Cloudy skies will continue with a chance for drizzle through southern lower Michigan early Sunday morning. Otherwise Sunday will be dry and cloudy through the daytime with rain showers likely Sunday Night into Monday. The upcoming week will see a pattern shift with cold weather and the potential for winter weather ahead. Read More >
Overview
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February 27, 2024 will be remembered as an exceedingly warm day followed by rapid changes at night. Deep southerly flow brought massive warm air advection that broke Maximum high temperatures across the lower Michigan. In Grand Rapids, it was over 70 degrees for the first time on record. Surface dew points surged into the 50s. So a warm moist air mass over the region was more like a late April day then a late February one. A large synoptic system moving in from the west brought strong atmospheric lift to the area. The deep layer shear in Southwest Lower Michigan was well over 40 knots. With strong deep layer shear (that is, changing wind speed and/or direction with respect to height above the ground)and moderate instability (see this page for an explanation of instability), the region was ripe for severe weather. A line of severe thunderstorms entered the area from the south with several supercell thunderstorms (see the bottom of this page for a description of supercells) out ahead of the line. One long lived supercell with a persistent mesocyclone caused damage along the I-94 corridor which included an EF-1 Tornado near Marshall Michigan. Along with this supercell a line of storms brought upwards of 2.4 inch hail across Lower Michigan to areas south of I-96. This storm system continued eastward and caused an EF-2 tornado in Grand Blanc Michigan. For more information on that storm go to NWS Detroit |
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| Marshall Tornado: Photo Credit: Don McCracken | Marshall Tornado: Photo Credit: Don McCracken | 2.4 inch large hail Battle Creek Photo Credit: Katie Nickolaou |
Tornadoes:
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Tornado - Area north of Marshall
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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 |
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Wind & Hail:
Wind
Besides the Marshall Tornado the long lived supercell brought damaging winds across southern Lower Michigan to areas near Decatur, Lawton and near Marengo, Michigan
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| Power Pole snapped North of Marengo Photo credit: Kyle Piers |
Downed tree on Structure Lawton of CR669 Photo Credit: Elizabeth Fouth |
Downed trees Lawton CR669 Photo Credit: Elizabeth Fouth |
Tree Damage Calhoun County Photo credit: Kyle Piers |
Hail
Large Hail occurred in the line of severe storms especially in the long lived supercell that caused the tornado in Calhoun County The largest hail was 2.4 inches
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| Large Hail Lakeview Photo Credit: Lisa D |
Large Hail Emmett Township Photo Credit: Chenee Robertson |
Various Hail Battle Creek Photo Credit: Katie Nickolaou |
Large Hail Scotts, MI Photo Credit: James Cooper |
Record Temperatures
Warm air advection out ahead of the approaching weather system caused record high temperature across southern Michigan. Some of these record temperatures broke 70 degrees which in Grand Rapids had never been recorded in February before. Below is a graphic an table showing maximum temperatures from across the region.
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Photos & Video
Here are damage photos from the Marshall Tornado
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| Damage to outbuilding Photo Credit: Kim Scholten |
Damage to House Photo Credit: Kim Scholten |
Downed Trees Photo Credit: Kim Scholten |
Utility Trailer Photo Credit: Kim Scholten |
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| Damage to Barn Photo Credit: Kim Scholten |
Damage to House Photo Credit: Kim Scholten |
Siding off house Photo Credit: Kim Scholten |
Roof off Barn Photo Credit: Kim Scholten |
Radar
Radar Reflectivity
Only wind damage was reported southwest of Lawton in spite of there being a circulation.
Here is the circulation that did produce a tornado near Marshall. It is common for the damage to occur on the southern edge of where the radar "sees" the circulation. Note how similar looking circulations can produce very different results!
The image below shows the track of where storm rotation was strongest as storms moved eastward between 10 PM EST February 27 and 2 AM EST February 28.
This image below shows estimated hail size (and reported hail) as storms moved eastward between 10 PM EST February 27 and 2 AM EST February 28.
