Power Outage in Niles, MI

Numerous trees and powerlines were down in Benton Harbor and surrounding areas. Some damage to homes from downed trees, and at least one car was damaged.

Emergency management officials reported a vehicle crashing into a fallen power pole. No injuries were reported.

Benton Harbor ASOS reported a 60 mph wind gust during the 7 AM hour. Frequent gusts of 40 to 50 mph from west and northwest were observed in the area through the early afternoon. These wind gusts resulted in instances of tree damage and subsequent power outages.

A survey of flood damage from emergency management officials reported in severe damage to a electrical substation that resulted in widespread power outages for several days. In addition a total of 108 structures suffered varying degrees of flood damage, mainly from water as high as four feet into basements. 5 homes suffered major damage and were uninhabitable due to extensive water damage or in one case a collapse of a basement wall. Five to locally as much as eight inches of rain fell in this area. Estimated damage to property was 1.343 million dollars.

Periods of freezing rain and sleet on New Year's Day ended as a brief burst of heavy snow late in the evening. Ice accretions generally ranged between 0.10 and 0.20, while snowfall totals ranged between 1 and 3 inches. There was a report of 2.5 inches of snow in Stevensville. This led to reports of power outages and downed trees across the region. There were also reports of a few car accidents as roads were slick in spots.

A 59 mph wind gust was recorded at the Benton Harbor airport. Some reports of trees and power lines down were received.

Emergency management officials reported a tree was blown down onto a power line.

Trees, tree limbs, power lines and poles were all reported down in spots across the county. The Benton Harbor Automated Surface Observation System recorded a 63 mph wind gust, with a mesonet site in Benton Heights recording a 62 mph wind gust.

Long duration sustained winds of 35 to 45 mph with gusts over 58 mph occurred across the county, resulting in trees, tree limbs and power poles suffering damage. The Benton Harbor airport recorded a 62 mph wind gust.

Freezing rain, at times mixed with sleet, accumulated up to 0.20 inches in spots on February 12th. Numerous slide-offs and minor accidents occurred across the county. Many schools and some businesses were closed on February 12th due to the icy conditions. Fallen tree branches were reported across the region, with many onto roads and power lines creating scattered power outages.

The county dispatch center received between 30 and 40 calls across the county reporting trees, tree limbs and/or power lines down. At it's peak, roughly 3000 people were without power. Local media shared a picture of a large tree that fell into a home in Baroda. No injuries were reported.

Reports of trees and power lines down which resulted in some damage to cars and some structural damage of houses.

A combination of freezing rain, sleet, and wind gusts to 40 mph created scattered power outages and downed trees. Slick spots on mainly elevated surfaces also aided in difficult travel and a few accidents. Ice accumulations across the county generally ranged between 0.05 and 0.20 inches, with sleet accumulations around an inch.

Light snow developed during the late evening hours of January 31st and became heavy at times February 1st into early February 2nd. Total snow accumulations across the county generally ranged between 12 and 16 inches. Wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph, combined with the falling snow, created reduced visibilities and blowing snow. Numerous events were cancelled across the region, along with reports of slide-offs and accidents due to snow covered and slick roads. There were also reports of road closures in rural areas as unplowed roads became impassible. The heavy, wet, nature of the snow also led to sporadic power outages.

Temperatures dropped into the single digits and teens below zero as arctic air filtered in behind a powerful winter storm that dropped more than a foot of heavy snow on the region. Strong westerly winds, with gusts between 30 and 40 mph, created deadly wind chills and significant blowing and drifting snow. Dangerous winds chills between 30 and 45 degrees below zero were common. The extremely cold temperatures and significant blowing snow kept many north-south roads impassable or restricted to single lanes. There were numerous reports of accidents and slide-offs across the region due to the slick roadways, with many businesses and schools closed each day.

Numerous reports of large trees and tree limbs being uprooted, snapped or suffering partial damage were received across Berrien County, including Benton Harbor, St, Joseph, Bridgman, and Coloma. The largest tree was found in St. Joseph where a 120 foot oak tree was uprooted, falling onto a occupied home on the 800 block of Oakridge. Additional trees were down across the area. Power was out to over 20,000 people at one point, forcing the closure of most schools in the county. Around 8:30 am, a 53 year old Chicago man was moving between the 1st and 2nd holes on the Dunes Golf Course when a large tree fell onto him, killing him instantly.

Local dispatchers reported several large diameter trees snapped and power poles pushed over by the strong winds.

Emergency management officials reported power lines and trees down throughout Lincoln Township. A portion of the roof of an abandoned house near Notre Dame was ripped off.

Trees and power lines were reported blown down by the public in the Berrien Springs area.

Law enforcement officials reported a large tree down onto power lines in the Hagar township area.

A large tree was blown down, with power lines tangled in the tree, near the intersection of Date and West Linco Road.

Nine power poles snapped.

A survey of the area between Baroda and Stevensville indicated damage consistent with a tornado. The damage started on Marrs Road, just west of Stevensville-Baroda Road and continued east-northeast. The damage started with a travel trailer being thrown and destroyed as well as some tree damage. The circulation tracked mainly over open fields until reaching an area of homes on Lincoln Ave where the entire roof was ripped off a home (DI: FR12, DOD: 6) and another home suffered slightly less roof damage. The circulation continued northeast, crossing Hollywood Road, north of Linco Road. Several one year old 24 inch diameter power poles were snapped (DI: ETL; DOD 4). In addition, a harrow and trailer were thrown from a barn roughly 150 to 200 yards into a field. The circulation appears to dissipate north of Linco Road on Scottdale Road. The tornado was roughly 200 yards wide at its peak. Maximum winds are estimated at around 125 mph.

