Thunderstorms Roll Through - Leave Power Outages In Metro Detroit
DETROIT (WWJ) - Severe thunderstorms ripped through the WWJ listening area Saturday evening causing damage and power outages.
A DTE outage map shows as of right now the biggest outages on Detroit's westside near the Southfield Freeway and I-96 and in Livonia near Seven Mile and Middlebelt roads.
As of early Sunday morning there were about 19,000 power outages, with 7,500 without power in both Wayne and Oakland counties -- additional outages are scattered throughout metro Detroit.
DTE Spokesperson John Austerberry says that crews were dispatched to focus on high priority outages, and a full contingent of crews will be out Sunday morning.
Trained weather spotters from the National Weather Service reported a 50 miles per hour wind gust in Pontiac.
Trees down in Scio Township west of Ann Arbor and 1/2 to 3/4 inch hail reported near Fowlerville and Whitmore Lake in Livingston County.
A quick reminder... the term watch means conditions are favorable for development of severe weather in the designated area. During a watch... there is no cause for immediate concern. You should go about your normal business but keep abreast of weather developments. Public safety officials should... however... activate prearranged plans.
A warning... on the other hand... means a severe thunderstorm or tornado has been observed or indicated by radar. People in the path of the storm should take immediate precautions as outlined here.
Severe thunderstorms produce strong damaging winds of 58 mph or greater... large hail three quarters of an inch in diameter or greater... heavy rain and deadly lightning. Winds in excess of 58 mph can push over shallow rooted trees... break off tree limbs about
the size of your wrist... and damage chimneys and TV antennas. In rare occasions severe thunderstorms can produce winds in excess of 80 mph which could break windows... Peel surfaces off of roofs... snap large trees and move trailer homes and automobiles. Hail three
quarters of an inch in diameter or larger can damage windows... vehicles... and exterior finishes of buildings... especially if accompanied by severe winds.
For the latest weather information, be sure to stay with WWJ Newsradio 950 during Traffic and Weather on the 8s, 24-hours a day. For the forecast, visit our Weather Page.
