EF2 tornado in Lapeer County, Michigan

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 4.6 miles long with a maximum width of 400 yards. The damage extended 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.

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 3 tornadoes.