Thousands across Southeast Michigan remained without power on Friday after rounds of widespread storms brought heavy rain, high winds, and at least one tornado to the region.
More severe weather for the region is possible on Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
Thursday's storms initially knocked out electricity to more than 350,000 utility customers across the region. More than 259,000 were still in the dark on Friday morning.
DTE Energy reported early Friday that the storms had interrupted service to more than 242,000 of its two million customers, as of 7:30 a.m. The number was 263,574 late Thursday, down from more than 300,000 earlier in the day, according to the utility.
Company officials said Friday that crews had restored service to more than 70,000 customers affected by the multiple waves of storms that impacted the region.
"We expect to restore 65% of impacted customers by end of day Friday, 90% of customers by end of day Saturday, and the remainder by end of day Sunday," DTE said on the company's website.
The company also said 3,400 employees, including more than a thousand field workers from outside Michigan, were working to restore power to everyone affected as safely and quickly as possible.
Consumers Energy said early Friday that 17,476 of its more than 1.8 million customers were without power, as of 7:30 a.m. on Friday. That's down from 23,000 at the height of the storms.
More than three-quarters of an inch of rain fell on Detroit Thursday, according to National Weather Service data. Some places across Metro Detroit saw more than 2 inches of rain from the overnight storms. Royal Oak saw 2.34 inches of rain by 6:30 a.m. Thursday, Commerce Township got 2.17 inches by 7 a.m., and Eastpointe received 2.04 inches by 6:45 a.m., the agency said.
The flooding prompted state officials to close some roadways until the water drained away.
Also on Thursday, the National Weather Service recorded multiple reports of high-wind damage, downed trees, and hail in Metro Detroit.
Officials said a tornado may have landed on Detroit's east side, but it hasn't been confirmed yet.
The weather service confirmed on Thursday that a twister touched down in Marysville at 7:19 p.m. Wednesday, this week's first round of severe storms. The tornado's path was 0.35 miles long and 175 yards wide, with 75 mph winds.
NWS officials said there is a marginal to slight risk for severe weather on Friday.
"Severe weather will be possible this morning mainly south of M-59, with an additional chance near the Ohio border this afternoon," they said. Officials added the potential window for the storms is from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Heavy rainfall and flooding could also be a threat Friday, due to the recent downpours and the potential for storms to break out in a moist environment.
Furthermore, heat indices — the heat combined with the relative humidity — may touch 90 degrees briefly Friday afternoon because of high dewpoints that will linger for another day, officials said.
Detroit's high temperature on Friday is expected to reach 82 degrees, according to the NWS forecast. The agency also calls for showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 3 p.m, and areas of fog before 2 p.m.
The city's average monthly high temperature in September is 74.4, according to the service's data. The average low for the month is 55.5. The hottest Sept. 4 on record was in 2018 with 92, the data said.
NWS meteorologists predict more seasonable temperatures and lower humidity will return to the region for the weekend.
High pressure should build south across the region and bring cooler temperatures to the area for the rest of the weekend and into next week, resulting in highs in the upper 70s.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: 259,000 still without power after severe storms