Storm Reports
For more information go to: SPC February 27th, 2024 Damage reports
Preliminary Local Storm Report National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI 542 PM EST Wed Feb 28 2024 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 1101 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 1 ENE Douglas 42.65N 86.19W 02/27/2024 M48 MPH Allegan MI Mesonet Mesonet station MC148 I-196 Mile Marker 38.1. 1201 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 NNE Alto 42.88N 85.37W 02/28/2024 M41 MPH Kent MI Mesonet Mesonet station MC150 I-96 Mile Marker 52.2. 0215 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 ENE Ludington 43.97N 86.40W 02/28/2024 M43 MPH Mason MI AWOS AWOS station KLDM Ludington Mason County Arpt. 0220 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 4 WNW Roosevelt Park 43.23N 86.34W 02/28/2024 M54 MPH Muskegon MI Mesonet Mesonet station MKGM4 Muskegon Pier. 0251 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 W New Era 43.56N 86.39W 02/28/2024 M42 MPH Oceana MI Mesonet Mesonet station MC160 US 31 Mile Marker 140.7. 0300 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst Mears 43.68N 86.41W 02/28/2024 M41 MPH Oceana MI Mesonet Mesonet station MIMEA Mears (MAWN). 0448 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst Macatawa 42.77N 86.20W 02/28/2024 M47 MPH Ottawa MI Buoy Buoy station HLNM4 Holland Harbor. 0635 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 1 S Little Point Sable 43.62N 86.54W 02/28/2024 M40 MPH Oceana MI Mesonet Mesonet station DVI00019 Shelby. 0658 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 WNW Jackson 42.26N 84.44W 02/28/2024 M48 MPH Jackson MI Mesonet Mesonet station CW5542 Jackson. 0700 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 5 SW Whitehall 43.37N 86.42W 02/28/2024 M50 MPH Muskegon MI Mesonet Mesonet station DW2963 Whitehall. 0720 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 1 ENE Norton Shores 43.17N 86.23W 02/28/2024 M49 MPH Muskegon MI ASOS ASOS station KMKG Muskegon County Airport. 0720 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 W Grand Haven 43.06N 86.26W 02/28/2024 M55 MPH LMZ846 MI Mesonet Mesonet station XGHL Grand Haven Light. 0736 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 S Holland 42.75N 86.10W 02/28/2024 M49 MPH Allegan MI ASOS ASOS station KBIV W Mich Regional Arpt. 0831 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 1 SW Portland 42.86N 84.91W 02/28/2024 M40 MPH Ionia MI Mesonet Mesonet station MC149 I-96 Mile Marker 76.0. 0841 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 WSW Butternut 43.18N 84.96W 02/28/2024 M43 MPH Montcalm MI Mesonet Mesonet station MC146 M-57 Mile Marker 32.0. 0841 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 3 NNE Edgemont Park 42.78N 84.58W 02/28/2024 M44 MPH Clinton MI ASOS ASOS station KLAN Lansing. 0851 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 3 ENE Sandstone 42.27N 84.47W 02/28/2024 M45 MPH Jackson MI ASOS ASOS station KJXN Jackson County-Reynolds Field Airport. 0910 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 1 W South Haven 42.40N 86.29W 02/28/2024 M48 MPH LMZ844 MI Mesonet Mesonet station SVNM4 South Haven. 0951 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 W Hesperia 43.57N 86.07W 02/28/2024 M40 MPH Oceana MI Mesonet Mesonet station MC147 M-20 Mile Marker 16.6. 1006 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 1 SSE Springfield 42.32N 85.23W 02/28/2024 M44 MPH Calhoun MI ASOS ASOS station KBTL Battle Creek Executive Airport. 1011 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 3 SE Lawrence 42.19N 86.01W 02/28/2024 M47 MPH Van Buren MI Mesonet Mesonet station MC163 I-94 Mile Marker 53.8. 1018 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 17 W Keeler 42.12N 86.49W 02/28/2024 M44 MPH LMZ844 MI Mesonet Mesonet station XSTJ St. Joseph Pier. 1018 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 1 N Saint Joseph 42.12N 86.49W 02/28/2024 M44 MPH LMZ844 MI Mesonet Mesonet station XSTJ St. Joseph Pier. 1025 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 1 E Lawton 42.17N 85.82W 02/28/2024 M41 MPH Van Buren MI Mesonet Mesonet station EW6899 Lawton. 1031 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 SW Big Rapids 43.69N 85.52W 02/28/2024 M41 MPH Mecosta MI Mesonet Mesonet station MC143 US-131 Mile Marker 138.7. 1044 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 SSW Cascade 42.88N 85.52W 02/28/2024 M46 MPH Kent MI ASOS ASOS station KGRR Gerald R Ford Intl. 1055 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 16 W Keeler 42.13N 86.47W 02/28/2024 M42 MPH LMZ844 MI Mesonet Mesonet station DVI11762 Saint Joseph. 1055 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 WNW Benton Harbor 42.13N 86.47W 02/28/2024 M42 MPH LMZ844 MI Mesonet Mesonet station DVI11762 Saint Joseph. 1056 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 5 N Blanchard 43.60N 85.09W 02/28/2024 M43 MPH Isabella MI Mesonet Mesonet station MC118 B-3 M-20 At Costabella Ave. 1100 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 1 ESE Lawton 42.16N 85.83W 02/28/2024 M40 MPH Van Buren MI Mesonet Mesonet station MILAW 0.9 SE Lawton (MAWN). 1121 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 SSW Holland 42.75N 86.12W 02/28/2024 M42 MPH Allegan MI Mesonet Mesonet station MC097 US-31 Mile Marker 47.0 Holland. 1131 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 1 S Hudsonville 42.85N 85.86W 02/28/2024 M40 MPH Ottawa MI Mesonet Mesonet station MC156 I-196 Mile Marker 62.3. 1141 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 E Zeeland 42.81N 85.98W 02/28/2024 M43 MPH Ottawa MI Mesonet Mesonet station MC155 I-196 Mile Marker 55.5. 1141 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 1 N Dutton 42.85N 85.58W 02/28/2024 M41 MPH Kent MI Mesonet Mesonet station MC154 M-6 Mile Marker 12.7. 1230 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 1 SE Grandville 42.90N 85.74W 02/28/2024 M40 MPH Kent MI Mesonet Mesonet station DW6683 Grandville. 0115 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 SE Mason 42.57N 84.42W 02/28/2024 M40 MPH Ingham MI AWOS AWOS station KTEW Mason Jewett Arpt. 0226 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 3 NE Portage 42.23N 85.55W 02/28/2024 M45 MPH Kalamazoo MI ASOS ASOS station KAZO Kalamazoo/BC Intl Airport.
Rain Reports
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