3/16/12

Early Start To Tornado Season Reminds Me Of The Turbulent Mid 1970s

With the early start to this season's severe weather and tornado season; I'm reminded once again of the mid 1970s when I started with the NWS...

Here is a list of the February and March tornadoes. Note the earliest tornado occurred on February 28th, 1974. In addition; the notable West Bloomfield tornado occurred early in 1976 on March 20th with the Lenawee tornado occurring even earlier on March 12th, 1976. The severe weather season of 1974 was our second worse severe weather season in regards to the number of tornadoes in Southeast Lower Michigan; while 1973 was the worst with one more! I can personally relate to those years since I started with the NWS working in the office during the Summer of '73; then beginning my full-time weather career in 1974. Between the severe weather seasons and many winters that followed in the mid to late 1970s; it was the best of times to start a career in meteorology and one of the worst of times for stormy, turbulent weather in Southeast Lower Michigan. Note that 1973, '74, '75, '76 and '77 are all in the top tornado seasons! Recently; we've seen a pick up in the number of tornadoes again with 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010 also placing in the high number of tornadoes list. And; the severe weather and tornado season of 2012 is starting off with bang too.


County
Date
Monroe
03/26/1968
Wayne
02/28/1974
Lenawee
03/12/1976
Oakland
03/20/1976
Macomb
03/20/1976
Monroe
03/27/1991
Monroe
03/27/1991
St. Clair
03/27/1991
Lenawee
03/28/1998
Midland
03/12/2012

 
Year Number of TORs
1973 20
1974 19
2004 16
1997 14
1988 13
1984, 1986, 2010 12
1975, 1990 11
1976, 1977, 2001, 2007 10

Latest on the Strong Tornadoes and Severe Weather Event of 3/15 from the NWS at White Lake MI /DTX/

Kudos to the National Weather Service at White Lake /DTX/ on an excellent job on this early tornado and severe thunderstorm outbreak of March 15th, 2012! 

The Strong Tornadoes of March 15th, 2012

An amplified, upper level weather pattern allowed for an unseasonably warm and humid air mass to infiltrate the southern Great Lakes region.  Highly anomalous for the month of March, surface dew points climbed into the lower 60 degree range across much of Southeastern Michigan. This rich moisture combined with an upper level disturbance tracking northward through Lower Michigan to fuel a long duration severe thunderstorm event across Southeastern Michigan. The primary severe weather type observed with these storms was very large hail, along with a few tornadoes.
   
 Dexter Tornado
A National Weather Service Storm Survey confirmed an EF-3 tornado touched down near Dexter, MI with maximum wind speeds of 135-140 mph. The path length was 7.2 miles with a maximum width of 800 yards. The tornado touched down at 5:17pm just northeast of the intersection of N Territorial and Dexter Townhall Rd. The tornado moved southeast and produced EF-1 damage with winds estimated at 100 mph. Damage was limited to uprooted and snapped trees as well as minor roof damage. The tornado strenthened as it hit the Horseshoe Bend Subdivision with winds estimated at 120 mph and structural damage to the outside of homes. The tornado then continued to track southeast  alongside Dexter-Pinckney Rd. and produced EF-3 damage at 5:31pm. Winds estimated at 135-140 mph destroyed one home northwest of Dexter. The tornado then made a left turn and paralleled Huron River Dr. producing EF-2 damage on the north side of Dexter. The tornado then produced EF-3 damage again at 5:49pm in the Huron Farms Subdivision with winds estimated at 135-140 mph. One home was destroyed and another house had only interior rooms left standing. The tornado then weakened as it moved southeast and lifted at 5:52pm near the intersection of Zeeb Rd. and Ann Arbor-Dexter Rd. Radar images and photos will be added soon.

 
  Path of the 3/15/2012 tornado that occurred near Dexter, MI in Washtenaw County

Ida Tornado
 A tornado was confirmed in central Monroe county.  The tornado was rated an EF0, with maximum wind speeds of 85 mph.   The estimated path length of the tornado is 0.5 miles with a maximum width of 50 yards.  Damage occurred along Ida Center Road just east of Lewis Rd.  The damage consisted of siding and shingles blown off a house, a tipped car, a shed destroyed and trees blown down.
 
