LANSING, Mich. — Michigan sees on average 15 tornadoes per year. Severe weather season peaks for Michigan in July and doesn't even "start" until late March.
Last night, our neighborhoods saw a rare occurrence of severe weather for a late February date. For the state of Michigan, we saw two Tornado reports from portions of Genesee County and portions of Calhoun County. Radar Confirmation, Trained Spotters Reporting, and Law Enforcement all aided in the reports of these events.
Hail reports were also covered a plethora of Michigan including the Calhoun area where Brownlee Park saw hail measured in diameter of 2.4 inches.
The National Weather Service uses a scale called the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale which rates a tornado based on estimates of wind, indicated by damages to areas and buildings. The Scale that it is given bases itself on the highest wind speed estimated in the storm's path. Crews will be out assessing the damages done by these storms and will get that rating out once it is completed.
Areas southeast of Lansing within Eaton county also saw large amounts of rain, including areas measuring up to 2.2 inches of rain over the past 48 hours. The normal rainfall amount for the entire month of February in Lansing is only 1.71". This is a low value due to the fact that snowfall is the main precipitation type during Meteorological Winter (Dec 1st - Feb 29th). The normal snowfall total for the month of February in Lansing is 12.9" which we haven't even seen half of that this month.
This event also caused record breaking heat for the given day where both Lansing and Jackson measured highs at 73 degrees. Lansing beat it's previous high record that was set back in 1867 at 64 degrees.
The forecast going forward doesn't show any imminent severe threat but does show the trend for above average temperatures as we head into the month of March and start of Meteorological Spring (March 1st).
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