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August 20th Tornadoes over Southwest Lower Michigan
Overview
Between noon and 3 PM on August 20th, a total of 6 tornadoes formed in Western Lower Michigan. Over the Grand Rapids metro area, the storm produced a cyclical series of tornadoes and downdraft-related damaging wind gusts. See below for additional tornado strength and location information!
| Storm Damage | # of Injuries | # of Deaths | # of Wind Reports >= 59 mph | # of Hail Reports >= 1 in. | # of Tornado Reports |
| $4,625,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
1: EF-1 tornado between Bangor and north of Grand Junction, in Van Buren and southern Allegan Counties.
2: EF-1 tornado southeast of Fennville to east of Hamilton, in Allegan County.
3: EF-1 tornado south of Jamestown in far northern Allegan County and southeastern Ottawa County.
4: EF-0 tornado in Grandville and Wyoming in Kent County. EF-0 to EF-1 winds occurred leading up to this tornado in Byron Township to southern portions of Grandville.
5: EF-0 tornado in northeast Grand Rapids in Kent County. EF-0 winds also occurred leading up to this tornado in south-central Grand Rapids.
6: EF-1 tornado between Orleans and Fenwick in Ionia and Montcalm Counties.
"Feature-following" Radar Loop (YouTube)
Each tab at the top of this story contains more information about each tornado, including maps, photos, and radar loops.
Bangor-Grand Junction EF-1 Tornado (Van Buren, Allegan Counties)
EF-1 tornado damage was found between Bangor and Grand Junction, ending in far southern Allegan County.
An EF-1 tornado touched down just southwest of Bangor Michigan on Saturday, August 20th and tracked northeast through town. The entire city lost power as well as hundreds of trees. Multiple structures in Bangor were damaged as well. Roof damage was noted on Main Street. New Beginning Ministries and the Bangor Police Department sustained damage. The tornado then tracked further northeast, causing significant damage at True Blue Farms along County Road 215 and the Columbia Township Hall in Grand Junction. The tornado tracked into extreme southern Allegan County before lifting about 2.5 miles northeast of Grand Junction on 103rd Ave west of 52nd Street. Rating: EF-1 Estimated peak wind: Between 90 and 110 mph Path length: Around 10.6 miles Path width: Approximately 50 to 150 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start date: Aug 20 2016 Start time: Approximately 113 PM EDT Start location: Around 1.5 miles southwest of Bangor Start lat/lon: 42.296 N, 86.126 W End date: Aug 20 2016 End time: Approximately 131 PM EDT End location: Around 2.5 miles northeast of Grand Junction End lat/lon: 42.44 N, 86.055 W EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale Classifies Tornadoes into the following categories. EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph EF4...Violent...166 To 200 mph EF5...Violent...>200 mph NOTE: The information in this statement is PRELIMINARY and subject to change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS Storm Data.
Fennville-Hamilton EF-1 Tornado (Allegan County)
After the first tornado of the day tracked from Bangor to north of Grand Junction, the second tornado of the day began 6 miles southeast of Fennville and tracked to 4 miles northeast of Hamilton and was rated EF-1. .FENNVILLE TO HAMILTON TORNADO... Rating: EF-1 Estimated peak wind: 90-100 mph Path length /Statute/: 10 miles Path width /Maximum/: 50-100 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start date: Aug 20 2016 Start time: 1:42 PM EDT Start location: 6 miles southeast of Fennville, MI Start Lat/Lon: 42.533/-86.023 End date: Aug 20 2016 End time: 2:10 PM EDT End location: 4 miles northeast of Hamilton, MI End lat/lon: 42.702/-85.922
Jamestown EF-1 Tornado (Allegan, Ottawa Counties)
The day's third tornado, also rated EF-1, began 2 miles northwest of Burnips in extreme northern Allegan County and tracked to 2 miles southeast of Jamestown in southeast Ottawa County. EF-0 to EF-1 equivalent wind gusts, originating from the storm's downdraft, continued into southwest Kent County, affecting Byron Township and southern portions of Grandville. .JAMESTOWN TORNADO... Rating: EF-1 Estimated peak wind: 90-100 mph Path length /Statute/: 4 miles Path width /Maximum/: 50-100 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start date: Aug 20 2016 Start time: 2:18 PM EDT Start location: 2 miles northwest of Burnips Start Lat/Lon: 42.763/-85.861 End date: Aug 20 2016 End time: 2:26 PM EDT End location: 2 miles southeast of Jamestown End_lat/lon: 42.804/-85.803 EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale Classifies Tornadoes into the following categories. EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph EF4...Violent...166 To 200 mph EF5...Violent...>200 mph NOTE: The information in this statement is PRELIMINARY and subject to change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS Storm Data.