  
Columbiaville (Lapeer Co.) Tornado.
 A National Weather Service Storm Damage Survey confirmed the occurrence of a tornado in western Lapeer County, approximately 3 miles south of Columbiaville or 5 miles northwest of Lapeer.  The tornado produced damage consistent with a rating of EF2, with maximum wind speeds of around 125 mph. The tornado damage path was roughly 4.5 miles long with a maximum width of 400 yards.  The damage extends from near the intersection of Mt. Morris Road and German Road with a touchdown of approximately 649 PM EDT to near the intersection of Flint River Road and Millville Road by approximately 704 PM EDT. Damage along much of the path was primarily uprooted trees and minor structural damage. The most intense damage occurred along Carpentar Road, roughly one quarter mile south of Stanley Road, at 700 PM EDT. A house was shifted off the foundation and an attached garage was destroyed at this location.
 
 Path of the 3/15/2012 tornado that occurred near Columbiaville, MI in Lapeer County

 
KDTX .5 degree base reflectivity 6:53 PM EDT centered over Lapeer County storm

KDTX .5 storm relative motion 6:57 PM EDT centered over Lapeer County storm

House damage caused by Columbiaville Tornado

Summary of Severe Weather for March 15th, 2012



PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
1028 PM EDT THU MAR 15 2012

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1059 AM     HAIL             WARREN                  42.49N 83.03W
03/15/2012  M1.50 INCH       MACOMB             MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

1158 AM     HAIL             5 W ST. CLAIR SHORES    42.48N 82.99W
03/15/2012  E1.75 INCH       MACOMB             MI   BROADCAST MEDIA

0331 PM     HAIL             1 NNE HARBOR BEACH      43.86N 82.65W
03/15/2012  M1.00 INCH       HURON              MI   COAST GUARD

            HAIL WAS ACCUMULATING ON GROUND

0430 PM     HAIL             6 N BAY CITY            43.67N 83.91W
03/15/2012  M1.00 INCH       BAY                MI   LAW ENFORCEMENT

0450 PM     HAIL             BAY CITY                43.59N 83.89W
03/15/2012  M2.00 INCH       BAY                MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            HAILING FOR AT LEAST 25 MINUTES AT BAY CITY STATE
            RECREATION PARK

0507 PM     HAIL             1 SSW PINCKNEY          42.44N 83.95W
03/15/2012  E1.00 INCH       LIVINGSTON         MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

0519 PM     HAIL             4 SE CHELSEA            42.27N 83.97W
03/15/2012  E1.00 INCH       WASHTENAW          MI   911 CALL CENTER

0530 PM     HAIL             1 WSW WHITMORE LAKE     42.42N 83.77W
03/15/2012  M1.00 INCH       WASHTENAW          MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

0540 PM     TORNADO          2 NE DEXTER             42.35N 83.85W
03/15/2012                   WASHTENAW          MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            MULTIPLE REPORTS OF A TORNADO ON THE GROUND WITH DAMAGE
            TO TREES, POWERLINES, AND HOMES. OVER 100 HOMES DAMAGED.
            13 OF WHICH WERE SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGED.

0540 PM     HAIL             2 NE DEXTER             42.35N 83.85W
03/15/2012  E1.75 INCH       WASHTENAW          MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

0542 PM     HAIL             1 SSW CHELSEA           42.30N 84.03W
03/15/2012  E1.00 INCH       WASHTENAW          MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

0542 PM     HAIL             6 W ANN ARBOR           42.29N 83.84W
03/15/2012  M1.25 INCH       WASHTENAW          MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

0555 PM     HAIL             CHELSEA                 42.31N 84.02W
03/15/2012  M1.00 INCH       WASHTENAW          MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            1 INCH HAIL.

