The National Weather Service reports that an EF-0 tornado was confirmed to touch down Thursday night, Aug. 3 in Antrim County in Northern Michigan.
NWS Gaylord reports the tornado touched down near Birch Lake with the majority of the damage coming near Williams Drive in Kewadin. The damage was contained to a couple of houses and “outbuildings.”
“Primarily due to falling trees, many trees also uprooted in the area likely caused by very wet ground from recent heavy rains,” the NWS reports.
It had an estimated high speed of 80 mph, traveled about 0.10 miles at a width of 55 yards, according to the NWS. The EF-0 was said to have touched down at 6:10 p.m. Thursday, which is when MLive meteorologist Mark Torregrossa spotted some rotation on the doppler radar.
EF-0 tornadoes are classified as having winds between 65 to 85 mph, so this one was close to moving up a rank in ratings. The NWS notes that the information reported is in the preliminary stages and that some data could change upon final review.
Torregrossa spoke to two witnesses, Lori Zenas and Jennifer Bokovoy, who said they were watching the storm to their north when Lori’s daughter said she thought she saw a tornado. Zenas was at Bussa Road in Rapid City, MI looking north to the north end of Elk Lake. Zenas estimates the tornado was five miles away when she and Bokovoy made the photos.
by Benjamin Raven
August 4, 2017