Law enforcement officials reported trees and power lines down on Snow Road near Berrien Springs.

Very windy conditions were seen across the area on December 9th as a deep area of low pressure tracked into northern Lower Michigan. Wind gusts between 45 and 60 mph were common during the late morning and afternoon hours. There were reports of power lines and trees down across the region due to the strong winds, which resulted in isolated power outages.

County dispatch officials reported numerous trees and power lines down across the county.

County officials reported scattered to numerous trees, tree limbs and power lines down across the county.

Snow developed early December 19th and continued through the bulk of the morning hours. The snow mixed with freezing rain and sleet at times, with ice accumulations in excess of a tenth of an inch on trees and power lines. A trained spotter also reported nearly 3 inches of snow and sleet accumulation near Niles. The sleet, snow, and freezing rain led to icy road conditions with reports of slide-offs and accidents around the area.

Law enforcement officials reported trees and power lines down in St Joseph.

A brief burst of light to moderate snow quickly switched over to sleet and eventually all freezing rain during much of the evening of December 1. The Benton Harbor ASOS recorded 0.40 inches of liquid precipitation. Roughly 0.30 inches of this rain fell in the form of freezing rain, causing numerous accidents and slide offs plus some isolated power outages as winds of 15 to 25 mph blew the ice laden power lines. Temperatures rose above freezing after 2 am EDT allowing for a slow melting of the ice.

One quarter to locally as much as one half inch of ice was reported across the county, along with some minor accumualtions of sleet and snow. This resulted in power outages and dangerous driving conditions through the night. No injuries were reported.

Numerous trees and power lines were blown down with some roads blocked by debris.

Winds across portions of far southern Lower Michigan were sustained in the 25 to 35 mph range with some areas reporting gusts between 45 to as high as 55 mph. Reports of small branches down and a few downed power lines were received. Some of the measured wind gusts included 53 mph at Coldwater, 51 in Hillsdale and 48 mph at Benton Harbor.

Law enforcement reported trees and power lines down in Buchanan.

Numerous trees and power lines knocked down countywide.

Law enforcement reported trees and power lines down in Niles.

Law enforcement reported trees and power lines down in Berrien Springs and countywide. 7 injuries reported. Damage to the roofs of 6 buildings.

An intense area of low pressure moving across Michigan produced sustained winds of 40 MPH with measured gusts to 60 MPH across all of Northern Indiana, Northwest Ohio and Southwest Lower Michigan from late morning through early evening. Widespread reports of trees and power lines downwere received from law enforcement across the region.

Winds gusted to 65 MPH behind a strong cold front that moved across the region during the late afternoon and evening. Numerous power outages occurred with trees and power lines down.

Law enforcement trees and power lines down in Niles.

Law enforcement reported trees and power lines down countywide.

Amateur radio reported trees and power lines down at SR 152 and 140 or 2 miles east of Spinks Corner.

An unusually strong cold front moved through the region during the daylight hours of the 9th. A strong pressure gradient existed with the front as 3 hour pressure falls of 4 millibars ahead of the front combined with 3 hour pressure rises of 11 millibars. Winds just above the surface ranged from 70 to 80 mph. The combination of these 2 factors was tapped by a narrow line of showers immediately ahead of the cold front. Widespread reports of trees, tree limbs and power lines being blown down were received as surface winds of 50 to 70 mph were experienced by many areas.

The first major winter storm of the season brought an ice storm to much of Southwest Lower Michigan, Northern Indiana, and extreme Northwest Ohio with ice accumulations from one quarter to over one half inch on trees and power lines, with more than one and one half inch ice accumulation in some locations. Roads were ice covered mainly along and north of the Indiana and Michigan state line. Over 250,000 homes were without power at some point during the storm with widespread trees and power lines down. AEP electric reported the most outages ever for the Michiana region, surpassing any any previous severe weather event. Some customers did not have power restored for over 3 days. Several communities issued state of emergencies for over 48 hours, with the Red Cross and local churches opening several shelters. Despite the widespread icing, actual property damage was limited to minor vehicle damage.

Law enforcement reported trees and power lines down in numerous locations across these counties.

About 5,400 people lost power due to fallen trees on power lines.

Many tree limbs down and power lines down.

Power pole and street light down.

A potent surface low lifted across the western Great Lakes on November 15, 2020, bringing two rounds of convection and high winds. Wind gusts up to 60 mph caused some power outages and blew over trees across portions of Berrien county.

Deep low pressure moving across the northern Great Lakes caused a pressure gradient across much of the region. Strong winds aloft were mixed down and caused pockets of wind damage, power outages and even some school closures due to the power outages. One death was reported when a tree fell onto a golfer, killing him instantly.

A late February storm system brought widespread precipitation in the form of mainly freezing rain. Several locations did see periods of sleet during the event, however the ice accumulations posed the greatest threat. Reports of around one quarter inch of ice along with a few tenths of an inch of sleet was reported across parts of far southwestern Lower Michigan. 10 to 20 mph winds caused additional problems with fallen tree limbs and power lines, causing road closures and power outages. Temperatures rose above freezing during the overnight hours keeping overall damage to a minimum.