9/13/08 Disc: MI/AR

[Jason Harris]

So, an EF 2 tornado in Plymouth MI eh? Anybody have pics to share on this storm?
Is that the one you got funnel pics of Kurt?
--
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=dtx&storyid=18069&source=0

 

[rdale]

...and people say Michigan weather is easy

It was part of the same complex, but well down the road. And not technically a "storm" since there was no lightning.

 

[Scott Weberpal]

...and people say Michigan weather is easy

It was part of the same complex, but well down the road. And not technically a "storm" since there was no lightning.

Yes, it is technically a "storm" without lightning. It's technically not a "thunder" storm.

From NWS glossary...

StormAny disturbed state of the atmosphere, especially affecting the Earth's surface, and strongly implying destructive and otherwise unpleasant weather.

 

[rdale]

Thanks for taking the time add that information.

We had a touchdown in the southwest part of the state, it turned into two rotating cells that moved over Kalamazoo and showed nice rotation until crossing I-69 when they merged and weakened. Damage was reported just into Eaton Co (basically a tree down on a powerline that pulled the assembly away from the house.) Spotter said debris was spinning in the air, but that report was very delayed so unsure on its status.

The storm that Kurt and the gang were on weakened as it passed Coldwater, there wasn't any rotation after that point. I did not recheck radar, but timing implies that is the storm responsible for refiring into Detroit's CWA.

 

[Jason Harris]

Thanks for the info folks, it would be great also to see any pics from radar and the ground at different stages of these storms. Was the rotation strong, deep, and persistent enough to qualify for supercell status?

 

[rdale]

Yes - at least with the Paw Paw cell until it entered Eaton Co, and the IN/MI border storm. Well developed and long-lasting rotation.

 

[david diehl]

the cell along the border definately had long lasting rotation. I do know that GRL3 showed several meso markers and had TVS a couple times, we were seeing the rotation very clearly all the way to the Clear Lake area

 

[Andrew Herron]

So yeah, let's not get me started on the EF2. I was watching rotation on radar since before it got into the county with 40+ knots gate to gate. I first called my mother to let her know what was going on and then got a hold of my father who was in Oakland county to let them know there was a storm with strong rotation and probably a tornado moving along just north of me. I then called the NWS to find out what the hell was going on and the met said it was nothing to worry about...

Power dimmed, heard a smash and didn't know what it was.

Power went out 3 times and I watched 3 transformers blow up north of me in a line west to east. 5 minutes later the siren went off.

Attached you'll see the velocity image from radar that clearly shows the rotation. Frankly the NWS really dropped the ball on this one and even the SPC for not issuing a tornado watch.

In the attached image my location is the circle and plus symbol.

 

[Bob Hartig]

I've posted some photos in the storm report thread for 9/13.

 

[rdale]

SPC didn't drop a thing -- meso was out, offices were aware, and two tornadoes is in NO way the qualifications for a watch...

 

[Kurt Hulst]

Paw PAw

So what is the latest news with the reported tornado in Paw Paw. is GRR doing and assesment and what did they find. I am not finding any info on this report on the GRR NWS site.

 

[rdale]

They went out yesterday, I've not heard any news but I think their focus went to flooding given the other circumstances

 

[Robert Dewey]

...not technically a "storm" since there was no lightning.

Your point? I don't think it matters to the people that were hit by a tornado.

 

[Mike Kovalchick]

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/images/grr/13Sep2008/torTracks.JPG

The storm survey is out..4 separate tornadoes.

 

[Dick McGowan]

and two tornadoes is in NO way the qualifications for a watch...

Sure it is, the SPC even gives probabilities of 2 or more tornadoes when issuing one along with a percentage of that happening. So even if it wasn't 100 percent chance of happening, or even half that (I've seen 30 to 40 percent)...then I'd say it qualifies.

I don't think there's a threshold of how many tornadoes are within a tornado watch, it's one or a hundred.