LEELANAU COUNTY (WWJ) - Historic rainfall -- dubbed a once in a 200-year weather event by experts -- saturated popular tourist destinations in Northern Michigan on Wednesday.
The National Weather Service Gaylord said the Grand Traverse Bay region saw a staggering amount of rainfall in a six to eight hour window on Sept.6, with Leelanau County clocking in with a whopping 7"+ of localized rain.
The highest measurement of rain came from the town of Lake Leelanau, a few miles west of Suttons Bay along M-204 at the "narrows" part of the lake. About 7.53 inches of rain fell on the area on Wednesday.
Harold Dippman, meteorologist at the National Weather Service at Gaylord told Mlive that the weather event was so rare, it has the frequency of occurring "once every 200 years" -- or even once every 500 to 1,000 years.
When looking at data from Maple City in Leelanau County, which dates back to 1959, Mlive reported, the heaviest 24-hour rain ever recorded for the area was 7.50 inches, making Wednesday's weather event even more significant.
The midweek deluge brought on by scattered thunderstorms in the area prompted Flash Flood Warnings for Traverse City, Kalkaska, Suttons Bay, Northport, Leland, and Elk Rapids.
Rainfall totals provided from other cities are as follows:
