Mid-Michigan Live Severe Weather Coverage 5/17

Added: 2026-05-18

[00:01:42]Well, welcome back everyone.

[00:01:43]Meteorologist Stone Shaver here again.

[00:01:46]Um, the National Weather Service actually did upgrade that special weather statement to a severe thunderstorm warning through northern uh Hiron County and Hiron County. So, I did want to come back to our stream. Like I said, severe thunderstorm warning here. I want to get coverage for you. And I didn't want to forget about the thumb. Obviously, important area of the region. And that's another healthy looking storm. That thing got off the water and really started to beef itself back up. Uh so that's why I said let's start the stream right back up for anyone that is here.

[00:02:17]And just real quickly, I left my water behind me. Some have to get that for me here in a second. But um again, we do have a severe thunderstorm warning now issued for northern Tuscola uh county into Hon County and that goes until see if I can get some of the details on this.

[00:02:35]That goes until does not 6:45 p.m. So, we won't be able to stay for this whole severe thunderstorm warning. I will warn you that we do have a newscast at 6:30. Uh so at some point we will have to cut this off uh to go to our newscast and we'll continue with more weather there.

[00:02:55]But I did want to highlight uh this severe thunderstorm warning for the next 10 to 15 minutes as it moves through.

[00:03:01]Hopefully it weakens. Uh but for this severe thunderstorm warning, it is pingpong ball-sized hail a possible in 60 mph wind. So weaker than what we saw earlier. still on the stronger side. Uh and again, it sort of restrengthened as it moved off the water and back away in towards Tuscola County. So, our area of interest is going to be as we zoom in here, uh just between Akran and Unionville. Uh that will be the area that we have to watch out for.

[00:03:31]And there are some dark colors there again. So, uh just something we'll have to watch out for. Just like earlier, if you have any questions, head over to our Facebook uh page at WNEM TV5 News. uh there. I'll try to answer any of the questions uh that you might have. Uh will we get severe weather later tonight? I think that chance is pretty small. I think if we do have severe weather, it is right now. Um being that we're not seeing any development to our south, that's a good sign to me that we may not see much.

[00:04:01]Just real quickly looking at what we're seeing. I want to pull a different radar.

[00:04:08]Is this going to let me Yeah, I mean we're not seeing any development to our south.

[00:04:16]So, I think um I think we're pretty good shape. Again, we'll continue to watch it. Things could change quickly. It is weather and things happen on uh the spot, but I think we're sitting at a point we're probably in good shape once this line moves out. Knock on wood, hopefully we don't have to worry about any more storms. But again, severe thunderstorm warning uh now for northern um northern uh Tuscula County into Hiron County. This is an area again that is cooking up um some goodsized tail, possibly some heavy rain.

[00:04:52]Let's look up our hail tracker hill zone tracker. That's larger than what it was earlier. So if you live anywhere towards Unionville, uh towards Owendale, just be prepared for some hail here. pingpong ball sized hail. Um the fall uh looking over Facebook chat and I'm sorry I'm leaning. Um we'll just pull up this so I can just focus on everything. Um uh hi stone. Do I need to watch the radar for the rest of the evening uh in Midland? I need to walk my dog soon. I think we're in good shape. Like I mentioned just a second ago, I think we're in good shape um when it comes to uh severe weather. And this is going to pull up that severe thunderstorm warning. So again, that goes until 6:45 uh here over the next couple of hours.

[00:05:36]Um thunderstorm here in Badax, that sounds would be right on track. You do have a weaker cell and don't know why it zoomed out that much. We do have a weaker cell moving through uh Bad Axe towards uh yeah, just there just to the eastsoutheast of Bad Act.

[00:06:26]Okay, I do apologize for that quietness.

[00:06:28]Just had a some of the pop up on my phone. I didn't want anyone to hear it.

[00:06:32]Just an ad from something I was looking at earlier. uh ugly. You're in an area as well that you are seeing some rain, maybe some small hail um move through there and definitely getting some lightning and thunder. Uh but our main concern still continues to be the severe thunderstorm warning just north of Akan south of or southwest even south of Unionville, but even Unionville right now, you could be getting some of that rainfall and some of that hail. This is still an area from Unionville to Akran that has reports and could have reports of hail. So, if you are in that area, make sure you are Doro. And actually, we just had a tornado warning. So, um I do have to go on air real quickly here. Let me see if that's for that one. It wouldn't surprise me if it was. It was.

[00:07:13]So, I'm going to keep it here. Um we do have a tornado warning now for northern Tuscola County. Uh so, I do have to cut in on air. Uh but we're going to keep this right here right now. Um so, you won't miss anything if you are watching on Facebook.

