EF2 tornado in Alpena County, Michigan

The Long Rapids tornado touched down initially near Hodgins Road, and tracked northeast for 4 miles, ending just north of Long Rapids Road on McNeil Road. The most concentrated property damage was near Hodgins Road. Three homes suffered roof and siding damage, and three barns were destroyed or heavily damaged. A garage and a shed were also destroyed, and there was substantial tree damage. Winds were estimated at 120 mph, making it an EF2.

An historic tornado outbreak rocked Northern Lower Michigan on the afternoon and evening of October 18th. The day started out cool and rainy, but a dry slot aloft allowed sunshine to break out in the afternoon. Temperatures rose into the lower to middle 70s in parts of the area. The warm and humid air was unstable enough to fuel multiple rounds of thunderstorms in the late afternoon and evening hours. There was a tremendous amount of shear in the atmosphere, and many storms quickly became supercells with rotating updrafts. This was an environment conducive to tornadoes, as several lines of discrete supercells crossed Northern Lower Michigan.

Northern Lower Michigan had a record six tornadoes on the day. The previous high was five, set on June 17 1992. Unfortunately, the Kalkaska tornado produced a fatality. That was the first tornado fatality in Northern Lower Michigan since March 30 1976, when a single death occurred in Ogemaw County.