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.

  1. EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado

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

  2. EF186 to 110 mph

    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
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)ExpiredProductOffice
15:50 UTC18:12 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WatchGRR
16:51 UTC17:19 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningGRR
17:22 UTC07:00 UTCBeach Hazard StatementGRR
00:19 UTC01:31 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningGRR
00:56 UTC01:45 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningGRR
01:27 UTC05:02 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WatchGRR

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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Detroit, MI at 00:00Z on 2021-08-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 12 joules per kilogram, CIN -458, lifted condensation level 1474 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 2021-08-12The 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 243 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 39 knots.19395878Sfc1 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
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

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Detroit, MI (KDTX), 12:00Z

11.0 hours after it, 192 km from the path. August 12, 2021.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Detroit, MI at 12:00Z on 2021-08-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 968 joules per kilogram, CIN -104, lifted condensation level 769 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 2021-08-12The 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 205 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 35 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
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

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Holland (BIV), 26 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
23:05 UTC230° 7 kt1009.8
23:10 UTC220° 5 kt1009.5
23:15 UTC220° 5 kt1009.5
23:19 UTC8365230° 5 kt1009.8TS
23:20 UTC240° 4 kt1009.8
23:25 UTC260° 5 kt1009.8
23:30 UTC270° 2 kt1010.2
23:35 UTC0° 0 kt1009.8
23:40 UTC0° 0 kt1009.8
23:45 UTC180° 2 kt1009.8
23:49 UTC80.668140° 4 kt1009.5VCTS
23:50 UTC150° 5 kt1009.1
23:53 UTC8168120° 7 kt1009.1VCTS
23:55 UTC120° 5 kt1009.1
00:00 UTC8168130° 4 kt1009.1
00:00 UTC130° 4 kt1009.1
00:05 UTC130° 5 kt1009.1
00:10 UTC140° 5 kt1008.8
00:15 UTC160° 5 kt1008.8
00:20 UTC150° 7 kt1008.5
00:22 UTC8068160° 7 kt1008.5VCTS
00:25 UTC170° 5 kt1008.5
00:30 UTC170° 5 kt1008.8
00:35 UTC170° 5 kt1008.8
00:37 UTC8068170° 7 kt1008.8
00:40 UTC170° 7 kt1009.1
00:45 UTC210° 5 kt1009.5
00:50 UTC 41
00:53 UTC7767310° 10 kt411012.2+TSRA
00:55 UTC 14 kt23+RA
01:00 UTC320° 10 kt161010.8+RA
01:05 UTC330° 8 kt1009.8+RA
01:06 UTC7164330° 11 kt221010.2+TSRA
01:10 UTC 11 kt161009.1+RA
01:13 UTC7064320° 7 kt221009.1+TSRA
01:15 UTC290° 5 kt1009.1-RA
01:20 UTC 11 kt19-RA
01:25 UTC320° 7 kt+RA
01:30 UTC230° 11 kt1009.1+RA
01:31 UTC7266220° 13 kt171009.1+TSRA
01:35 UTC190° 14 kt1008.8RA
01:40 UTC210° 21 kt1008.5+RA
01:41 UTC7167200° 18 kt321008.1+TSRA BR
01:45 UTC210° 14 kt1007.8RA
01:49 UTC71.666.2250° 9 kt241008.5-TSRA
01:50 UTC240° 10 kt1008.5-RA
01:53 UTC7367250° 9 kt211008.5-TSRA
01:55 UTC240° 11 kt161008.5-RA
02:00 UTC230° 11 kt1008.5-RA
02:05 UTC230° 10 kt151008.5-RA
02:07 UTC7467240° 8 kt1008.5VCTS -RA
02:10 UTC240° 8 kt1008.5-RA
02:15 UTC240° 5 kt1008.8
02:20 UTC210° 2 kt1009.1
02:20 UTC7468210° 3 kt1009.1
02:25 UTC150° 2 kt1009.5
02:30 UTC160° 2 kt1009.5
02:35 UTC130° 5 kt1009.8
02:40 UTC110° 2 kt1009.8
02:45 UTC110° 2 kt1009.5
02:50 UTC110° 2 kt1009.5
02:53 UTC7369130° 4 kt1009.5
02:55 UTC140° 4 kt1009.5
03:00 UTC140° 7 kt1009.5

