WEST MICHIGAN — Thursday night's storms brought strong winds, including several potential tornadoes, to West Michigan.
The front prompted the National Weather Service offices in Grand Rapids and Northwest Indiana to issues dozens of warnings for Severe Thunderstorms and Tornadoes. Here is the final count for warnings that covered communities from the lakeshore to Lansing.
24 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings, including several that overlapped or extended multiple times.
9 Tornado Warnings, including some radar-indicated rotations that may have put a funnel cloud onto the ground.
As the National Weather Service put it on social media just before midnight, it was "havoc effectively wrecked."
Storms are reaching the midway point as they make their way into mid-Michigan. Havoc effectively wrecked across West Michigan with reports of scattered damage and power outages up to at least 146k and counting. Stay vigilant mid-Michigan! These storms still pack a punch. pic.twitter.com/zKx9IjmTNX
— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) May 16, 2025
This storm was one FOX 17 had been warning you for days about. We issued a Weather Ready Alert for the system more than 24 hours before it struck.
Roughly 200,000 electric customers lost service because of the storms, and emergency crews in Muskegon County said they fought several structures fires likely caused by the weather.
Weather Articles
Videos from across West Michigan show severity of Thursday night's weather
Read our live blog coverage as the night unfolded below:
A Tornado Warning has been issued for Ingham County. This warning is set to expire at 12:15 a.m. on May 16. A radar-confirmed tornado was on the ground along the I-69 corridor southwest of Lansing.
Tornado Warning including Lansing MI, East Lansing MI and Holt MI until 12:15 AM EDT pic.twitter.com/1V9VCMkcTw
— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) May 16, 2025
A Tornado Warning has been issued for portions of Clinton and Gratiot counties until 12:15 a.m. on May 16
A Tornado Warning has been issued for portions of Kalamazoo and Calhoun counties. That warning is set to expire at 11:45 p.m.
Tornado Warning including Battle Creek MI, Albion MI and Marshall MI until 11:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/aIqg4Cvi9A
— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) May 16, 2025
A Tornado Warning has been issued for portions of Barry, Ionia, and Eaton counties until 11:45 p.m.
Tornado Warning including Portland MI, Lake Odessa MI and Saranac MI until 11:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/d4XFs0jhIT
— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) May 16, 2025
A Tornado Warning has been issued for eastern Allegan and western Barry counties until 11:30 p.m.
Tornado Warning including Hastings MI, Otsego MI and Plainwell MI until 11:30 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/yLxmlpxTwM
— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) May 16, 2025
A Tornado Warning has been issued for southern Kent County, northern Allegan County, and northwestern Barry County. This warning will expire at 11:15 p.m.
Tornado Warning including Wyoming MI, Kentwood MI and Forest Hills MI until 11:15 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/Ov7FlridGC
— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) May 16, 2025
A Tornado Warning has been issued for northern Kent County, southeastern Newaygo, and southwestern Montcalm counties. This warning will expire at 10:45 p.m.
Tornado Warning including Holland MI, Jenison MI and Hudsonville MI until 10:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/RIW2mQWU9e
— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) May 16, 2025
A Tornado Warning has been issued for portions of Ottawa and Allegan counties. A radar indicated twister moved on land near Holland State Park. This warning will last until 10:45 p.m.
Tornado Warning including Holland MI, Jenison MI and Hudsonville MI until 10:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/RIW2mQWU9e
— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) May 16, 2025
A Tornado Warning has been issued for portions of Ottawa, Muskegon and Newaygo counties. This warning is set to expire at 10:15 p.m.
Tornado Warning including Muskegon MI, Norton Shores MI and Muskegon Heights MI until 10:15 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/IgCXh4mmNI
— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) May 16, 2025
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Kalamazoo, Barry, and Ionia counties. This warning is set to expire at midnight.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Kalamazoo MI, Portage MI and Ionia MI until 12:00 AM EDT pic.twitter.com/MZUtaQvZf1
— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) May 16, 2025
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Newaygo County until midnight.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Big Rapids MI, Canadian Lakes MI and Morley MI until 11:45 PM EDT. This storm will contain wind gusts to 70 MPH! pic.twitter.com/iw0PhLmYJ2
— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) May 16, 2025
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Mecosta County. This warning is set to expire at 11:45 p.m.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Big Rapids MI, Canadian Lakes MI and Morley MI until 11:45 PM EDT. This storm will contain wind gusts to 70 MPH! pic.twitter.com/iw0PhLmYJ2
— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) May 16, 2025
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been extended for Ottawa, Muskegon, and Newaygo counties until 10:45 p.m.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning continues for Muskegon MI, Holland MI and Norton Shores MI until 10:45 PM EDT. This destructive storm will contain wind gusts to 80 MPH! pic.twitter.com/by6yr5k1vZ
— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) May 16, 2025
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Kent and Newaygo counties. This warning is set to expire at 11:15 p.m.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Grand Rapids MI, Wyoming MI and Kentwood MI until 11:15 PM EDT. This destructive storm will contain wind gusts to 80 MPH! pic.twitter.com/7lijkCeaNu
— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) May 16, 2025
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Van Buren and Allegan counties. This warning is set to expire at 11 p.m.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Allegan MI, South Haven MI and Wayland MI until 11:00 PM EDT. This storm will contain wind gusts to 70 MPH and golf ball sized hail! pic.twitter.com/3p7c2CwyaG
— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) May 16, 2025
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued for Ottawa, Muskegon, Oceana, and Mason counties until 10:45 p.m.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Muskegon MI, Holland MI and Norton Shores MI until 10:45 PM EDT. This storm will contain wind gusts to 70 MPH! pic.twitter.com/d7Q6A8PHtJ
— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) May 16, 2025
The National Weather Service set a Tornado Watch for every county in the lower peninsula, from I-94 and north and west of I-127. The watch is in effect until 3 a.m. Friday morning.
A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Michigan until 3 AM EDT pic.twitter.com/oB0e4KiLFE
— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) May 16, 2025
If you are in the path of this storm, you are encouraged to seek shelter in your basement or interior room with no windows.
Thursday's storms are expected to bring strong winds, hail up to the size of golf balls, and potential tornadoes. The Storm Prediction Center put most of West Michigan in an enhanced risk for severe weather, the 3rd-highest level of potential.
A line of severe storms with golf ball size hail and tornadoes continues to move across Wisconsin and northern Illinois. That storm system should arrive to the lake Michigan lake shore around 9 PM. As it then moves east it will bring damaging winds, hail and potential tornadoes pic.twitter.com/wQYg28TZP7
— NWS Grand Rapids (@NWSGrandRapids) May 15, 2025
WATCH: Weather Ready Alert forecast for May 15, 2025
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