Bryon Twp EF-1 Winds & Grandville-Wyoming EF-0 Tornado (Kent County)
In addition to an EF-0 tornado that moved through portions of Grandville and Wyoming on August 20th, National Weather Service damage surveys identified areas of straight line wind damage in Kent County from August 20th storms. .Estimated winds of around 100mph...equivalent to EF-1 wind damage A small area of wind damage caused by estimated 100 mph winds was found near M6 between Ivanrest Ave SW and Kenowa Avenue SW. South of M6...Ironwood Golf Course saw the worst of the damage losing a significant number of large trees. North of M6 just west of Wilson Ave SW along 64th Street...a number of very large trees were uprooted causing significant damage to one home. .Estimated winds of 65 to 75 mph...equivalent to EF-0 wind damage A long stretch of straight line wind damage occurred from just northeast of the intersection of M6 and Wilson Avenue SW through East Grand Rapids. Notable locations that were impacted by straight line winds include Maple Hill Golf Course and Pinery Park. This damage was mainly to trees with a few fallen trees resulting in damage to homes. An EF-0 tornado touched down near 44th Street and Ivanrest Ave SW in Grandville Michigan on Saturday August 20th and continued on the ground along a varying path through Grandville and Wyoming before lifting near the intersection of Nagel Avenue SW and Chicago Drive SW. Though the tornado remained west of US-131, it did zig zag across a number of major roads/intersections in the Grand Rapids metro area including... ...Ivanrest Avenue SW just north of Rivertown Parkway... ...The intersection of Byron Center Ave SW and 36th Street... ...28th Street SW near Sharon Avenue SW... ...Porter Street SW near Boulevard Drive SW... ...Burlingame Avenue SW just north of Burton Street SW... Along the path, hundreds of trees were damaged or knocked over resulting in tens of thousands of power outages. Many homes and a number of vehicles were damaged from fallen trees. A couple notable locations the tornado moved through include the Wyoming Middle School football field where a set of football field goal posts were bent by soccer goals, and Battjes Park and Prairie Park where a number of trees were damaged or uprooted.
Southeast Grand Rapids Winds & Northeast Grand Rapids EF-0 Tornado (Kent County)
EF-0 wind damage was found in southeast Grand Rapids between the Grandville and northeast Grand Rapids tornadoes. The storm was exhibiting cyclical behavior through the Grand Rapids area, producing surges of downdraft-based winds with updraft-based tornadoes tending to form on the northern side of those wind bursts.
A brief tornado touched down in Kent County near Perkins Avenue NE between Leonard Street NE and Knapp Street NE. Tree damage and some property damage from fallen trees occurred as the result of this brief tornado. Rating: EF-0 Estimated peak wind: Between 70 and 80 mph Path length: Around 0.75 miles Path width: Approximately 25 to 50 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start date: Aug 20 2016 Start time: Approximately 250pm Start location: Around 3 miles Northeast of Downtown Grand Rapids End date: Aug 20 2016 End time: Approximately 252pm End location: Around 3 miles Northeast of Downtown Grand Rapids EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale Classifies Tornadoes into the following categories. EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph EF4...Violent...166 To 200 mph EF5...Violent...>200 mph NOTE: The information in this statement is PRELIMINARY and subject to change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS Storm Data.
Orleans-Fenwick EF-1 Tornado (Ionia-Montcalm Counties)
Tornado damage began just east of the small town of Orleans and moved northeast where it crossed M-44, bringing several large trees down, one of which fell on a house. The tornado then crossed West Long Lake Road where the concrete block wall of a garage was blown out and the wind peeled shingles off the roof of a house. A path of tree damage about a hundred yards wide continued to the northeast and narrowed as it crossed the Montcalm County line. The last damage noted was a few downed trees on East Boyer Road about 3.5 miles southeast of Sheridan. Rating: EF-1 Estimated peak wind: 90 mph Path length /Statute/: 8 miles Path width /Maximum/: 100 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start date: August 20 2016 Start time: 310 pm EDT Start location: 0.4 miles east of Orleans Michigan Start Lat/Lon: 43.068N -85.128W End date: August 20 2016 End time: 325 pm EDT End location: 3.5 miles southeast of Sheridan Michigan End_lat/lon: 43.1632N -85.045W EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale Classifies Tornadoes into the following categories. EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph EF4...Violent...166 To 200 mph EF5...Violent...>200 mph NOTE: The information in this statement is PRELIMINARY and subject to change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS Storm Data.
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