[00:34:45]for Harbor Beach. They've still got the possible tag on it. Um so see we'll see what we can do with that. Um yeah, it just looks like it's almost the one area. We'll see. Almost looks like uh just to the southwest of C city. We'll have to kind of keep an eye on that area. See if um anything tries to cycle back around a little bit. Uh but overall not seeing it as defined as it was earlier. Um let's see if we can get back to that storm that is in Hiron County near still looks pretty broad. Still an area of rotation though. Like we've been saying the thumb gets a little tricky out there with some of these circulations. Uh Harbor Beach just to your west for the time being. Thought I saw my phone go off. Maybe we just got another update here. Looks like they're still continuing that tornado warning, but we've only got about eight minutes left. So, if we can get that um get that past eight minutes and we can and get rid of that warning, then we'll we'll be on standby and come back as needed.

[00:35:44]>> And I would say if you live on Sand Beach Road, South uh Ruth Road, that's near Sand Beach Garage uh there on 142, uh that would be an area just be prepared to be in your shelter with this area. Yes, you do not have a tornado warning, but there is that again that broad area rotation and it's just close enough and far enough north away from the radars that this is an area that does get sort of skipped over when it comes uh to those tornadoes. And let's see if there's any other >> We just got another severe thunderstorm warning, but um some good news with this one. This is going into uh northern Sillac in the very southern edge of Hiron County. So, we're talking about just north of Midlands, excuse me, Minden. Yes, Minden. Um, and then Forestville, you're included in that one. That one does not have the tornado possible tag. So, that is a standard severe thunderstorm warning. That one is just for 1 in hail and 60 mph winds.

[00:36:37]>> Yes.

[00:36:37]>> So, not seeing any uh concerning rotation with that area just yet.

[00:36:41]Basically, the environment today is we've just had a lot of warmup. We've had a lot of humidity and uh if you've been following some of the updates we've had throughout the day, not everybody gets a storm. Uh but those who do, there was a possibility it could be strong and we're currently seeing that uh with this storm that is currently working its way through Tuscola County and also southern Hiron County. And uh a lot of it probably has to do with this cell specifically very close to the warm front. We get that little wind shift there. We also get some of the winds that are likely coming in off of Lake Huron. Uh we get that breeze and also the Sagenov Bay sometimes has the tendency to cause some storms to possibly spin. Um and so that is what we're we're probably seeing here in real time today. Um that warning goes out at 6:45. So if they do not choose to continue that one, uh we will get back to Gulf as soon as 6:45 happens.

[00:37:33]>> And I'm just looking there's there's no signal that the National Weather Service wants to extend that over in their National Weather Service chat.

[00:37:40]Obviously, that could change here over the next couple of minutes as we get closer uh to the expiration date of that tornado warning, but I think we're continuing to see that system weaken at this point. It wouldn't surprise me if they do end up uh cancing and being out ahead. They've now issued that with the non- tornado possible. I think that puts us in a a good better spot.

[00:38:00]>> Yeah, I think I think uh that's a good sign right now. Um let's see. We've got an inch and a half in Unionville for hail. Someone just sent that report in in Unionville. Um, were they I was driving in when it was probably near Unionville. So, was that tornado warned with Unionville?

[00:38:16]>> I believe Unionville wasn't >> or might have been the tail end of it.

[00:38:18]>> It would have been the very sort of tail end. It would have been just south of where that main area of rotation was.

[00:38:24]>> Okay. So, yep. Did get a confirmation of inch and a half hail in Unionville and did say that they did see some rotation but did not see um any touchdown. And yeah, we've got we've got golf ball size from what what these uh what these pictures are showing me. Uh let's see what else we've got. Um if you have any photos, please feel free to pass those along. Man, lot of lot of golf ball size hill uh with that photo from uh from Sabing or Unionville, excuse me. Vera, thank you for sending that uh to me. Um let me see, Kathy. Um not getting any confirmation.

[00:39:03]Um, a lot of messages about golf. I promise we will get back as soon as possible. I was, like I said, I was watching people or watching the golf at home. I want to get back to golf, too.

[00:39:13]We will do that as soon as this warning goes away. Uh, let's see.

[00:39:18]Um, I'm not seeing anything still concerning with that storm in Hiron County as far as uh the eastern section. Looks like it's now making its way a little bit more into Harbor Beach.

[00:39:29]>> Yep.

[00:39:30]>> All right, we'll do a quick check here.

[00:39:33]still still some broad rotation there.

