JACKSON COUNTY (WWJ) - Two tornados briefly blew through Jackson County within minutes of each other during Wednesday's severe storms, the National Weather Service confirmed.
Both twisters touched down in the area near Stockbridge, roughly 22 miles northeast of Jackson in southern Michigan and were classified as 'weak' tornadoes on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, NWS experts in Grand Rapids said.
The first tornado touched down around 2:39 p.m. southwest of Stockbridge, near Orchard Creek east of Fitchburg Road and south of Baseline Road.
It was on the ground for apporximently four minutes and then lifted, but not before reaching peak winds estimated at 80 mph and carving a path 1.5 miles long and 150 yards wide.
The twister caused large trees to uproot and fall over around its path while several nearby homes sustained minor damage.
The second tornado touched down at 2:47 p.m. just south of Stockbridge, north of Whitehead Lake and south of Territorial Road.
It, too, lasted four minutes and headed east/northeast where it crossed Hill Road. It continued until it lifted just northeast of Leeke Road, about 500 feet into Livingston County.
NWS said intermittent damage was discovered near and along the tornado’s path which mainly affected trees and crops. One business sustained minor structural damage to its roof while an outbuilding had damage to its siding.
In Hillsdale County, NWS experts said winds of 80 mph were responsible for damage in the area just before 2:20 pm. Surveyors have described the event as drive by a downburst, but they are still working to determine if there was any rotation.
According to experts, the sunroom on a home on Waldron Road along Lake LeAnn was damaged by heavy winds and the west side of Lake Somerset have damage to trees.
Storm chaser, Christopher Tobias, captured images of the storms as it rolled through St. Joseph County earlier in the day. The strong line of severe storms caused major damage in Union City where Tobias said tons of trees were downed as well as powerlines, making roads almost impassable in spots.
M-60 was shut down by state troopers after the storm came through. It then barreled into Jackson and Hillsdale Counties before wrecking havoc in Washtenaw County. It eventually ripped through Metro Detroit and swept into Canada by the evening hours.
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