GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Strong winds and heavy rain accompanied the first round of thunderstorms that tore through West Michigan on Tuesday evening. There also was a very preliminary and unconfirmed reported of a possible tornado in Ionia County.
The National Weather Service tells FOX 17 it’ll await more information from Emergency Management in the county before determining whether the area near the M-66 corridor in Ionia County will need to be surveyed for damage on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the threat of severe weather was diminishing rapidly late Tuesday night throughout the region.
FOX 17 Chief Meteorologist Kevin Craig says there is still the chance of a thundershower or storm overnight, “but anything widespread or a prolonged, severe storm is unlikely.”
There were numerous, widely scattered power outages after the storms. About 155 Consumers Energy customers lost electrical service in their homes and businesses in Ionia County’s Orange Township, south of M-21. Consumers estimated power would be restored by 11 p.m. Tuesday. Just west of Carson City in Montcalm County, 335 people were in the dark, with estimated power restoration there at midnight. In the Alto area of Kent County, near M-6 and I-96, there were 418 reported outages, with power restoration predicted to be 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. In northeast Kent County, there were 575 outages in Oakfield Township.
Earlier Tuesday evening, Kent, Muskegon and Ottawa counties all saw Severe Thunderstorm Warnings – and heavy rain and powerful wind gusts swept through.
Peak winds of 63- and 65-miles per hour were reported in Grand Haven around 6:30 p.m. Numerous power lines and tree limbs are down throughout the areas where storms swept through.
Consumers Energy Outage Map, 7-2-2019 -consumersenrgy.com/outagemap
Stay with FOX 17 throughout the evening for updates and check out our radar here.
NWS image 7-2-2019
