Severe thunderstorm warnings expire for southeast Michigan; 24K without power
Severe thunderstorm warnings issued Sunday for southeast Michigan have expired.
The National Weather Service had issued thunderstorm warnings for Macomb, Washtenaw, St. Clair, Sanilac and Lenawee counties between 8 and 8:15 p.m. Those warnings have expired.
A flood warning for the Huron River near Hamburg in Livingston County was issued until 2 p.m. Wednesday. At 10:15 a.m. Sunday, the stage was 6.5 feet. Flood stage is 6.5 feet. The weather service said minor flooding is occurring and remains in the forecast.
A hazardous weather outlook for southesast Michigan, including Livingston, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw, Wayne, Lenawee and Monroe counties until 10 p.m. also expired, according to weather service reports.
Folliowing the storms, Ann Arbor reported wind gusts of 52 mph in the south-southwest area of the city. The Village of Prescott, between Au Gres and West Branch in Ogemaw County, reported 60 mph gusts. Wind damage was reported In Charlevoix; Topinabee in Cheboygan County; Kalkaska; Fariview in Oscoda County; Vassar in Tuscola County; Perry and Byron in Shiawassee County; and Fowlerville in Livngston County.
The severe weather prompted the Great Lakes Water Authority to issue an alert for low-lying areas and area that have had flooding over the summer.
"The ground is still damp and will generate more run-off and less water being absorbed into the ground," the authority said in a statement Sunday. "Radar prediction per National Weather Service is rainfall between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Please see their forecast here.
"... The regional system is prepared and working as designed. However, due to the large volumes of rain received recently, the collection system is partially full and GLWA operations is in the process of draining the system through its treatment facilities to bring levels down."
A special marine warning continues for the U.S. portion of Lake St. Clair, Lake Huron from Port Sanilac to Port Huron until 8:45 p.m. Sunday.
The thunderstorms continued a severe weather pattern that began Friday, when a rapid accumulation of 2-4 inches of rainfall across Metro Detroit sent some residents into the third flood cleanup since late June.
Several highways and city streets were closed due to the rising water. Detroit's southeast neighborhoods and the Aviation Subdivision also were affected by Friday's flooding.
DTE Energy reported about 6,701 outages, and Consumers Energy said about 17,553 customers remained without power around midnight Sunday, down from about 30,000 .
The rainfall comes after a series of storms damaged thousands of homes in Detroit and several surrounding communities earlier this summer, resulting in a federal disaster declaration.
Dearborn and Dearborn Heights were among the other areas hard-hit by summer floods and sections of those cities endured more damage on Friday, with social media posts depicting flooded underpasses and residential streets.