0600 PM     HAIL             DEXTER                  42.33N 83.88W
03/15/2012  M1.50 INCH       WASHTENAW          MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

0603 PM     HAIL             4 NW COLUMBIAVILLE      43.21N 83.46W
03/15/2012  E1.50 INCH       LAPEER             MI   AMATEUR RADIO

0612 PM     HAIL             2 S MILLINGTON          43.25N 83.53W
03/15/2012  M1.00 INCH       TUSCOLA            MI   911 CALL CENTER

0620 PM     HAIL             ANN ARBOR               42.28N 83.73W
03/15/2012  M1.00 INCH       WASHTENAW          MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

0620 PM     HAIL             2 S ANN ARBOR           42.25N 83.73W
03/15/2012  E2.00 INCH       WASHTENAW          MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

0620 PM     HAIL             1 W ANN ARBOR           42.28N 83.75W
03/15/2012  M1.00 INCH       WASHTENAW          MI   CO-OP OBSERVER

0625 PM     HAIL             5 SSE DUNDEE            41.89N 83.61W
03/15/2012  M1.00 INCH       MONROE             MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

0628 PM     HAIL             6 S MILLINGTON          43.20N 83.52W
03/15/2012  M1.50 INCH       GENESEE            MI   AMATEUR RADIO

0630 PM     HAIL             ANN ARBOR               42.28N 83.73W
03/15/2012  M1.00 INCH       WASHTENAW          MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

0630 PM     FLOOD            ANN ARBOR               42.28N 83.73W
03/15/2012                   WASHTENAW          MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            3-4 FEET OF WATER COVERING SEVERAL ROADS IN THE ANN ARBOR
            AREA

0630 PM     HAIL             ANN ARBOR               42.28N 83.73W
03/15/2012  M1.00 INCH       WASHTENAW          MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

0645 PM     HAIL             5 SSE AKRON             43.50N 83.48W
03/15/2012  M1.50 INCH       TUSCOLA            MI   AMATEUR RADIO

0650 PM     TORNADO          2 SSE IDA               41.88N 83.56W
03/15/2012                   MONROE             MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            NUMEROUS REPORTS OF A TORNADO ON THE GROUND NEAR IDA

0653 PM     TORNADO          3 S COLUMBIAVILLE       43.12N 83.40W
03/15/2012                   LAPEER             MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            NUMEROUS REPORTS OF A TORNADO WITH DAMAGE TO TREES AND
            POWERLINES. ONE MILE PATH OF TWISTED DEBRIS BETWEEN
            GERMAN RD AND CARPENTER RD

0653 PM     HAIL             3 ENE BRITTON           42.01N 83.78W
03/15/2012  E1.00 INCH       LENAWEE            MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

0657 PM     HAIL             3 ESE COLUMBIAVILLE     43.14N 83.35W
03/15/2012  M1.50 INCH       LAPEER             MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

0657 PM     HAIL             4 WSW MONROE            41.89N 83.46W
03/15/2012  M1.00 INCH       MONROE             MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

0701 PM     HAIL             5 WSW MINDEN            43.64N 82.87W
03/15/2012  E1.75 INCH       SANILAC            MI   911 CALL CENTER

0709 PM     HAIL             1 N DUNDEE              41.97N 83.66W
03/15/2012  M1.00 INCH       MONROE             MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

0720 PM     HAIL             3 N BAY CITY            43.63N 83.89W
03/15/2012  M1.00 INCH       BAY                MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

0735 PM     TSTM WND GST     4 E DAVISON             43.04N 83.44W
03/15/2012  E70.00 MPH       LAPEER             MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

0735 PM     HAIL             4 E DAVISON             43.04N 83.44W
03/15/2012  M1.50 INCH       LAPEER             MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

0750 PM     HAIL             3 NNW IMLAY CITY        43.05N 83.10W
03/15/2012  E1.50 INCH       LAPEER             MI   911 CALL CENTER

0800 PM     FLOOD            CARO                    43.49N 83.40W
03/15/2012                   TUSCOLA            MI   911 CALL CENTER

            WATER COVERING ROADS IN CARO

0806 PM     HAIL             3 ESE OTTAWA LAKE       41.75N 83.69W
03/15/2012  E1.75 INCH       MONROE             MI   AMATEUR RADIO

0819 PM     HAIL             1 N TEMPERANCE          41.78N 83.57W
03/15/2012  E1.00 INCH       MONROE             MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

0830 PM     HAIL             5 S CARO                43.41N 83.41W
03/15/2012  E1.00 INCH       TUSCOLA            MI   PUBLIC

0900 PM     HAIL             2 NNE KAWKAWLIN         43.68N 83.93W
03/15/2012  M1.00 INCH       BAY                MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

0917 PM     HAIL             2 SE BLISSFIELD         41.81N 83.83W
03/15/2012  M1.00 INCH       LENAWEE            MI   TRAINED SPOTTER