NORTHERN MICHIGAN -- Update as of 3:00 pm Thursday: Consumers Energy is reporting that 1,000 customers are still without power in Clare County. Wexford, Roscommon and Missaukee have very limited numbers of customers without power. Consumer's says that power in these areas will be restored by midnight tonight.
Parts of the Gladwin area may be without power through noon tomorrow due to extensive power line damage in last nights storm.
At the peak of the storm last night, Consumers reported nearly 34,000 customers without power throughout their service area. That number is now down to around 7,000.
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Several counties in northern Michigan are waking up to heavy damage and power outages due to the latest round of thunderstorms.
Witnesses in Osceola County say a lightning strike started a house fire on East Main Street in downtown Marion Wednesday night. No one was hurt in the fire. Crews were on the scene until 3 Thursday morning.
There is also a road closure to note in Osceola County. Any drivers who plan to use M-66 near downtown Marion are asked to use an alternate route due to downed trees and power lines.
More extensive damage was noted in far Northern Clare County near Leota where a reported 100 trees were blown down near Old-27 along the Clare/Roscommon County line. Clare County Emergency management officials are surveying the area and 7&4 News will also be there today. Powerlines and trees were knocked over in Gladwin County between highways M-18 and M-30.
Consumers Energy reports over 15,000 homes in Michigan are without power as of 4 am Thursday morning, ranging from Wexford County to the thumb.
Clare County has the most outages in our area at 2,236. Osceola County has 954, Missaukee County has 405 while Wexford County has 295 in the dark.
The weather will calm some Thursday with another round of rain/thunderstorms set to roll in Friday. Those storms are not expected to be severe.
