Thunderstorm Wind — Kent, Michigan

2011-07-11 · near Byron Center, Kent, Michigan

Event narrative

Radar data indicates the northern end of a strong bow echo moved east into southwestern Kent county at 10:45 a.m. and raced east northeast producing significant wind damage and exited far east central Kent county near Lowell at around 11:10 a.m. Numerous trees and power lines were blown down and uprooted in and near towns including Cutlerville, Wyoming and Kentwood.

A 38 year old man was killed inside his garage along 68th street SE in Cutlerville when wind gusts of up to 80 mph ripped a large tree and its roots out of the ground and toppling it onto the garage, splitting it in half. In addition, a woman suffered minor injuries when a tree fell on her home in Cutlerville.

Wider weather episode

Two separate bow echoes moved across western lower Michigan during the morning hours of July 11, producing numerous reports of wind damage. The first bow echo moved onshore north of Muskegon shortly after daybreak. The second bow echo proved to be more destructive as it raced east from northern Illinois across far southern Lake Michigan and southern lower Michigan, resulting in numerous reports of downed trees and power lines. One person lost his life in Cutlerville when a tree fell in the garage he was in.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (42.8157, -85.7332)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 324726. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.