PHOTOS OF 40 PERCENT OF LARGE CORNFIELD FLATTENED IN MULTIPLE DIVERGENT OR FAN-OUT PATTERNS. 144TH AVE AND 14TH ST. |
| 01:10 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Nnw Wayland | Allegan, MI | SEVERAL 12 TO 16 INCH DIAMETER TREES BROKEN IN HALF AT 12TH AND 138TH. ONE THAT FELL ON A HOUSE. |
| 01:10 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Nnw Wayland | Allegan, MI | SEVERAL 12 TO 16 INCH DIAMETER TREES BROKEN IN HALF. ONE THAT FELL ON A HOUSE AT 12TH AND 138TH AVENUE. |
| 01:10 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Nw Wayland | Allegan, MI | SWATH OF TREES AND WIRES DOWN A HALF-MILE SOUTH OF ANOTHER SWATH. SOME POWER POLES SNAPPED. FRONT PORCH WAS DAMAGED. 138TH AVE WEST OF 12TH ST. |
| 01:10 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 Nw Wayland | Allegan, MI | WOODLINE IN A FIELD WITH A DOZEN TREES SNAPPED. SOUTH OF 140TH BETWEEN 14TH AND 12TH ST. SEVERAL MORE TREES SNAPPED OR BLOWN OVER ALONG 12TH ST. |
| 01:12 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 Nne Wayland | Allegan, MI | 8 TOTAL LARGE TREES DOWN ON ONE PROPERTY. 6 TREES WERE UPROOTED. 140TH AVE EAST OF 9TH ST. |
| 01:12 UTC | TSTM WND GST 54 | 1 Wnw Drenthe | Ottawa, MI | CMU FIELD RESEARCH PROJECT. |
| 01:14 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Dorr | Allegan, MI | DELAYED REPORT FROM MPING: 1-INCH TREE LIMBS BROKEN. |
| 01:40 UTC | HAIL 0.25 | 1 S Grand Rapids | Kent, MI | REPORTED BY PUBLIC...RELAYED VIA KENT CO SKYWARN. |
| 01:43 UTC | FLOOD | Middleville | Barry, MI | DELAYED REPORT FROM MPING: STREET/ROAD FLOODING. |
| 01:49 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Ene Dorr | Allegan, MI | DELAYED REPORT FROM MPING: 1-INCH TREE LIMBS BROKEN. |
| 01:54 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Nnw Wayland | Allegan, MI | TREETOP LIMBS FELL AND PUNCTURED ROOF DURING GUST OF WIND. HOME SURVEILLANCE VIDEO CAPTURED EVENT AND TIME. RADAR CORROBORATES A MICROBURST COULD HAVE OCCURRED FROM ADDITIONAL STORMS 45 MINUTES AFTER THE FIRST LINE OF SE |
| 02:15 UTC | HEAVY RAIN 1.17 | Castle Park | Allegan, MI | 0.92 INCH STORM TOTAL...1.17 INCHES SINCE 7AM. COCORAHS MI-AN-20. |
| 02:37 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Nnw Wayland | Allegan, MI | DELAYED REPORT FROM MPING: TREES UPROOTED OR SNAPPED. |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2021 tornado in MichiganEvery tornado in Michigan since 1950Warnings in force in Michigan nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of August 11, 2021
11 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 11 | 2:40 PM EDT | EF1 | Fulton, OH | 0.2 | 70 | |||
| August 11 | 1:45 PM CDT | EF1 | Monroe, WI | 5.9 | 80 | $40,000 | ||
| August 11 | 2:49 PM EDT | Unrated | Van Wert, OH | 2.0 | 30 | |||
| August 11 | 1:55 PM CDT | EF1 | Monroe, WI | 2.8 | 75 | $3,000 | ||
| August 11 | 3:00 PM EDT | EF0 | Van Wert, OH | 4.7 | 50 | |||
| August 11 | 2:08 PM CDT | EF0 | Shawano, WI | 0.4 | 41 | |||
| August 11 | 2:14 PM CDT | EF0 | Brown, WI | 2.3 | 75 | |||
| August 11 | 4:04 PM EDT | EF0 | Chippewa, MI | 1.5 | 75 | |||
| August 11 | 5:40 PM CDT | EF0 | Dubuque, IA | 0.6 | 20 | |||
| August 11 | 6:08 PM CDT | EF0 | Iowa, WI | 0.1 | 25 | |||
| August 11 | 6:12 PM CDT | EF0 | Iowa, WI | 1.0 | 25 |
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.