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)ReportWhereCountyRemark
00:10 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Ene DeltonBarry, MIDELAYED REPORT. A LARGE SPRUCE TREE WITH A HEIGHT OF 50 FEET FELL DOWN.
00:39 UTCTSTM WND GST 571 Sw Port SheldonOttawa, MI
00:48 UTCTSTM WND GST 561 N MacatawaOttawa, MIMEASURED AT SPYGLASS CONDOS.
00:50 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 W DrentheOttawa, MISNAPPED UTILITY POLE...RELAYED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
01:01 UTCTORNADO2 E BurnipsAllegan, MIEF0 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 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 W DorrAllegan, MIISOLATED SWATHS OF TREES DOWN ALONG 142ND AVE NEAR AND EAST OF 21ST ST. WAS A HALF-MILE SOUTH OF TORNADO PATH.
01:07 UTCTSTM WND DMGDorrAllegan, MISCATTERED 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 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Ene DorrAllegan, MIDRONE PHOTOS OF 40 PERCENT OF LARGE CORNFIELD FLATTENED IN MULTIPLE DIVERGENT OR FAN-OUT PATTERNS. 144TH AVE AND 14TH ST.
01:10 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Nnw WaylandAllegan, MISEVERAL 12 TO 16 INCH DIAMETER TREES BROKEN IN HALF AT 12TH AND 138TH. ONE THAT FELL ON A HOUSE.
01:10 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Nnw WaylandAllegan, MISEVERAL 12 TO 16 INCH DIAMETER TREES BROKEN IN HALF. ONE THAT FELL ON A HOUSE AT 12TH AND 138TH AVENUE.
01:10 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Nw WaylandAllegan, MISWATH 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 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Nw WaylandAllegan, MIWOODLINE 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 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Nne WaylandAllegan, MI8 TOTAL LARGE TREES DOWN ON ONE PROPERTY. 6 TREES WERE UPROOTED. 140TH AVE EAST OF 9TH ST.
01:12 UTCTSTM WND GST 541 Wnw DrentheOttawa, MICMU FIELD RESEARCH PROJECT.
01:14 UTCTSTM WND DMGDorrAllegan, MIDELAYED REPORT FROM MPING: 1-INCH TREE LIMBS BROKEN.
01:40 UTCHAIL 0.251 S Grand RapidsKent, MIREPORTED BY PUBLIC...RELAYED VIA KENT CO SKYWARN.
01:43 UTCFLOODMiddlevilleBarry, MIDELAYED REPORT FROM MPING: STREET/ROAD FLOODING.
01:49 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Ene DorrAllegan, MIDELAYED REPORT FROM MPING: 1-INCH TREE LIMBS BROKEN.
01:54 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Nnw WaylandAllegan, MITREETOP 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 UTCHEAVY RAIN 1.17Castle ParkAllegan, MI0.92 INCH STORM TOTAL...1.17 INCHES SINCE 7AM. COCORAHS MI-AN-20.
02:37 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Nnw WaylandAllegan, MIDELAYED 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.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
August 112:40 PM EDTEF1Fulton, OH0.270
August 111:45 PM CDTEF1Monroe, WI5.980$40,000
August 112:49 PM EDTUnratedVan Wert, OH2.030
August 111:55 PM CDTEF1Monroe, WI2.875$3,000
August 113:00 PM EDTEF0Van Wert, OH4.750
August 112:08 PM CDTEF0Shawano, WI0.441
August 112:14 PM CDTEF0Brown, WI2.375
August 114:04 PM EDTEF0Chippewa, MI1.575
August 115:40 PM CDTEF0Dubuque, IA0.620
August 116:08 PM CDTEF0Iowa, WI0.125
August 116:12 PM CDTEF0Iowa, WI1.025

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.