Thunderstorm Wind — Kent, Michigan

1998-05-31 · near Sand Lake, Kent, Michigan

Event narrative

Michigan State Police EMD's Damage and Injury Assessment Report indicated $4,336,751 in public damage costs, 53 injuries, 63 homes destroyed, 1196 homes damaged, 15 businesses destroyed, and 173 businesses damaged in Kent County, excluding the City of Grand Rapids (see separate Grand Rapids report). Private damage costs were estimated to be approximately $45.0 Million in the city of Walker alone. No other private damage costs were available from across the county. The storm damage was most severe in the cities of Rockford and Walker. Most city streets within the city limits of Rockford and Walker were left impassable. The city of Walker was closed to the public. Michigan State Police troopers assisted the city of Walker with security and a dawn to dusk curfew was enforced. A team from the Michigan National Guard was sent to the city of Walker to assist in debris removal and cleanup operations. Most of Walker was left without power as the power line infrastructure was destroyed. Damaged and destroyed businesses left 8,403 people unemployed. The Kent County fruitbelt, covering much of the northwest part of the county, received an estimated $20.0 Million in damages due to snapped and uprooted trees. Most damage was done to apple trees, but cherry and peach orchards were also damaged. Kent County declared a local state of emergency (as did the city of Walker) and was granted a Governor's disaster declaration to activate state assistance for the county. On June 24th, President Clinton granted a Major Disaster Declaration for Kent County, making available federal disaster assistance.

Wider weather episode

Damage surveys conducted by the National Weather Service Office in Grand Rapids, MI, in addition to trained spotter reports, local media meteorologist input, emergency management officials, and a review of National Weather Service Doppler Radar, indicate the widespread and severe damage which occurred with the fast-moving line of thunderstorms during the early morning hours of Sunday, May 31st, was caused primarily by strong straight-line winds and isolated wet microburst winds. This particular derecho formed in South Dakota on the evening of Saturday, May 30th, and raced eastward at 70 mph across Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin, before striking Michigan's Lower Peninsula around 4:30 am EDT Sunday morning, May 31st. The derecho event produced widespread 60 to 90 mph wind gusts, which caused extensive tree and structural damage and left over 861,000 homes and businesses without electricity across Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Consumers Energy reported the derecho event was the most destructive weather event in its history, leaving over 600,000 of its customers without power (Consumers Energy is the largest utility company in western and mid Lower Michigan). There were 4 storm-related fatalities reported in the state and 146 injuries (mostly minor). Statewide, approximately 250 homes were destroyed, 12,250 homes damaged, 34 businesses destroyed, and 829 businesses damaged. Damage estimates across the above listed counties totaled over $166 Million. NWS Storm Damage Field Studies suggested highest wind gusts in wet microbursts reached 120 to 130 mph in Spring Lake (Ottawa County) and Walker (Kent County), 100 mph in portions of Montcalm County (including Cody Lake and Stanton), 90 mph in Rockford (Kent County) and Zeeland (Ottawa County), and 80 mph in Big Rapids (Mecosta County), Ludington (Mason County), Sparta (Kent County), and northern Osceola County. On June 24th, President Clinton declared 13 Michigan counties federal disaster areas, including the following 10 from the NWSO Grand Rapids County Warning Area: Clinton, Gratiot, Ionia, Kent, Mason, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, and Ottawa. It took up to 10 days to fully restore power to certain areas including the City of Walker and portions of Montcalm and Gratiot Counties.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (43.2800, -85.5200)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5655174. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.