Community Corner

Tornado Watch in Effect Until 1 A.M.

Severe thunderstorms could spark winds up to 70 mph on heels of Saturday's powerful storm.

Oakland County is under a tornado watch until 1 a.m. Thursday as well as a hazardous weather outlook as storms head our way.

The National Weather Service is calling for a chance of thunderstorms during the late afternoon and evening hours, primarily between 5-11 p.m. today.

"There is a chance of severe thunderstorms this evening as a cold front interacts with a warm and humid air mass," according to the weather service. "The strongest storms will be capable of producing wind gusts to 70 mph and hail to one inch in diameter. There is also a chance of tornadoes. The better chances for severe weather will extend south and east of a line from Sandusky to Lansing. Thunderstorms will move east around 50 mph."

Find out what's happening in Rochester-Rochester Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

DTE Energy also issued a statement warning of the oncoming storm, indicating the storm may cause power outages.

DTE also shared the following tips:

Find out what's happening in Rochester-Rochester Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

  • Never cross the yellow barrier tape that may be around downed power lines.
  • Never drive across downed wires. If a power line falls on your vehicle, remain inside your car until help arrives.
  • A live wire may spark and whip around as it looks for a ground. A ground is the earth or something touching the earth, like a fence or a tree. A live wire that has found its ground may lie silently, but it is still dangerous. Report it online or call us immediately at 800-477-4747.
  • Stay out of flooded or damp basements or other areas if water is in contact with outlets, a furnace or any electrically operated appliance that is energized. The water or moisture may conduct electricity. Contact may cause serious or fatal injury.
  • If portable heaters or candles are being used, keep them well away from flammable materials. Properly vent portable heaters. Keep children and pets away.
  • If you leave your home during the outage, double-check to make sure all heat-producing appliances, such as stoves, clothes dryers, irons and curling irons, are unplugged. This will minimize the danger of fire if power is restored while you are away.
  • Know how to reset your circuit breaker. Turn off lamps and appliances that were in use when the power went out. Make sure your hands are dry; stand on a dry surface. Find the breaker switch pointed toward the "OFF" position. Turn the switch all the way to "off," then to the "on" position.
  • If your home wiring is protected by fuses instead of circuit breakers, you may want to call in an electrician for assistance. There are many variations in the types and designs of fuse boxes. For safety's sake, make sure you have instructions for your specific type of fuse. Have appropriate replacement fuses on hand and store them, along with a flashlight, near the fuse panel.
  • Protect sensitive electronic equipment, such as computers, televisions and stereos, with surge suppressors. If you are home when a storm approaches, you may want to unplug sensitive electronic equipment.
  • Wait until power has been fully restored before making any attempt to clear debris from yards.

More tips are online.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Rochester-Rochester Hills