The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch Thursday night for parts of southeast Michigan, putting six counties under the alert until 2 a.m. Friday as storms moved through the region.
For readers tracking weather grand rapids conditions across the state, the watch covered Bay, Genesee, Livingston, Midland, Saginaw and Shiawassee counties. Cities included in the area were Bay City, Brighton, Durand, Flint, Fowlerville, Howell, Midland, Owosso and Saginaw.
Thursday, June 11, had already brought the possibility of severe weather to Metro Detroit, and the watch expanded that concern to a broader stretch of southeast Michigan. A tornado watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area, but it does not mean a tornado has been spotted.
That distinction matters because the alert is a call to stay ready, not a sign that a tornado is already on the ground. Forecasters urged residents to monitor updates and be prepared to move to shelter quickly if warnings are issued.
The watch was scheduled to end at 2 a.m. Friday, and until then the question for people in the affected counties was simple: stay alert, or wait too long.
