After thunderstorms, tornado warnings and flooding on Tuesday in southeast Michigan, strong-to-severe storms are possible again on Wednesday in the region, officials said.
Some areas of southeast Michigan could see multiple rounds of storms throughout the day, the National Weather Service said.
It said damaging winds will likely be the main threat on Wednesday, but large hail and isolated tornadoes are also possible. Detroit’s temperature should reach 74 degrees. The city’s average monthly high temperature for April is 58.7 degrees.
Meanwhile, the weather service has issued a flood watch for the region, which is in effect through Thursday night.
Officials said the area could see multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms move across it throughout the day. They predict an additional 1 to 2 inches of rain in southeast Michigan by Thursday night, with higher totals possible in some areas.
The NWS said southeastern Michigan has seen 1.5 to 4.5 inches of rainfall in the last 10 days, which has saturated soils.
Detroit’s high temperature on Thursday is expected to reach 72 degrees.
Officials said the forecast calls for drier conditions on Friday, but the weekend is expected to be colder, and rain could return on Saturday. Detroit’s high temperature on Friday should hit 69 degrees and bounce back up to 72 degrees on Saturday.
Strong winds and heavy rains caused widespread damage across the region on Tuesday.
The weather service recorded 69 mph winds at Detroit Metro Airport and 63 mph winds at Willow Run Airport at about 2 a.m. Wednesday, it said.
Winds ripped the facade off at least one building near Dix Highway and Outer Drive in Lincoln Park.
Part of the metal roof of the University of Michigan’s Yost Arena was also damaged by the overnight storms, according to media reports.
Furthermore, officials with the Ann Arbor Fire Department said the east wall of Veterans Memorial Park Ice Arena collapsed.
They said firefighters responded to more than 75 calls, but there are no reported injuries.
“A severe storm has caused significant damage across the City of Ann Arbor,” the department said in a statement. “There are currently four public works crews working throughout the city to remove fallen trees and clear roadways. Several major streets are blocked, and some traffic signals are not functioning. Please allow extra travel time and use caution when moving through affected areas.”
Power outages in parts of Michigan after storms
The storms knocked out power to thousands across the region. DTE Energy reported 15,169 of its customers were without service, but 99.34% of its total customers had electricity, as of 6:40 a.m.
Ann Arbor Public Schools officials said they canceled classes on Wednesday due to “a district-wide fiber outage affecting all schools and district offices.” As a result, the district’s phone systems, camera systems, building access, and fire notification, suppression, and safety systems have been impacted, they said. The district said it will assess the status of after-school activities later in the day.
“Additionally, some of our schools have sustained structural damage from the storm, and many schools are also without power,” officials said. “Safe passage for walkers and buses is compromised across much of the city due to downed power lines, flooding, water main breaks, gas leaks, and felled trees and debris.”
School officials warn their community members to be cautious, “as many roads and walkways are blocked by trees and downed power lines.”
Were there tornadoes in Michigan last night?
Tuesday’s storms also caused roadways to flood. Michigan Department of Transportation officials said southbound Interstate 75 reopened at Clay Street near Interstate 94 in Detroit at about 9:45 a.m. after it was closed for hours due to flooding.
Elsewhere in the state, media reports said two tornadoes touched down in West Michigan Tuesday night. One of the twisters touched down in Otsego and the other in Carson City. Otsego is near Kalamazoo, and Carson City is in Montcalm County.
Extended Detroit weather forecast
Wednesday: Showers; high 74, low 62.
Thursday: Showers; high 72, low 53.
Friday: Partly sunny; high 69, low 54.
Saturday: Showers; high 72, low 40.
Sunday: Partly sunny; high 50, low 32.
Monday: Sunny; high 54, low 41.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, high 68.
Source: National Weather Service
cramirez@detroitnews.com
@CharlesERamirez
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: More Michigan storms to come: Wednesday’s forecast
Reporting by Charles E. Ramirez, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
