Severe Storms Batter Michigan, Leaving Three Dead and Widespread Outages

DETROIT, Mich. — A severe storm system, characterized by intense thunderstorms, freezing rain, and powerful winds, wreaked havoc across Michigan‘s Lower Peninsula and neighboring Midwest states on Sunday, resulting in three fatalities and extensive power outages.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency for ten northern counties — Otsego, Oscoda, Montmorency, Presque Isle, Emmet, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Mackinac, and Alpena — urging for swift assistance to affected residents. “We’re going to keep working closely with local first responders and emergency teams to make sure folks get the support they need,” Whitmer stated. “We’ll get through this together. Like we always do.”

The storm caused a fatal accident near Climax, in Kalamazoo County, when a falling tree struck a vehicle. The National Weather Service, along with local police, confirmed that the names of the victims have not yet been released.

As of 1:30 p.m. on Monday, an estimated 168,000 customers remained without power, according to updates from the state’s largest utility providers, DTE Energy and Consumers Energy. DTE reported approximately 15,500 outages, primarily in metro Detroit, while Consumers Energy reported over 152,000 outages, significantly down from the previous night’s count of more than 227,000.

“This weekend has showcased all of the unpredictable weather that Michigan experiences,” said Chris Fultz of Consumers Energy. He noted that over 600 crews were deployed to restore power across the state.

Consumers Energy, based in Jackson, indicated that its teams were working around the clock, aiming to restore service to the majority of northern Michigan customers by Tuesday, with efforts in the hardest-hit areas expected to continue through Wednesday.

The forecast for Southeast Michigan on Monday, the last day of the month, called for drizzly conditions with temperatures in the 40s, expected to plunge into the high 20s overnight. A high of around 45 degrees is anticipated for Tuesday, with temperatures rising into the 60s during Wednesday and Thursday.

The storm system affected not only Michigan but spread across Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ontario, Canada, generating waves of severe weather that dropped ice accumulations of at least one inch in many areas and reported wind gusts exceeding 90 mph. In Valparaiso, Indiana, the extreme winds are believed to have toppled a tractor-trailer, leading to the driver’s death, according to local reports.

On Friday, the National Weather Service in Gaylord issued an ice storm warning for several counties, intensifying on Saturday due to ongoing freezing rain. By Sunday, Governor Whitmer activated the State Emergency Operations Center, with meteorologists closely monitoring the situation as ice-laden winds caused downed trees and resulting road closures.

For further updates, contact Frank Witsil at 313-222-5022 or via email at [email protected].