COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Strong thunderstorms with high winds and heavy rain swept through Branch County and Southwest Michigan Sunday night and early Monday, causing thousands to lose power, including over 400 Consumers Energy customers in Branch County. The strongest storms to hit the county happened between 11 p.m and midnight Sunday night.
The Consumers outage map listed 157 customers in Quincy and 139 in Bronson as part of the 415 in the county to lose electricity. There were scattered reports of wires down and large limbs blocking roads. No injuries were reported.
A severe thunderstorm watch was issued for Branch County and much of the area at 9:30 p.m. Sunday night and then cancelled just before 1 a.m. Monday, two hours ahead of the original expiration time. Southeast Branch County was also included in a severe thunderstorm warning that was issued at 11:42 p.m. That storm cell was responsible for numerous trees down in Hillsdale County along with quarter size hail according to the county’s director of emergency management. Pea size hail was also reported in St. Joseph County in Colon.
The National Weather Service Sunday morning included most of Michigan as part of a region that had an enhanced risk of severe weather yesterday with destructive winds and even an isolated tornado possible as warm, breezy, and humid conditions would be in place to set the stage for development of strong thunderstorms.
