Severe thunderstorms could hit Plymouth-Canton again Friday after storms tore through Wayne County a day earlier. Thursday's storms downed trees, damaged power lines and knocked out electricity to more than 279,000 DTE Energy customers across southeast Michigan.
The National Weather Service (NWS) placed the region under a Level 1 of 5 marginal risk for severe weather Friday, according to WDIV. Storms capable of gusty winds and heavy rain could affect the morning commute and return Friday afternoon as a frontal boundary lingers nearby. Damaging wind is the primary concern.
"Thunderstorms will erupt again this afternoon, and those can be severe — with damaging winds and some flash flooding," WWJ AccuWeather meteorologist Joe Lundberg said Thursday on WWJ Newsradio.
The NWS said Friday's setup does not necessarily mean a repeat of Thursday's widespread damage. Still, the agency urged residents to stay weather-aware while cleanup continues.
Thursday's storms were among several rounds of severe weather since Wednesday, Sept. 2, including a confirmed EF0 tornado in Marysville in St. Clair County. The NWS planned to survey Hamtramck, east Detroit and Belle Isle on Friday to determine whether a tornado struck there. A confirmation would mark Detroit's first tornado since July 2, 1997.
Locally, Plymouth-Canton Community Schools reported power outages at Bird Elementary, Farrand Elementary and West Middle School on Thursday. DTE Energy reported 279,000-plus customers without power regionwide as of 9:30 p.m. Thursday, with Wayne County among the hardest-hit areas, according to ClickOnDetroit. DTE said more than 2,600 Storm Response Team members were working to restore service, with 800 additional crew members traveling to the area. The company estimated 80% of affected customers would have power back by end of day Thursday, The Detroit News reported.
The weekend forecast looks far better. A few showers may linger into early Saturday before conditions clear. Highs should reach the upper 70s Saturday and Sunday, with dropping humidity and mostly sunny skies by Sunday. Labor Day is forecast to bring mostly sunny skies and a high near 80 degrees, according to the NWS.
Cleanup safety
Residents cleaning up storm damage should assume any downed power line is energized. Stay at least 25 feet from downed lines and anything they touch, including fences, trees and standing water. Call 911 for immediate hazards and report downed lines to DTE at 800-477-4747.
Do not attempt to remove trees or branches touching a power line.
Anyone using a generator should run it outdoors, well away from doors, windows and garages to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Drivers should never cross a flooded roadway or go around barricades. Anyone heading to outdoor events Friday should check the forecast before leaving and have a way to receive weather alerts.