[00:39:35]Um if anybody like Sod and I have been saying, if you see something in that area, feel free to uh to please let us know. Um it's pretty is doing a good job today showing us where that rotation is, but sometimes those small scale features down below once you get that far away from the Detroit radar site gets a little bit tough. All right, we're now under under five minutes to go with this warning. We'll see what happens to it.

[00:39:58]Like you said, Stone, they haven't been uh let's see getting they haven't been giving us any indication in the chat, right?

[00:40:05]>> Yeah, it doesn't appear they they haven't really mentioned extending this.

[00:40:10]They actually haven't even continued it.

[00:40:11]Uh so typically that is they actually did let me see this is that previous one. uh they continued the one uh in here on county that includes Badax uh and Harbor Beach where that tour possible, but we'll see how that evolves once that area of rotation sort of gets off land and into the water. Okay. All right. We will see what happens with that. We are getting close to the tail end here. Um I have not seen anything other than hail reports thus far, but some pretty pretty sizable hailstones today.

[00:40:41]>> Yeah, definitely. Again, from Bay City now all the way out towards uh Unionville. Lots of reports. I think Freeland's also an area that you had some reports. So, let us know uh what you saw today. Obviously, play it safe.

[00:40:52]You do have any more thunderstorms rolling through your area. I think that's Cass City, you're one of them.

[00:40:56]Stay in your your shelter or even just indoors for the next, you know, five minutes before going outdoors and uh sending us those photos of hail. But obviously, uh let that storm pass and we'll be able to get that report in to the National Weather Service.

[00:41:10]>> All right, let's see. So, we've got about 6:42.

[00:41:13]So, we are getting closer there. Uh still not seeing anything concerning as far as this broad area of rotation. So um assuming that warning goes away here very soon, we will get you right back.

[00:41:23]Uh same thing with this um let's put a pause on this right just south of Harbor Beach. So this is in the area uh just around Sand Beach and to the southwest.

[00:41:33]So this looks like it's just west of M25 is where we've got some broad rotation, but again the weather service has not given a tornado warning for that. um more so just that a tornado was possible. What that typically means is the storm is showing signs of rotation but not to the point that it is uh worth putting a tornado warning on it. There's just not enough certainty with that. Uh we have not seen a debris signature uh with this storm uh that has been rolling through Tuscola County. A nasty storm certain certainly have gotten some reports of that. Uh but I haven't seen anything um concrete yet that would suggest that they can pop up very quickly. Uh, but I haven't seen anything constant.

[00:42:12]>> Yeah, I haven't seen any reports and actually people were very fast earlier with the reports. So, we want to thank you for that, including the National Weather Service. So, again, like I mentioned before, nothing has been reported. That's a good sign. And again, doesn't seem like they are going to continue this. So, at 4:45 or 6:45, I should say, >> golf.

[00:42:30]>> And I just get a report from uh Tina in Harbor Beach, one of our reliable spotters in Harbor Beach. Uh, just says just heavy heavy rains right now. So far in Harbor Beach, lots of lightning and thunder, too. Um, so not seeing anything concerning in Harbor Beach, at least from her vantage point.

[00:42:45]>> I will say that that cell is starting to appears to be weakening. It's starting to lose some of its size, some of those darker reds. Um, there may be another area though that we just watch here for the next hour. No tornado warning, but definitely could see some hail around Green Leaf at this point as that starts to maybe strengthen back up.

[00:43:01]>> And assuming this tornado warning is not carried into Santa County, uh, we will be watching that off the air. Um, so as soon as this, we've got another minute or so. As soon as that red box goes away, we will get you back. We won't even waste time. Uh, if you do have some reports, feel free to send that to us.

[00:43:17]Um, we would love to have them. If you saw something, uh, that the weather service could use, please let us know.

[00:43:22]Especially hail reports. Those have been really important today. Uh, when it comes to the warning process, had a lot of hailstones that have gotten above an inch in diameter. Once you start getting into that inch and a half, two inches up to about two and a half, you're starting to get to the point where you've got hail that's a little bit more damaging.

[00:43:39]So, uh, that is something that helps us out, especially if your storm is not warned for some of that hail. Um, that helps them lead to those warnings that are a little bit more than normal. uh when it comes to you know 60 mile per hour winds and just one inch in diameter hail uh anything that goes a little bit faster or a little bit above that uh certainly helps out with the warning process and that's again why some of you might have had EAS signals and your emergency alerts uh go off for today. So 6:45 that tornado warning is gone. So we will get you right back to golf wasting no time. If you have any other reports let us know.