Tornado warnings canceled after severe weather again hits metro Detroit
Tornado warnings issued across metro Detroit have been canceled by the National Weather Service after severe storms rolled through the area for the second time after causing havoc elsewhere in the state. One continues for parts of Monroe County until 11:30 p.m.
In Kent County, on the west side of the state, a tree and house were struck by a possible tornado, but it hasn't been confirmed, a meteorologist with National Weather Service in White Lake said, citing a report from the Kent County emergency manager. In Ingham County, a large and dangerous tornado was reported about 10 p.m. near Williamston and Webberville and was headed east, according to the National Weather Service. Tornado warnings were issued in other parts of the state Thursday night.
Thursday's night's storm follows a heavy rainfall Thursday morning that left flooding throughout metro Detroit. Detroit Metro Airport, where passengers were stranded for hours Thursday, could see a replay of flooding, which prevented roadway access to the McNamara Terminal.
Flooding: Partial access open to DTW's McNamara Terminal; Canton under water
Flooding put much of Canton under water as well as parts of Romulus, Van Buren Township, Plymouth and Novi on Thursday.
Dangerous weather has long been a concern, but some scientists are warning that climate change has consequences that go beyond hotter summers and colder winters. It raises the potential of more severe storms and more flooding.
"Floods are the most common — and among the most deadly — natural disasters in the United States," the Natural Resources Defense Council noted in a 2018 report. "They have brought destruction to every state and nearly every county, and in many areas they are getting worse."
The nonprofit environmental advocacy group predicted that extreme weather would grow America's floodplains by about 45% in the next few decades.
More recently, cities and utilities have acknowledged climate change is making it more difficult and costly to prevent and repair downed power lines, flooded streets and other structures. And it likely will mean higher utility and insurance bills — and more inconvenience when storms strike.
DTE, which as of 8:40 p.m. Thursday was reporting about 21,000 customers without electricity, has said climate change is likely to be a factor in power outages and restoration efforts.
Cromwell added at about 2 p.m. that the forecast is changing as the weather conditions change, but as a precaution, it's probably best if residents stay inside, and, if they are on the road, avoid roadways with any standing water.
"Make sure you're not in a high-risk flooding area," he said. "If your house is solid, you should be fine."
Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tornado warnings canceled after severe weather hits metro Detroit
