World

Grand Rapids weather, power outage update: Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued for Kent County; is tornado possible?

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for Kent County and much of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. Forecasters warn that dangerous storms could produce tornadoes.

Kent County and much of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula are under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch. Dangerous storms may produce tornadoes, with wind gusts reaching 80 mph (Unsplash)

The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Grand Rapids said storms moving into southwest Michigan could rapidly strengthen over the next several hours, bringing damaging wind gusts up to 80 mph, hail measuring up to 1.5 inches and the possibility of isolated tornadoes.