February 28, 2024 Grand Blanc Tornado

Overview

Record February high temperatures in the lower 70s created enough instability to allow for strong thunderstorms as a very strong cold front pushed through during the overnight hours. A few thunderstorms reached severe limits, highlighted by an EF-2 tornado in Grand Blanc. Winds behind the cold front on February 28th frequently gusted between 40-50 mph throughout the day.

Tornado
Radar

Tornado:

Tornado - Grand Blanc, MI
Genesee County

Date	February 28, 2024
Time (Local)	1:12 AM - 1:22 AM EST
EF Rating	EF-2
Est. Peak Winds	115 mph
Path Length	5.7 miles
Max Width	450 yards
Injuries/Deaths	0/0
Summary: The tornado touched down in Creasey Bicentennial Park damaging the south pavilion and uprooting a pine tree. The tornado tracked east northeast across Westminster Cir where multiple trees were snapped, two garage doors were blown out, and a roof was partially stripped from one home. The tornado continued tracking east northeast across Porter Rd and Reid Rd where multiple limbs and trees were snapped. The peak of damage occurred at an industrial complex at the intersection of Reid and S Dort Hwy. Damage to the complex included blown out non load bearing walls and significant loss of roofing. Multiple transmission poles were also snapped along S Dort Hwy. Damaged continued into the Indian Hill neighborhood near downtown Grand Blanc where multiple large trees were downed with some of them falling onto homes along Old Bridge Rd to Stonybrook Dr. The tornado tracked east northeast across Genesee Road to Belsay Rd snapping hardwood limbs and uprooting pine trees before greater damage occurred along Moonstone Dr and Brookview Dr. Damage in these areas included more widespread tree damage and one home with a garage door blown out and a roof partially uplifted. The tornado weakened and lifted shortly after it crossed Perry Rd.

Track Map

The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:

EF0 Weak 65-85 mph	EF1 Moderate 86-110 mph	EF2 Significant 111-135 mph	EF3 Severe 136-165 mph	EF4 Extreme 166-200 mph	EF5 Catastrophic 200+ mph

Radar

Radar Imagery for SE MI

Radar loop courtesy of Iowa Environmental Mesonet (IEM)

Radar Imagery for Grand Blanc EF-2 Tornado

Dundee Tornado - Radar Reflectivity Loop

Figure 1. DTX base reflectivity and velocity at 114 AM on 28 February 2024, centered on Grand Blanc, MI.

Media use of NWS Web News Stories is encouraged!
Please acknowledge the NWS as the source of any news information accessed from this site.