PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
900 AM EDT SUN MAR 29 2009
...SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IS MARCH 29TH THROUGH APRIL 4TH...
GOVERNOR JENNIFER GRANHOLM HAS DECLARED MARCH 29TH THROUGH APRIL 4TH AS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN MICHIGAN. EACH DAY THIS WEEK...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE
MICHIGAN COMMITTEE FOR SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS...WILL ISSUE
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS ABOUT THE HAZARDS OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS...TORNADOES...AND FLOODING. BELOW IS A SCHEDULE OF
TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED EACH DAY. ALL NEWSPAPERS...RADIO...AND
TELEVISION STATIONS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PASS THIS INFORMATION ALONG TO YOUR LISTENERS...VIEWERS...AND READERS.
TODAY......... RECAP OF 2008 AND GENERAL TORNADO INFORMATION
ON MONDAY..... SEVERE WEATHER TERMINOLOGY.
ON TUESDAY.... WE WILL DISCUSS THE STATEWIDE TEST TORNADO
DRILL SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY APRIL 1ST.
ON WEDNESDAY.. TORNADO SAFETY RULES.
ON THURSDAY... FLASH FLOOD/FLOOD SAFETY RULES.
ON FRIDAY..... THUNDERSTORM AND LIGHTNING SAFETY RULES.
ON SATURDAY... DISCUSSION ON THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...
THE SHORT TERM FORECAST...SPECIAL WEATHER
STATEMENTS...AND NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS.
EACH YEAR...MICHIGAN GETS HIT BY AN AVERAGE OF 16 TORNADOES.
SINCE 1950...THERE HAS BEEN AT LEAST ONE TORNADO IN EVERY
COUNTY OF THE STATE.
Severe weather across the state was responsible for six deaths in 2008.
Four of the fatalities were related to flooding and two were a result
of severe thunderstorm winds. In addition...there were four reported
injuries...and over 300 million DOLLARS in damages. Fourteen tornadoes
touched down in Michigan last year...near the average of 16.
For the second consecutive year...Michigans severe weather season started
relatively quiet with only one significant severe weather event on
April 11 when severe thunderstorms struck mainly southern lower Michigan.
Winds up to 70 mph and hail as large as golf balls were reported.
There was also one Michigan April tornado...an EF-1 which tracked for
five miles across southeast Allegan County and into northeast Barry County.
June 6 TO 8 was very active for severe thunderstorms in Michigan. There
was widespread straight-line wind damage and three weak tornadoes.
June 8 was the most destructive day as an active line of thunderstorms
moved through lower Michigan during the afternoon. Winds gusted up to
90 mph which enhanced the damage over portions of lower Michigan...
including Ogemaw...Tuscola...Genesee...Oakland and Macomb counties.
Thousands of trees were lost and there was considerable roof damage.
Two people lost their lives when trees fell on their vehicles. Nearly
500000 homes and businesses lost power. In addition to the straight-line
winds...an EF-1 tornado struck the Lansing area. That tornado was on the
ground for about 10 miles...destroying a cooling tower at the Lansing
Board of Water and Light Eckert Plant. The heavy rain from three days
of severe weather also produced flash flooding...especially across
southwest lower Michigan. Three people died in the flash floods in
Allegan and Ottawa counties. Damages from the June 8 event were over
100 million DOLLARS.
Severe thunderstorms that hit the state on June 12 and 13 were one of
the biggest and most costly in northern Michigan in many years. The event
included two weak tornadoes...widespread straight-line wind damage with
gusts to 80 mph and flash flooding. Spotters in Manistee and Wellston
measured around six inches of rain in a few hours on June 12-13. Radar
estimated up to 10 inches of rainfall along the southern border of Manistee
County. At one point the majority of roads in the south half of Manistee
County were under water. In the city of Manistee...asphalt...stop signs...
and light posts were flushed into Lake Michigan by the raging waters.
The last significant severe weather event occurred September 13 and 14.
Moisture and the remnants of the Pacific Tropical Storm Lowell and then
the Gulf of Mexicos Hurricane Ike hit Michigan on back-to-back days.
These storms produced widespread rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches which
lead to widespread flooding. In addition to the flooding...five tornadoes
touched down from Paw Paw to Plymouth during the afternoon and evening of
September 13.
REGARDING TORNADOES...THE PEAK SEASON IN MICHIGAN IS FROM APRIL
THROUGH AUGUST. MOST TORNADOES OCCUR BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 3 PM
AND 9 PM...ALTHOUGH THEY CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME OF THE DAY OR NIGHT AND ALMOST ANY MONTH OF THE YEAR.
THOSE MOST AT RISK DURING TORNADOES ARE PERSONS IN MOBILE HOMES
AND AUTOMOBILES...WHICH CAN BE EASILY DESTROYED OR DAMAGED EVEN
BY WEAK TORNADOES.
OF COURSE...TORNADOES ARE NOT THE ONLY WEATHER THREAT IN MICHIGAN. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...LIGHTNING...AND FLOODING OCCUR EACH YEAR ACROSS THE STATE. KNOWING WHAT TO DO WHEN A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA IS VITAL. IT MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE AND THE LIVES OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS.
FOR MORE INFORMATION...CONTACT THE NEAREST NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE OFFICE...OR YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.
ON MONDAY...WE WILL LOOK AT SEVERE WEATHER TERMINOLOGY.
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