Power Outage in Ann Arbor, MI

Multiple tree limbs and power lines down.

Numerous large trees uprooted and downed power lines.

Numerous trees, large branches, and power lines reported down.

Multiple power lines and large tree limbs down across I-94, closing the freeway.

Tree limbs and power lines were reported down.

Numerous trees and power lines reported blown down.

Numerous streets were closed due to flooding with power lines also brought down. A nursing home roof collapsed due to the weight of the water. Trees were stripped of their leaves indicative of the heavy rainfall rates. The leaves clogged storm drains which exacerbated the flooding.

Numerous streets were closed due to flooding with power lines also brought down. A nursing home roof collapsed due to the weight of the water. Trees were stripped of their leaves indicative of the heavy rainfall rates. The leaves clogged storm drains which exacerbated the flooding.

Trees and power line reported down.

Large trees and powerlines reported blown down.

Large tree fell onto power lines at Lima Center and Dexter-Chelsea roads.

Numerous trees and tree limbs reported down, along with powerlines.

A large tree was blown down on powerlines.

By 0300 EST on the 15th, spotters were reporting up to 1/2 inch of ice on vegetative and elevated surfaces across the central and northern sections of the county. Numerous tree branches and power lines were downed across the area due to the extra weight of the ice. Approximately 30,000 customers lost power and area hotels reported a substantial increase in bookings from those who remained without power Monday night. Total property damage was roughly estimated at $350K, mostly caused by ice weighted trees and live power lines falling on homes and businesses.

Peak wind gusts of 43 MPH at Ann Arbor and 54 MPH at Ypsilanti were officially recorded by automatic observing equipment around 1300 EST. The wind was to blame for knocking out power to 2,500 customers in Washtenaw County. Four parked cars at Ann Arbor's Briarwood Mall were damaged at 1215 EST when a light pole broke at the base because of the wind. Total property damages throughout the county were roughly estimated at $15K. No injuries were reported.

Local law enforcement reported numerous power lines down.

Trained spotters reported several trees and power lines blown down in thunderstorm winds.

April 29th brought a few severe storms to the area, bringing hail and strong winds to parts of Southeast Michigan. Nickel size hail was reported with the storms, along with 50-60 mph wind gusts causing downed trees and power lines. These storms formed in association with a warm front that had set up across the area from the associated large low pressure system in the Midwest. Southerly winds and clouds clearing out allowed for temperatures to climb into the 70s across much of the area creating the instability needed to help in storm development. The large weather system that brought the storms to Michigan, also brought a whole spectrum of weather from the Northern Great lakes to the Deep South. Snow was reported in parts of Minnesota and Northern Wisconsin, while the South endured round after round of intense severe weather, including numerous tornadoes.

A strong low pressure system originating near Texas tracked northeast into the Ohio Valley. As the low lifted north, a mix of rain, freezing rain, sleet, and snow commenced Tuesday afternoon. A changeover to snow began between 4-7 PM for most areas. A general 3 to 5 inch swath of snow fell across most of Southeast Michigan, with up to 7 inches falling in Ann Arbor and Dexter in Washnetaw county. The heavy wet snow and wind lead to power outages in and around Ann Arbor.

After several days of record warmth, a strong cold front moved through eastern Michigan during the afternoon of the 10th. Due to some dry air situated below the bases of the storm clouds, evaporational cooling increased the downdraft strength of many of the thunderstorms. This caused some of the storms to produce very strong wind gusts, some of which caused damage. Hundreds of power outages were blamed on these thunderstorms. The more widespread outages in eastern Michigan occurred across portions of Shiawassee, Huron and Livingston counties.

Thunderstorms developed early in the morning along a frontal boundary that extended from central Lower Michigan across the thumb. The strongest storms during the morning occurred in Sanilac county. Although the front exited the region later in the morning, a warm and humid airmass led to additional thunderstorm development during the afternoon across eastern Michigan. A few of these storms produced large hail and damaging winds. The storms also caused hundreds of power outages throughout eastern Michigan.

An upper level disturbance and weak surface low moved south across central Lower Michigan during the evening of the 29th. This low pressure system, combined with very unstable air across southern Michigan, triggered numerous thunderstorms. These storms were strongest across the western sections of southeast Michigan, where several reports of damaging winds and large hail were received. The storms also caused many power outages. 5000 power outages were estimated in Oakland county and 3000 in Livingston. Monroe county also reported many power outages.

Strong winds moved into southeast Michigan just behind a cold front, as a potent low pressure system moved east from Ontario into Quebec. Winds gusted to 45 mph, resulting in branches and power lines downed in Pittsfield Township and in the city of Monroe. Over 2000 utility customers lost power, including over half of downtown Monroe.

More snow. As the low moved to the east, arctic air returned to the Great Lakes, changing precipitation back to snow. A strong upper level disturbance enhanced snowfall during the early morning hours of the 17th. Snowfall amounts were as high as 7 inches in Wheeler, Akron, Fairgrove Township (Tuscola County), Corunna, Bay City, Saginaw, and Flint. In the Tri-Cities area, high winds combined with the snow to drift many roads shut, and to snap off snow-covered tree limbs. About 7000 homes lost power. In Flint, the weight of the accumulated snow collapsed the roof of a banquet room at a Ramada Inn. A home patio roof also gave way in Flint. Much of the rest of southeast Michigan saw 2 to 4 inches of snow. A furniture/appliance/electronics store in Tecumseh saw its roof collapse under the snow. The storm contributed to dozens of accidents on Washtenaw County roads.This storm would be the last big one of the month, though another few inches would fall here and there. A low pressure system would drop 2 to 4 inches of snow on the night of the 18th into the morning of the 19th. A lake effect snow event would produce isolated reports of heavy snow in the Thumb just before the New Year. Detroit would end the month with 25.1 inches of snow, making it the 3rd snowiest December on record, dating back to 1870. But both Flint and Saginaw had that beat. With 35.3 and 40.3 inches of snow respectively, both cities set all time snowfall records for ANY month.The snow would cause problems across southeast Michigan for weeks to come. The sheer volume of it was difficult to handle, and the process of moving it out of the way became difficult (and expensive), as there was almost no place to put it. Many communities used the majority of their snow removal budget, and their road salt supply, during December. There were fears that both would run out if the winter did not calm down. In Lenawee County, snow removal expenditures were greater in December 2000 than for all of the previous winter. Ice dams and water seepage confounded thousands of businesses and homeowners well into January. Several house fires erupted when meltwater seeped into electric meter boxes.