Southeast Michigan Tornado Outbreak

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The Southeast Michigan Tornado Outbreak occurred on July 2, 1997 in the built-up area of Detroit, Michigan. There were 13 tornadoes in total, 3 dragged through neighbourhoods and downtown, hitting northern Detroit between I-96 and Eight Mile Road, Hamtramck and Highland Park. The storms killed 7, caused local flooding, and destroyed houses. One tornado formed east of the Detroit River, in Essex County, Ontario near Windsor, Ontario and caused damage in Windsor and Essex County. The strongest tornado was listed as an F3.

[edit] Aftermath

Later that evening and the next day, the local television stations (such as WJBK, WDIV-TV, and WXYZ-TV) displayed video and images of downtown Detroit. One particular image showed the central tower of the Renaissance Center, with nearly every single glass window blown out from the winds and debris of the storm. Similar results were found at many of the neighbouring towers and office buildings.

The temperatures on July 2 were very high, around 32 C (90 F), with a humidex close to 40 C (104 F). After the storm passed, the temperatures dropped to 18 C (70 F).

For the next 6 to 8 hour, there were still thunderstorms rolling and rumbling through, and many people were afraid of further tornadic activity, especially since two-thirds of the City of Windsor were without power until the next morning. Many large trees were felled by the storm's winds as well.

[edit] Tecumseh Road Viaduct

The effects on the Tecumseh Road viaduct on the west end of Windsor, Ontario were quite overwhelming, however. The steel girder viaduct was built in 1944, and was just two-lanes, going under the CN Rail line that leads to the Michigan Central Railway Tunnel. The storms associated with the tornado outbreak dumped such a large amount of rain and floodwaters, that the viaduct was flooded up to the height of a car's roof, as one automobile was submerged (The driver was unharmed, however).

Since this viaduct was a well-known traffic bottleneck (even moreso for transport trucks, since the viaduct was so low, it would peel the roof off of their trailers), and would flood with around a foot of water from even a light rain, that it was completely closed, torn down, and rebuilt in August of 1998, and finished 2 weeks ahead of schedule, and 2 million dollars under budget. The new underpass is built of concrete, is four lanes wide, and is designed to handle the largest of transport trucks.