Michigan declares State of Emergency after tornadoes cause damage across Midwest

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency late Tuesday, May 7, 2024, after a series of tornadoes pummeled the upper Midwestern state, injuring up to 20 people and causing significant damage in Portage and other areas.

• This severe weather outbreak, which also impacted Indiana and Ohio, marks the second consecutive day of extreme storms.
• This tornado outbreak precedes a severe storm system forecast to bring even more extreme weather across the central U.S. on May 8 and 9, affecting over 75 million people.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency on Tuesday night (LT), May 7, 2024, following a series of tornadoes that struck the state, injuring between 15 and 20 people and leaving a trail of destruction. The emergency declaration covers Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, Branch, and Cass counties.

Portage, Michigan, located just south of Kalamazoo, was particularly affected, with significant damage reported as a tornado tore through the town.

Kalamazoo County Sheriff Richard Fuller detailed the extent of the damage, noting that 176 homes in a mobile home park were affected, with 15 to 17 completely destroyed. Several injuries have been reported, though none appear life-threatening.

Additionally, a FedEx facility in Portage sustained significant damage, and about 30 000 utility customers were without power on Wednesday morning.

Emergency shelters have been established to support those displaced by the storm.

“My heart goes out to all those impacted by tonight’s severe weather in southwest Michigan,” Governor Whitmer said in a public statement.

She noted that state and local emergency teams were already on the ground and coordinating efforts to assist residents. In response to the devastation, she activated the State Emergency Operations Center and expedited resources to aid the area.

Tornadoes also impacted southern Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. Preliminary reports submitted to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center (NWS SPC) indicated that a total of 29 tornadoes were documented.

This severe weather outbreak marks the second consecutive day of extreme storms and precedes a severe storm system forecast to bring even more extreme weather across the central U.S. on May 8 and 9, affecting over 75 million people.

The mid-Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee Valleys, and the southern Plains are expected to face a high risk of tornadoes, hail, and damaging winds. Meteorologists are predicting over a dozen tornadoes, and densely populated areas in Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, and Arkansas are urged to take precautions.

On Monday, May 6 (LT), a very large tornado hit Barnsdall, Oklahoma, causing widespread damage. The event resulted in at least one fatality, multiple injuries, and extensive structural damage, including to a nursing home. On May 8, it received a preliminary rating of EF4.

References:

¹ Michigan Governor declares state of emergency over tornado damage – AccuWeather – May 8, 2024

² Short Range Forecast Discussion – NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD – 349 PM EDT Wed May 08 2024

³ Significant damage reported in Michigan as severe storms, tornadoes sweep across Midwest, Ohio Valley – FOX Weather – May 8, 2024

Featured image credit: Michigan Emergency Management & Homeland Security Division (stillshot)