2016 Grand Rapids tornado outbreak
 National Weather Service image showing paths and intensity of tornadoes. | |
| Type | Tornado outbreak |
|---|---|
| Duration | August 20, 2016 |
| Tornadoes confirmed | 6 confirmed |
| Max rating1 | EF1 tornado |
| Duration of tornado outbreak2 | ~1:13pm–3:25pm EDT |
| Power outages | +30,000[1] |
| Areas affected | Grand Rapids metropolitan area |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale
2Time from first tornado to last tornado | |
The 2016 Grand Rapids tornado outbreak is a weather event that brought multiple EF0 and EF1 tornadoes through the Grand Rapids metropolitan area in Michigan on August 20, 2016. The tornadoes occurred in gaps through Van Buren, Allegan, Ottawa, Kent, Ionia and Montcalm counties. The majority of damage occurred to trees and power lines, though some trees fell on houses in the area. The tornadoes concluded with no injuries following their paths of destruction that totaled nearly 50 miles.[2]
Tornado table[edit]
These tornadoes were part of a tornado outbreak that took place following storms that occurred on August 20, 2016, across the U.S Midwest and the Great Lakes regions.
| FU | EF0 | EF1 | EF2 | EF3 | EF4 | EF5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Confirmed tornadoes[edit]
| List of confirmed tornadoes - August 20, 2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EF1 | SW of Bangor, MI to NE of Grand Junction, MI | Van Buren | 1:13pm–1:31pm | 10.6 miles (17.1 km) |
 |
| EF1 | SE of Fennville, MI to SW of Hamilton, MI | Allegan | 1:42pm–2:10pm | 10.0 miles (16.1 km) |
 |
| EF1 | NW of Burnips, MI to SE of Jamestown, MI | Allegan/Ottawa | 2:18pm–2:26pm | 4.0 miles (6.4 km) | |
| EF0 | Grandville, MI to Wyoming, MI | Kent | 2:34pm–2:44pm | 5.25 miles (8.45 km) |
 |
| EF0 | Grand Rapids, MI | Kent | 2:50pm–2:52pm | 0.75 miles (1.21 km) |
 |
| EF1 | E of Orleans, MI to SE of Sheridan, MI | Ionia/Montcalm | 3:10pm–3:25pm | 8.0 miles (12.9 km) |
 |
Series of events[edit]
Bangor-Grand Junction[edit]
An EF1 tornado touched down in Bangor and moved northeast through the town resulting in the entire town losing electricity. Many trees were downed and structures were damaged, including New Beginning Ministries and the Bangor Police Department. The tornado then moved into Grand Junction "causing significant damage at True Blue Farms along County Road 215 and the Columbia Township Hall in Grand Junction".[2]
Fennville-Hamilton[edit]
After moving through Grand Junction, the first tornado ended. The second tornado of the day touched down in Fennville. The EF1 tornado brought down trees in the area with some falling trees damaging structures nearby. As the storm progressed, the tornado moved 10 miles toward Hamilton leaving a path of 50-100 yards. The second tornado ended about 4 miles northeast of Hamilton.[2]
Jamestown[edit]
The third tornado, a EF1 tornado, began just south of the Ottawa/Allegan County border in Allegan County 2 miles northwest of Burnips. The tornado then pressed into Ottawa County, finishing 2 miles southeast of Jamestown, with a destructive path of 50-100 yards left behind.[2]
Grandville-Wyoming[edit]
Following the third tornado, the storm pressed into the more populated suburban areas of Grand Rapids in Kent County. As the storm continued, straight-line winds blew into Grandville near Wilson Avenue and M6, with the winds charting near 100mph or equivalent to an EF1 tornado. The winds uprooted large trees with one falling on a home near 64th St and Wilson Ave. Northeast of M6 and Wilson Ave, Maple Hill Golf Course had trees uprooted as well with trees falling on stretches down 52nd and 56th Streets. The fourth tornado began near the intersection of 44h Street and Ivanrest Ave near RiverTown Crossings Mall in Grandville rated as an EF0.
It progressed just north of the Ramblewood Apartments into Wyoming. It then hit many major intersections in the area beginning with 36th St and Byron Center Ave, where many trees were downed and damage was sustained to signage near Family Video. It then moved north through Prairie Park damaging and uprooting trees until it reached the 28th St and Sharon Ave area where a tree was pulled through concrete onto a house and the football goal posts at Wyoming Middle School were bent after soccer goalposts were blown into them.[2]
After passing through Wyoming Middle School, the tornado crossed Porter St, with resulting straight-line winds damaging trees in Pinery Park. The tornado then headed toward Battjes Park where more trees were damaged and uprooted. It then progressed parallel to Chicago Dr and concluded near Holy Name of Jesus Church and San Juan Diego Academy.[2]
This tornado resulted in the destruction of hundreds of trees with many of them uprooted. Many of the trees fell on homes due to the heavier population while other trees fell on parked vehicles. As a result of the tree damage, thousands of people lost power in the surrounding area.[2]
Grand Rapids[edit]
The storm then moved through southern Grand Rapids with EF0 equivalent straight-wind damage seen up until the storm reached northern Grand Rapids. The winds resulted in fallen trees, with some trees downed near Grand Rapids Community College and Aquinas College. When the storm entered northern Grand Rapids, north of I-196, the fifth tornado began near Perkins Ave and Leonard St. This was the most brief tornado that was rated EF0 and lasted only a few minutes, though trees were downed that caused some damage to properties in the area.[2]
Orleans-Fenwick[edit]
The final tornado rated as an EF1 then occurred near Orleans, where it crossed M-44 and headed toward Long Lake. Many large trees were brought down with one falling on a home. Near Long Lake Rd, a concrete cinder block wall of a garage was destroyed by the winds with shingles being peeled off of homes in the area, with a path of damage near 100 yards wide narrowing as the tornado crossed into Montcalm County. The final damage from the tornadoes were a few fallen trees near East Boyer Rd in Sheridan.[2]
Response[edit]
After the storm had passed, over 30,000 people were left without power,[1] with Consumers Energy stating that in the Grandville and Wyoming areas, over 400 power lines were downed and that Grandville was "ground zero" for the outages in the area.[3] Officials in Wyoming told residents to stay clear of the 36th St and Byron Center Ave area due to flooding, downed trees and fallen power lines.[4] Wyoming Police Department also set up a response team in the area
Gallery[edit]
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Radar loop of the storm traveling through the area.
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A Jeep crushed by a tree in the Grand Rapids area.
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Tornadoes hit Grand Rapids and miss Kalamazoo". WIN 98.5. Midwest Communications Inc. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 "August 20th Tornadoes over Southwest Lower Michigan". National Weather Service. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
- ↑ "Thousands of Consumers Energy customers in dark after reported tornadoes". WZZM. 20 August 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
- ↑ "Storm wreaks havoc in Wyoming neighorhood, officials ask public to stay away". MLive. 20 August 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
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