For years the tale of the Edmund Fitzgerald has been well documented among Michiganders through stories, video, song, and school teachings; this past Tuesday, the renowned story became more real than ever.
Tornado warnings were issued throughout West Michigan in anticipation of a storm that was predicted by many meteorologists to resemble the disastrous monsoon that sank the famous Edmund Fitzgerald.
The first tornado warning for Kent County was issued at 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday morning, and dorm resident directors and assistants worked to take the necessary precautions entailed by a severe storm.
“This sort of thing doesn’t happen very often, yet we always have to be prepared,” said Becki Levad, resident director of Schultze-Eldersveld, “When you looked out the window it didn’t look like much, but we’d rather be safe than sorry,”
The sirens served as a substitute alarm clock around campus, as students and staff scurried for shelter in dorm and building basements.
“I got a hold of all the RA’s and we tried to get everyone to the basement as soon as possible,” said Levad, “If the tornado comes, it will win; you will lose.”
No tornadoes were spotted near Calvin, or anywhere associated with the storm for that matter.
The most significant aspect of the storm may have been the chaos that ensued as opposed to the destruction that was caused.
“I was supposed to have my academic advising when the first sirens went off,” said Freshman Lucas Timmer, “After they stopped, I had to go over to the engineering building and find my advisor. We ended up having the meeting in the basement. It was a real pain.”
Despite not producing the visually powerful display expected by many in the area, the storm did break records, as anticipated by meteorologists throughout the Midwest.
The storm had a minimum central pressure of 956 mb, which is equivalent to the minimum pressure of a Category 3 hurricane, breaking the old record of 958 mb set on Jan. 26, 1978 during the blizzard often referred to as the “Cleveland Superbomb”. It also toppled that of the “Witch of November” storm that downed the Edmund Fitzgerald, which meteorologists forecasted it to closely resemble.
Wind gusts were reported at as high as 65 mph near Ludington and South Haven, damaging trees, structures, and power lines.
A high wind warning remained in effect until 8 p.m. Wednesday night, accompanied by Lake Michigan waves which reached 14-20 feet at lakeshore.
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