Severe thunderstorms left more than 78,000 DTE Energy customers without electricity across south-east Michigan on Thursday, after two rounds of storms brought down trees, damaged power lines and caused flooding.
Warren was among the worst-hit areas, with residents waking to fallen branches and blocked driveways after the overnight weather. On Beeman Avenue, near 10 Mile Road, a large uprooted tree was found across a driveway, with the extent of any damage to the nearby property unclear in the early morning darkness.
The storms affected communities across the Detroit metropolitan area, while heavy rain left standing water on roads and added to the disruption during the early hours.
The National Weather Service in Detroit/Pontiac said a severe thunderstorm moving through Warren shortly after 2.30am brought wind gusts of up to 60mph and penny-sized hail. Forecasters warned of possible damage to roofs, sidings and trees.
A flood warning covering parts of Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties remained in force until 5.30am. Officials said some areas had already received up to 2in of rain, with a further inch possible as another band of thunderstorms moved through.
Interstate 94 near Gratiot Avenue in Wayne County was temporarily closed in the eastbound direction because of flooding. Road crews used plough trucks to push water from the lanes, and the route had reopened by the morning commute.
The National Weather Service had earlier warned that south-east Michigan could see damaging winds of up to 70mph, hail and isolated tornado activity. It said the risk of strong thunderstorms and locally heavy rain would continue on Thursday and Friday.
Utility crews and residents faced a widespread clean-up operation, with fallen limbs reported across neighbourhoods and power lines brought down by the heavy rain and strong winds.
