Tornado touchdowns reported in Washtenaw County

Posted on Thu, Mar 15, 2012 : 5:15 p.m.

Tornado touchdowns reported in Washtenaw County

By AnnArbor.com Staff

A house on Noble Drive in Huron Farms neighborhood is missing part of its roof and has debris strewn across the yard after a tornado touched down.

Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com

At least one tornado touched down in the Dexter area around 6 p.m. on Thursday leaving a swath of destruction in its wake as a severe storm swept through Washtenaw County. There were multiple reports of damage to homes, trees down and hail of 1.8 inches in diameter.

A reader submitted this photo of a funnel cloud.

Submitted photo

In the Huron Farms subdivision off Dexter-Ann Arbor road east of Dexter, at least six houses were torn apart by the storm. Their frames were standing but their interior stairwells were visible from the street.

John Oberg was standing on his porch watching the storm about 6 p.m.. He said he saw insulation fly by and a lot of things swirling in the air.

It was like the “Wizard of Oz,” he said.

Henry Haley, a contractor for Haley Mechanical, was trying to assist residents by turning off gas lines to their homes. "A lot of these people are my customers,'' he said. "It's pretty tragic.''

Many neighbors were milling in the street, walking through debris, talking to each other and surveying the damage. Gary Farber, who lives in a condo in the neighborhood, said he had never experienced a tornado before. "These people's lives are turned completely turned upside down,'' he said of his neighbors as he stood in the middle of Noble Drive, holding an umbrella.

Aaron Mitchell said he was in Ypsilanti with his children when he heard the tornado warning. He said he headed toward home, and by the time he reached Zeeb Road, he received a text message from a friend telling him about the damage in the neighborhood.

He arrived home about 7:25 p.m. and was standing outside his SUV, with his toddlers still in their car seats, while he tried to assess the damage. "I'm trying to get my brother to come get my kids so I can go inside,'' he said.

Debbbie Haas, who lives on Quackenbush Drive, said she was in Dexter when the storm hit, and went to the house of a friend who had what she described as a "bomb shelter.'' Once the storm passed, she rushed to the neighborhood. "These are the people I love,'' she said. "There's damage to my house, but at least we have a house.''

There were reports in the neighborhood that early in the evening, two residents who had been in a home that collapsed were taken from the neighborhood in an ambulance. But there were not other reports of injuries.

Sandy Pollard said she was heading home from Domino's Farms in Ann Arbor as the storm struck. By the time she reached the Busch's and Country Market on Dexter Ann Arbor Road, there was torrential rain, and she could see debris flying through the air. "That's when it hit me, 'I'm in a tornado,''' she said.

She said she tried to stop her car, but her car was still moving side-to-side, and she was screaming in panic.

She said her 17-year-old daughter, Amanda, was home alone at the time. When Pollard reached her house, she said her reaction was: It's unbelievable. This can't be happening.'' She said she and her daughter went into the basement and stayed there for half an hour. They had no TV and couldn't get a weather report. She said they heard a window blow out upstairs.

The stayed downstairs until they heard firefighters pounding on their door to check on them. Pollard said they went upstairs and when they looked outside, the house across the street was destroyed. "I felt like I was on the set of the Weather Channel,'' she said. "I heard no one was hurt. It's a miracle.''

At 5:26 p.m., trained weather spotters reported a funnel cloud near Dexter. The Washtenaw County Alert system confirmed a tornado had touched at Dexter Pinckney and Wylie road. Other reports indicated a tornado touchdown at Huron River Driver and Dexter.

Northfield Township sent out an alert saying several sightings of a tornado have been seen in the Dexter area with confirmed damaged to trees and houses. If you need to take shelter the Northfield Public Safety Department tornado shelter is open, the alert said.

Reports indicated there was damage to houses on Horseshoe Bend Drive north of Dexter. There were multiple reports of trees down in several locations.

Hail was reported in Sylvan and Scio townships.

The National Weather Service had issued a tornado warning for northern Washtenaw County and southeastern Livingston County until 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

WXYZ reported hail 1.8 inches in diameter along I-94 west of Ann Arbor. Large hail was reported on the west side of Ann Arbor at 6:21 p.m. Quarter-inch hail was reported in downtown Ann Arbor at 6:08 p.m.

The weather service said people in the warning area should take cover immediately. People in the path of the storm should move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and avoid windows. Those in vehicles or mobile homes should move to the closest substantial shelter and protect themselves from flying debris.

A severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect for Washtenaw County until 9 p.m.

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Comments

jcj

Fri, Mar 16, 2012 : 2:51 a.m.

The tornado siren went of 20 minutes AFTER the tornado warning was issued! Nice job emergency management. NOT

ypsicat

Fri, Mar 16, 2012 : 1:02 a.m.

Such a sad loss to those with damage to their homes, but houses can be replaced. It is a blessing that no lives were lost, and I hope the ones that went by ambo will be all right; they will be in my thoughts tonight.

Moms Kitchen

Fri, Mar 16, 2012 : 1 a.m.

Correction on your photo caption - The subdivision's name is Huron Farms, not Hudson Farms.

HereAndThere

Thu, Mar 15, 2012 : 11:53 p.m.

A virtual lake in our backyard, draining into my basement ..I'm taking a coffee break...

81wolverine

Thu, Mar 15, 2012 : 11:39 p.m.

My earlier comment was blocked for some reason so this is a re-submit. This was the worst storm I've ever seen. Here in Lodi Township we had heavy driving rain, quarter-sized hail, winds, and strong thunder/lightning. The amount of rain that fell was also very high. My neighbor took a picture of a funnel cloud just to our east. Thank goodness it did not touch down here. I'm hoping there are no serious injuries or worse from this bad storm.

