BOWNE TOWNSHIP, MI – A tornado has been confirmed in southeast Kent County and southwest Ionia County. The tornado touched down at 8:36 p.m., Monday night, April 10, 2017.
The National Weather Service in Grand Rapids, MI now gives us details of the tornado, after doing a damage survey this morning.
“The tornado is rated an EF-1 strength tornado with the peak wind estimated at 90 mph. The tornado damage started at 100th Street, just east of Alden Nash Avenue in Alto in southeast Kent County. The tornado damage continued east, crossing Wingeier Avenue. The tornado intensified as the funnel narrowed and crossed 92nd Avenue near Tyler Creek Golf Course, where the peak intensity occurred. The tornado crossed Freeport Avenue, Keim Road and Hastings Road. The damage ended near Bell Road north of Keim Road.”
The tornado did damage along a five and a quarter mile path. At one point, the tornado was 660 feet wide. That’s wider than the length of two football fields. Fortunately there were no injuries or fatalities.
The tornado lasted five minutes, between 8:36 p.m. and 8:41 p.m.
Dozens of large trees were snapped or uprooted and three barns were heavily damaged. One piece of a metal roof was found six-tenths of a mile away.
by Mark Torregrossa
April 11, 2017
