Grand Rapids Power Outages Caused by Weather
Events
August 29, 2022 - Thunderstorm Wind
Several trees and power lines were blown down across Kent county.
Balmont - Balmont
July 23, 2022 - Thunderstorm Wind
Numerous large trees were snapped off or uprooted and there were numerous power outages, mostly in a more concentrated damage path just northwest to north and northeast of downtown Grand Rapids from Walker Avenue east to Fish Ladder Park and Lookout Park. One fatality occurred just north of downtown Grand Rapids due to wind blowing down a large hinged steel door on a shipping container onto the man.
Eagle Mills - Grand Rapids
July 23, 2022 - Thunderstorm Wind
Numerous large trees were snapped off or uprooted and there were numerous power outages, mostly in a more concentrated damage path just northwest to north and northeast of downtown Grand Rapids from Walker Avenue east to Fish Ladder Park and Lookout Park. One fatality occurred just north of downtown Grand Rapids due to wind blowing down a large hinged steel door on a shipping container onto the man.
Eagle Mills - Grand Rapids
August 10, 2021 - Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gusts to around 60 mph brought down several trees and tree limbs and power lines.
Holy Corners - Holy Corners
November 15, 2020 - High Wind
A peak wind gust of 63 mph was measured by the Grand Rapids airport ASOS. Scattered power outages were reported.
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Episodes
February 22, 2023
A major ice storm impacted much of southern Lower Michigan while areas of moderate to heavy snow impacted central Lower Michigan on February 22, 2023. Nearly 800,000 homes and businesses lost power across southern lower Michigan as freezing rain accumulated on trees and power lines, bringing branches, trees, and power lines down in many areas. In between the areas of freezing rain to the south and snow to the north, sleet (ice pellet) accumulation reached a couple of inches deep.||Freezing rain occurred mostly south of the I-96 corridor. Along and slightly north of the I-96 corridor, ice pellets persisted for most of this event leading to 1-2 of dense ice pellet accumulation. Further north, the atmosphere was cold enough to keep precipitation all snow, where generally 2-8 fell. Wind gusts reached the 30-40 mph range for many locations during the height of the event. This added an additional challenge to areas that received heavy icing on trees and power lines.
August 29, 2022
There were numerous reports of downed trees, tree limbs and power lines as a result of numerous severe thunderstorms on August 29th.
July 23, 2022
Severe thunderstorms bringing wind gusts in the 60 to 72 mph range brought down several trees, tree limbs and power lines across portions of southern and south central lower Michigan. One fatality occurred just north of downtown Grand Rapids when a large hinged steel door on a shipping container was blown onto a man.
July 21, 2022
Isolated severe storms resulted in several reports of damaging wind gusts which resulted in several downed trees and tree limbs and power outages.
December 16, 2021
Wind gusts reached as high as 79 mph at Holland and 71 mph at Pentwater during the early morning hours of December 16th. There were numerous reports of wind gusts reaching the 55 to 60 mph range and this caused scattered power outages.
News
Ottawa County’s elections division using generator after power outage - mlive.com
A construction crew struck a mismarked power line at the Ottawa County Fillmore Complex in West Ottawa.
Nov 9, 2022
50 mph wind gusts could cause power outages, dangerous driving conditions
High winds, with gusts of up to 50 mph, could cause power outages and dangerous driving conditions for much of central and southeast Michigan.
Nov 5, 2022
Crews continue to work to restore power to thousands | WOODTV.com Open Navigation Close Navigation
Consumers Energy crew are working to restore power to thousands of customers.
Nov 5, 2022
High winds take down trees, power lines across parts of northern Michigan | WPBN
NORTHERN MICHIGAN (WPBN/WGTU) -- Wind gusts of more than 40 m.p.h. continue across northern Michigan, creating some power outages.As you travel Tuesday morning,
Oct 18, 2022
Service restored after water main break in NE Grand Rapids | WOODTV.com Open Navigation Close Navigation
There was a water outage on Grand Rapids’ northwest side Thursday due to a water main break, the city says.
Oct 6, 2022
State agency calls audit of power outage response | WOODTV.com Open Navigation Close Navigation
A state agency will now require Consumers Energy and DTE to report how they are managing power outages and educating the public on downed power lines.
Oct 6, 2022
State conducts audit on Consumers Energy, DTE after Michigan ranks among top states for outages | wzzm13.com
Michigan is sixth longest in the nation for annual outage minutes per customer and the third longest for time to restore power after an outage as of 2019.
Oct 5, 2022
Semi-truck hits wires, causes power outage | WOODTV.com Open Navigation Close Navigation
About 1,100 Consumers Energy customers in northern Grand Rapids and Plainfield Township lost power Tuesday morning after a semi-truck hit some power lines, authorities say.
Oct 4, 2022
Power outages reported in Bay County after severe storms - mlive.com
The power outage closed the Bay County Court Facility at 1230 Washington Avenue in downtown Bay City for the remainder of the day.
Sep 21, 2022
3 Grand Rapids schools close early after power outage - mlive.com
The outages are on Grand Rapids' West Side
Sep 14, 2022
Power Outage FAQs
What is Power Outage?
Power outage (also called a power cut, a power blackout, power failure or a blackout) is a short-term or a long-term loss of the electric power to a particular area.
What Causes Power Outages?
- Severe weather (high winds, lightning, winter storms, heat waves, rain or flooding can cause damage to power lines or equipment);
- Other damage to electric transmission lines (vehicle accidents, trees, and animals can cause damage to power lines or equipment);
- Repairing, maintenance or upgrades on power lines and equipment.
What are the Top Outage Safety Tips?
- Stay away from the downed power lines, park vehicles in protected areas;
- Unplug appliances and electronics, limit cell phone use to conserve battery life;
- Use portable generators outdoors only, well away from open windows and doors;
- Pack perishable foods into a cooler, keep refrigerator and freezer doors shut as much as possible.