SOUTHFIELD (WWJ) -- There are power outages and trees down in Oakland County, Tuesday afternoon, after forecasters warned of strong to severe thunderstorms in the area.
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for southern Oakland County until 3:45 p.m., as the National Weather Service warned of 60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. "Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding and trees," NWS said.
Shortly after the storms rolled through, DTE Energy said there were around 29,000 homes and businesses without power (as of 4:20 p.m. Tuesday).
Downed trees were reported in the Novi and Milford areas, and a fallen tree was blocking the southbound I-75 exit ramp to 8 Mile Road.
DTE reminds the public to stay at least 25 feet from any downed power lines — assume they are live and dangerous, and report any outage or downed line here.
Earlier, AccuWeather said the primary threat to Metro Detroit with this storm system would be heavy downpours, hail and localized damaging wind gusts up to 55-65 mph.
Meanwhile, an Extreme Heat Warning remains in effect for Macomb, Oakland, Wayne and Genesee Counties until 8 p.m. The remainder of the WWJ listening area is under an Heat Advisory.
After Detroit broke the heat record on Monday, AccuWeather Meteorologist Joe Lundberg says it may not happen on Tuesday. The high Tuesday is expected to get up to 96 degree, while the record high for this date is 97.
Lundberg said a cold front will drop through the region on Wednesday, with more scattered t-storms are possible.
'It'll be cooler tomorrow (June 25), but the humidity remains pretty high, with lots of clouds, not much sun and a thunderstorm or two," he said. "But we stay in the 70s tomorrow."
Thursday will warm back up again into the 80s, Lundberg said, with high humidity and another thunderstorm likely.
On Friday, AccuWeather is looking at another hot and very humid day, with some sun and clouds and a high of around 89 degrees. There's another chance for a thunderstorm later in the day on Friday and into Friday night.
When dealing with extreme heat, the following is advised:
- Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.
- Do not leave young children and pets in unattended vehicles. Car interiors will reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes.
- Take extra precautions when outside. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing. Try to limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Take action when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
- Monitor the latest forecasts and warnings for updates.
- Check with local emergency management officials for info on cooling center availability. [You can find a list compiled by DTE Energy HERE.]
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