Multiple tornadoes wreaked havoc in Michigan and Ohio, causing extensive damage and claiming the lives of five individuals. These tornadoes, fueled by powerful winds of up to 75 mph, resulted in fallen trees, roofs torn off buildings, and widespread power outages. The National Weather Service confirmed that one of the tornadoes, classified as an EF-1 with winds of 90 mph, crossed from Ingham County into Livingston County. Tragically, one person died, several suffered severe injuries, and more than 25 vehicles were extensively damaged along Interstate 96.
In the state capital of Lansing, an 84-year-old woman lost her life when a tree collapsed onto her home. Another tornado was reported west of Belleville, which mostly caused damage to leaves, twigs, and numerous trees along its path before dissipating after a three-mile journey. In western Michigan, a horrific car accident during heavy rainfall took the lives of a 21-year-old woman and two girls, aged 1 and 3. The collision occurred when their car hydroplaned and collided head-on with an SUV. The driver of the car sustained serious injuries, while the SUV driver suffered minor injuries.
The storm led to uprooted trees, collapsed roofs, and road closures due to fallen trees and power lines. As the storm moved south, it spawned at least four tornadoes in Ohio, one of which caused substantial damage to the roof of a church in Cleveland. Power outages affected approximately 249,000 customers in Michigan and around 77,000 in Ohio.
Residents shared harrowing experiences, such as waking up to tree branches crashing through windows and power lines blocking driveways. Wayne County Executive Warren Evans declared a state of emergency due to widespread power outages, flooding, fallen trees and power lines, and storm debris. Macomb County also implemented emergency measures to prevent flooding by discharging stormwater and wastewater into Lake St. Clair.
The severe storms in Michigan were preceded by heavy rain, resulting in flooding and street inundation in areas like Detroit. The Detroit Metropolitan Airport was closed temporarily due to flooding in the tunnels leading to the airport, causing significant travel disruptions. Governor Gretchen Whitmer activated the State Emergency Operations Center to provide assistance to affected communities in responding to the storm impacts.
These severe storms add to the series of extreme weather events across the United States, including wildfires in Hawaii and Washington and heavy rain from Tropical Storm Hilary in the western states.