Ypsi_Wings_Fan

Mon, Mar 19, 2012 : 2:32 p.m.

it was not blocked, you just could not see it. it was an issue with the new system but it seems to be fixed now

Phil K.

Thu, Mar 15, 2012 : 11:18 p.m.

Lightning apparently started a house fire across the street from Michigan Stadium (starting rumors that the Stadium was on fire.) https://twitter.com/#!/Kzawisza/status/180427370195464192/photo/1

81wolverine

Thu, Mar 15, 2012 : 10:35 p.m.

That's the worst storm I've ever seen. Here in Lodi Township we experienced quarter-sized hail, driving rain, strong winds, and extreme lightning/thunder. Fortunately no tornadoes. I'm also thankful our north facing windows held out against the hail and didn't break. Hope no one was seriously hurt.

L. C. Burgundy

Thu, Mar 15, 2012 : 10:33 p.m.

Major hailstorm on the south side. We are having large marge-small egg sized hail now at 6:31.

Ypsi_Wings_Fan

Thu, Mar 15, 2012 : 11:11 p.m.

Whats a large marge-small egg?

Ross Dunbar

Thu, Mar 15, 2012 : 10:32 p.m.

Golf ball size hail at Ann Arbor Tech High School near Briarwood. All students are safe inside school.....6:31 p.m. right now.

DBH

Thu, Mar 15, 2012 : 10:30 p.m.

The hail now has grown to about an inch near Briarwood at 6:30 PM.

Hazel411

Thu, Mar 15, 2012 : 10:27 p.m.

My brother's house in Dexter was hit by tornado, just south of North Territorial at Brand Rd. Roof blown off. Luckily the family took shelter in the basement and all are safe.

Sarah

Thu, Mar 15, 2012 : 11:15 p.m.

Glad your family is okay!!

Michael Schmidt

Thu, Mar 15, 2012 : 10:24 p.m.

I hope there wasn't alot of damage in Dexter and I hope it doesn't get worse... the radar looks bad though and it's moving closer to where I am in Ypsi

DBH

Thu, Mar 15, 2012 : 10:23 p.m.

Pea-sized hail near Briarwood at 6:23 PM.

Fatkitty

Thu, Mar 15, 2012 : 10:13 p.m.

Hail, at least one inch diameter, in Chelsea.

L. C. Burgundy

Thu, Mar 15, 2012 : 10:08 p.m.

Tornado Warning Statement as of 6:05 PM EDT on March 15, 2012 ... A Tornado Warning remains in effect for Washtenaw County until 630 PM EDT... At 603 PM EDT... National Weather Service Doppler radar indicated a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado. This dangerous storm was located 5 miles west of Ann Arbor... moving southeast at 25 mph. Although there have not been additional reports of a tornado... this storm has a history of producing a tornado and could produce additional tornadoes as it tracks through Washtenaw County. This dangerous storm will be near... Saline around 615 PM EDT. Pittsfield Township around 620 PM EDT. Milan and Whittaker around 630 PM EDT. The warning includes areas surrounding these locations... Willis... Dixboro... Ypsilanti... Saline... Salem... Milan... Dexter... Ann Arbor... Precautionary/preparedness actions... Take cover now. Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If in a Mobile home... a vehicle or outdoors... move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.

L. C. Burgundy

Thu, Mar 15, 2012 : 10:04 p.m.

Tornado Warning Statement as of 5:55 PM EDT on March 15, 2012 ... A Tornado Warning remains in effect for Washtenaw County until 630 PM EDT... At 552 PM EDT... trained weather spotters reported a tornado. This tornado was located near Dexter... moving southeast at 15 mph. The tornado will be near... Delhi Mills around 600 PM EDT. Barton Hills around 605 PM EDT. Ann Arbor around 620 PM EDT. Dixboro around 625 PM EDT. Pittsfield Township and Saline around 630 PM EDT. The warning includes areas surrounding these locations... Willis... Dixboro... Ypsilanti... Saline... Salem... Milan... Dexter... Ann Arbor... A second storm was located near the west side of Ann Arbor near Interstate 94 moving southeast at 15 mph. Trained weather spotters reported a funnel cloud with this storm. This storm could produce a tornado at any time. Precautionary/preparedness actions... To repeat... a tornado is on the ground. Take cover now. Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If in a Mobile home... a vehicle or outdoors... move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.

L. C. Burgundy

Thu, Mar 15, 2012 : 9:45 p.m.

Tornado Warning Statement as of 5:35 PM EDT on March 15, 2012 ... A Tornado Warning remains in effect for Washtenaw County until 630 PM EDT... At 531 PM EDT... trained weather spotters reported a tornado. This tornado was located near Dexter... moving southeast at 15 mph. Trained spotters confirmed a tornado touched down just north of Dexter. The tornado will be near... Dexter around 540 PM EDT. Delhi Mills around 555 PM EDT. Barton Hills around 600 PM EDT. Ann Arbor around 615 PM EDT. Dixboro around 625 PM EDT. Ypsilanti and Pittsfield Township around 630 PM EDT. The warning includes areas surrounding these locations... Willis... Dixboro... Ypsilanti... Saline... Salem... Milan... Dexter... Ann Arbor... Precautionary/preparedness actions... To repeat... a tornado is on the ground. Take cover now. Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If in a Mobile home... a vehicle or outdoors... move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.