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Sunday marks 1 year since 6 tornadoes hit West Michigan

Posted at 1:31 AM, Aug 20, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-20 09:52:36-04

WEST MICHIGAN -- Today marks one year since six tornadoes touched down in West Michigan. It's likely that the tornadoes that impacted Van Buren, Allegan, Ottawa, and Kent counties were produced by one or perhaps two parent thunderstorms. The tornado that impacted Ionia and Montcalm counties was produced by a separate thunderstorm cell. The storms that produced the tornadoes also produced straight line wind damage in parts of the area.

The first tornado touched down just southwest of Bangor around 1:13 pm. It produced estimated winds of up to 90 to 110 mph along its 10.6 mile long path.

The second tornado touched down 6 miles southeast of Fennville around 1:42 pm. It produced winds of up to 90 to 100 mph along its 10 mile long path.

The third tornado touched down two miles northwest of Burnips around 2:18 pm. It produced winds of up to 90 to 100 mph along its 4 mile long path.

The fourth tornado touched down near Ivanrest Ave. SW and 44th Street in Grandville at around 2:34 pm. It produced winds of up to 65 to 75 mph along its 5.25 mile long path. The path of this tornado made a few "zig-zags", and was accompanied by straight line winds in the vicinity. Ironwood Golf Course was hit especially hard by the straight line winds.

The fifth tornado touched down on the northeast side of Grand Rapids, near Perkins Ave. NE and Leonard St. NE at around 2:50 pm. It produced winds of up to 70 to 80 mph along it's 3/4 mile long path.

Finally, the sixth tornado touched down about a half-mile east of Orleans at around 3:10 pm. It produced winds of up to 90 mph along its 8 mile long path.