It’s been a stormy month in the region, and Macomb’s top elected official urged people to take it seriously when tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings are issued.
Mayor Mike Inman said the outdoor weather alert sirens in Macomb are activated under two scenarios: one is for a tornado warning, the other for a severe thunderstorm warning with predicted winds of 70 miles per hour or greater.
“I would just ask folks to remember, when those sirens go off, there’s significant weather in the area and you need to take precautions,” Inman said.
The sirens sounded in Macomb on June 17 due to the threat of severe thunderstorms. But the worst of the weather that day missed Macomb and instead damaged areas just to the north.
An EF-1 tornado hit Monmouth, damaging several downtown buildings and downing power lines and trees. The storm’s winds reached an estimated 100 miles per hour.
Straight line winds near the unincorporated community of Ormonde, south of Monmouth, derailed 18 train cars. No injuries were reported.
Inman said Macomb officials reached out to offer assistance to Monmouth and Charleston as part of a larger mutual aid network in the state, but both communities already had the help they needed.
Inman said his thoughts and prayers go out to Monmouth and other communities hit by damaging storms.
“I don’t know about other folks, but I’m ready for it to be over,” Inman said.
Severe storms are not in the forecast for this week, but dangerous conditions are still possible. The National Weather Service said heat and high humidity has overspread the area, and heat indices of 100 or higher are likely through Thursday.
TSPR’s Jane Carlson contributed to this story.
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