Severe thunderstorms developed during the late afternoon and evening hours of April 26 as an upper level trough and cold front approached our region.  Several low topped supercells developed and produced numerous reports of large hail up to around two inches in diameter.  In addition a damage survey team from the NWS Grand Rapids office determined that damage caused near Burnips in Allegan County was due to an EF-0 tornado with top winds near 85 mph that damaged buildings at the Deboer Turkey Farm and trailers around the area.  In Portage, nine people were injured by a lightning strike.

Funnel Cloud in KENT, MICHIGAN
From 26-APR-11 16:45:00 to 26-APR-11 16:45:00 (EST-5)
Location: BOWEN
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A trained spotter in southern Kent county reported seeing a brief funnel cloud three to five miles south of the M-6 and Kalamazoo Avenue intersection.

Tornado in ALLEGAN, MICHIGAN
From 26-APR-11 16:44:00 to 26-APR-11 16:57:00 (EST-5)
Location: BURNIPS
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 1.00M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

The tornado touchdown at a landscaping company where it tore a small section of roof of a warehouse building, knocked over several trailers, and blew the windows out of several cars.  The tornado then struck a row of 100 yard long turkey pole barns.  An approximately 100 ft section of one barn was uplifted and the collapsed. The roof was torn off about a 50 ft section of another barn.  Further northeast, several small outbuildings were destroyed and trees were uprooted.  Several houses in the path received minor roof and soffit damage with two garage doors damaged.  The tornado lifted after partially destroying a 75 year-old 40 ft by 90 ft barn.

Lightning in KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN
From 26-APR-11 18:00:00 to 26-APR-11 18:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: OAKWOOD
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media

Nine people were injured when lightning struck a soccer field in Portage at Westfield Park.  The injured were a mix of adults and students who ranged in age from 12 to 41.  Seven people were transported to area hospitals and two sought treatment on their own.  One man who was injured most seriously went into cardiac arrest before being treated and released from Bronson hospital in Kalamazoo.

Hail in MONTCALM, MICHIGAN
From 26-APR-11 17:40:00 to 26-APR-11 18:15:00 (EST-5)
Location: GREENVILLE ARPT
Magnitude: 1.50 
Property damage: 1.00M
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Trained spotters reported  hail up to 1.5 inches in diameter south of Stanton and just north of Sheridan.  The swath was up to one mile wide and was part of the swath that began in extreme northeast Ottawa County based on correlation with multiple spotter reports and radar hail products.

Hail in KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN
From 26-APR-11 17:45:00 to 26-APR-11 18:20:00 (EST-5)
Location: MILLER CORNER
Magnitude: 1.25 
Property damage: 4.00M
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Trained spotters reported that large hail fell from a thunderstorm that tracked from just southwest of Oshtemo east northeast across northern Kalamazoo to Richland.  The hail size reached 1.25 inches in diameter two miles west of Richland. The hail swath was up to one mile wide based on the correlation of spotter reports with WSR-88D radar products.

Hail in KENT, MICHIGAN
From 26-APR-11 18:00:00 to 26-APR-11 18:25:00 (EST-5)
Location: HERPS
Magnitude: 1.50 
Property damage: 2.00M
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail up to  1.5 inches in diameter fell in a half mile wide swath beginning southwest of Cutlerville and continuing northeast through Ada. Some of the largest hail was observed at the Grand Rapids Weather Forecast Office.  The swath was estimated based on the correlation of multiple spotter reports with maximum estimated hail size, NSSL hail swath track algorithm, and 0.5 degree reflectivity products form WFO-GRR WSR88D.

Hail in ALLEGAN, MICHIGAN
From 26-APR-11 15:29:00 to 26-APR-11 15:33:00 (EST-5)
Location: GROAFSCHAP
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Dime sized hail occurred on the east side of Holland. Swath was estimated based on correlation of spotter report with maximum estimated hail size, and 0.5 degree reflectivity products form WFO-GRR WSR88D.

Hail in KENT, MICHIGAN
From 26-APR-11 16:45:00 to 26-APR-11 17:30:00 (EST-5)
Location: NORTH DORR
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 12.00M
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail up to  1.5 inches in diameter fell in a one mile wide swath from Jamestown in extreme northeast Ottawa County through Kentwood and East Grand Rapids. The swath continued northeast towards Belding in northwest Ionia County. The swath was estimated based on the correlation of multiple spotter reports with maximum estimated hail size, NSSL hail swath track algorithm, and 0.5 degree reflectivity products form WFO-GRR WSR88D.

Hail in IONIA, MICHIGAN
From 26-APR-11 17:30:00 to 26-APR-11 17:40:00 (EST-5)
Location: COOKS CORNERS
Magnitude: 1.50 
Property damage: 4.00M
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Trained spotters reported that a severe thunderstorm produced hail up to 1.5 inches in diameter on the northeast side of Belding.  The swath was up to one mile wide and was part of the swath that began in extreme northeast Ottawa County based on correlation with spotter reports and radar hail products.