A line of severe thunderstorms packing damaging high winds ripped across Michigan on Monday afternoon, leaving a trail of debris across the state.
Small planes flipped, roofs ripped off and trees slammed down onto cars were just some of the incidents being reported. Winds gusting in excess of 70 mph in some areas also brought down tree limbs and power lines.
As of 6 p.m. more than 95,000 homes and businesses were without power across the state.
The afternoon and early evening system saw a long line of severe thunderstorms marching east across the state. Lightning and hail accompanied these storms.
No storm-related injuries have been reported.
The Lakewood Early Childhood Center, 223 W Broadway St. in Woodland, sustained damage during severe storms that swept across the state Monday, May 18. Woodland resident Denise Stevens took this photo of the damage around 3 p.m. Monday.Denise Stevens
Here are some of the damage reports by local emergency managers and the National Weather Service:
- Three small planes were damaged at the Lansing area Capital Region International Airport. Two planes that were parked were flipped onto their sides. A plane being towed flipped upside down. At the time, a peak wind gust of 68 mph was measured, the NWS said.
- Roof and structural damage at the Lakewood Early Childhood Center in Woodland, located in northeastern Barry County. No children or staff were injured, and children were not in that part of the building when the storm hit.
- The National Weather Service office near Grand Rapids lost roof shingles during a peak wind gust of 75 mph.
- Several spots in Northern Michigan reported hail as part of the afternoon and early evening storms.
- The high winds triggered outdoor warning siren activation in some Michigan counties.
Michigan will also be in the severe weather zone again on Tuesday, so keep an eye on forecast updates on MLive’s weather page.
