EF2 Tornado — Livingston, Michigan

2007-08-24 · near Fowlerville, Livingston, Michigan

Event narrative

This tornado first touched down approximately 4 miles northeast of Fowlerville at 1630EST between Owosso and Fleming Roads approximately three-fourths of a mile north of Chase Lake Road in Cohoctah Township, Livingston County. Tornado damage was observed from the ground continuously for 14 miles in Livingston County through Cohoctah Township, Deerfield Township and northwest Tyrone Township where the tornado entered Genesee County and the City of Fenton. The tornado damaged 71 homes/buildings and leveled hundreds of trees in Livingston County. Eight homes were destroyed in Cohoctah and Deerfield Townships. The damage along the path was predominately consistent with EF1 scale damage (associated with approximately 100 MPH winds). However, there were 2 sections in Livingston County consistent with EF2 scale damage (and associated with approximately 130 mph winds). The first section of EF2 damage occurred along Schrepfer Road in Cohoctah Township, where a single family dwelling was destroyed. The second section of EF2 damage occurred near the intersection of Center and Mack Roads in Deerfield Township, where substantial structural and tree damage was observed. A third and final section of EF2 damage occurred in Genesee County through the City of Fenton. The average path width in Livingston County was 200 yards. The tornado exited Livingston County across Bennett Lake Road approximately a half mile west of U.S. 23 at 1649EST. It then continued for 4 miles across southeastern Genesee County and for another 5.5 miles in western Oakland County.

Wider weather episode

Four tornadoes moved through portions of Southeast Michigan on August 24th, leading to an estimated $25M in total damages. One long-track tornado cut a path of EF0 to EF2 damage across Livingston, Geneseee, and Oakland Counties. Fenton was the hardest hit area, prompting the Governor of Michigan to declare a state of emergency there. Tornadoes also touched down in eastern Shiawassee County (rated as EF0), northwestern Washtenaw County (rated as EF0), and southwestern Lapeer County (rated as EF1). Thousands of trees were lost to the tornadoes. Although hundreds of homes and buildings were damaged, many destroyed, remarkably only one person was injured (minor cuts from flying glass) and there were no direct fatalities. One man died (indirect) of a heart attack during the cleanup process in Fenton.

In addition to the tornadoes, there were widespread reports of severe thunderstorm wind gusts producing downed trees, limbs, and power lines. The hardest hit areas with respect to severe thunderstorm winds included areas around Flint, Lapeer, St. Clair, Chelsea, Monroe, and many locations in Livingston, Oakland, Macomb, Wayne and Lenawee Counties.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (42.7109, -84.0144)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 57953. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.