The thunderstorms that rolled into southwest Michigan late Monday night and early Tuesday morning, in addition to knocking out power to hundreds of people and turning over a semi-truck as its driver slept, also caused extensive damage at a Kalamazoo area self storage facility, Cloverleaf RV and Self Storage of Schoolcraft.
The storms are not, at this point, thought to have generated tornados in the area, but gusts of wind were reported up to 72 miles per hour in the Schoolcraft area, and one National Weather Service surveyor commented to Kalamazoo's News Channel 3 that the damage was consistent with 80-mile-per-hour winds. The winds knocked down power lines providing power to about 7,000 customers of Midwest Energy Cooperative and about 9,700 customers of Consumers Energy during the worst of the storm, and left live power lines lying across Michigan roads. A 70,000 pound semi-trailer full of fabricated metal driven by Alan Cowherd was tipped over by the winds (Cowherd, who was parked and sleeping in the cab at the time, was unhurt). In nearby Vicksburg, a silo was knocked over. And, at Cloverleaf RV, about a dozen RVs were badly damaged.
"You don't think a wind can come and go and leave everything like this in its wake," Cloverleaf owner Judy Hambley told Kalamazoo's News Channel 3.
Cloverleaf RV is located on U.S. Highway 131 in southwest Michigan. Looking down the road from Cloverleaf, news crews filmed pole after pole of power lines that had been snapped by winds. About 24 power lines were expected to need to be replaced. Damage was extensive throughout the entire area.
"We had silos that got moved, a tree into a house and part of the Carter Lumber building collapsed," Kalamazoo County emergency management team director Paul Baker told the Kalamazoo Gazette.
In addition to strong winds, the storms produced damaging hail. Nearby homeowner Bob Fleming told a news crew, "When I went out of the garage at five o'clock, I had to shovel the hail out in front of the garage so I could back out....It was that deep." Looking at the siding of his house, which had been shredded into chips of paint, Fleming commented in wonder, "I've never seen siding look like this."
Sources used:
Mack, Julie. "Hail, heavy winds and rain hit Kalamazoo and region Monday night; forecast says more rough weather ahead." Kalamazoo Gazette. April 6, 2010.
"Schoolcraft rocked by straight-line winds." WWMT Channel Three. April 6, 2010.
"SW Michigan hit hard by severe storms: hundreds without power." WoodTV Channel 8. April 7, 2010.