Earlier today, a series of tornadoes struck Michigan causing significant damage across Genesee and Calhoun counties, officials reported the severe weather was accompanied by lightning and hail which led to numerous tornado warnings across the state. The Detroit News described one tornado's destructive path through Grand Blanc, with power outages affecting residents and businesses.
Authorities were quickly on the scene, and "no deaths or injuries had been reported as of 5:30 a.m.," noted the Grand Blanc Township Police Department via Facebook, amid evacuations due to uprooted gas lines and substantial property damage, homes in Indian Hill and Kings Pointe Subdivisions suffered damage from fallen trees, while Grand Blanc Township police could see the tornado from their vehicles, as reported by MLive.
Further damage was reported in Calhoun County, where a tornado was confirmed by local law enforcement and storm spotters "around 1:30a this morning in Marengo Twp," Michigan State Police officials said on Twitter, with photos of wreckage; Calhoun County Sheriff's Office indicated emergency personnel were still assessing the full extent of the structural damage and clearing blocked roads, WWJ Newsradio 950 added that downed power lines remained a public hazard.
A National Weather Service survey team is expected to investigate the sites to gauge the tornadoes' intensity, Brian Cromwell, a meteorologist with the agency, confirmed a tornado is likely in Grand Blanc but detailed analysis will follow officials urge motorists to avoid areas still affected by damage specifically citing the intersections along Dort Highway and Consumers Energy, anticipating to restore power today, as Michigan braces for a dramatic temperature drop from Tuesday's record warmth.
