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Storms packing damaging winds spawn tornado in Michigan

Crews are making progress restoring power to tens of thousands of Michigan homes and businesses left without electrical service following severe storms. Thousands of power outages were reported in the Grand Rapids and Traverse City areas.

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A 47-year-old motorist had multiple injuries a tree fell on his auto in Leelanau County.

“Damage in Owendale included destruction of outbuildings, siding peeled off a garage, trees snapped and uprooted”, they reported.

The DTE Energy outage map shows about 550 customers without power Monday morning, including a small pocket near Ann Arbor Trail and Eckles, a pocket which spans into neighboring Plymouth Township as well.

In Traverse City, where about 70 miles per hour winds struck, a free outdoor movie was scratched.

The tornado was categorized as EF-1, which is considered a weak tornado, according to the National Weather Service. Outage areas were throughout the Thumb region including Huron, Sanilac and Tuscola counties.

A central Michigan newspaper said it had to reprint the Monday edition after papers were destroyed during the storm.

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At least 225 Consumers Energy customers in eastern Saginaw County near Reese also lost power, the utility reports, and there were reports of outages overnight in Midland County. A driver was involved in an accident Sunday night after picking up papers at the printing plant.

Outages scattered throughout Metro area after Sunday night storms