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Suspected tornado leaves trail of destruction in Grand Blanc area
A suspected tornado that touched down in Grand Blanc Township early Wednesday knocked down large trees, uprooted gas lines, and damaged homes. The National Weather Service is expected to visit the area soon to determine if the severe storm was in fact a tornado.
GRAND BLANC, Mich. (FOX 2) - Update: National Weather Service Detroit has confirmed an EF-2 tornado touched down in Grand Blanc early Wednesday morning.
According to the NWS, it is only the second time a tornado has been observed in February over Southeast Michigan. The previous one happened on Feb. 28, 1974 in southwest Wayne County.
The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies an EF2 tornado as 111 to 135 mph. The path of the tornado was about 5.7 miles according to the NWS and reached a peak wind of 115 miles per hour.
Officials were surveying the damage in Grand Blanc Wednesday.
A team from the National Weather Service was working to confirm if the storm was a tornado, while police were calling it a tornado.
PHOTOS: Grand Blanc storm damage
The Grand Blanc Police Department said the storm touched down around 1:20 a.m. near Dort and Reid in Grand Blanc Township before moving east through Grand Blanc City, Indian Hill Subdivision, the Commons, Kings Pointe Subdivision, through Perry and Belsay roads and then into Atlas Township.
"You could hear the wind howling," resident John West said. "A lot of people said it sounds like… a train or a big truck going through. Something similar to that. A couple big booms, crashes."
(Photo: Grand Blanc Township Police)
West said he thought he heard hail but learned after the storm had passed that it was dirt and debris hitting his home.
Aftermath of a suspected tornado that caused damage in the Grand Blanc area on Feb. 28, 2024.
Police said several large trees were knocked down by the storm. Some of these fallen trees damaged homes, while other homes were damaged by the force of the storm. Gas lines were also uprooted, leading to evacuations until Consumers Energy could respond and repair the gas leaks.
A suspected tornado on Feb. 28, 2024 in the Grand Blanc area uprooted large trees.
A chunk of the area hit by the suspected tornado is currently without power, per Consumers.
Resource: How to check power outages
As of 5 a.m., there are no known injuries or deaths, police said.
These roads are closed, per police:
- Dort Hwy & Reid Road
- Dort Hwy & Grand Blanc Road (Grand Blanc Road is open)
- Dort Hwy & Gibson Road
- Reid Road & Porter Road
Stay with FOX 2 for updates.
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