TRAVERSE CITY — Northern Michigan took a hit from Pacific Ocean-based tropical storm Georgette.
The tropical storm that brought monsoon rains and severe flooding to parts of Mexico, specifically the Baha California region, carried enough moisture with it to dump heavy rain across the Great Lakes region.
"You could call it a torrential rainstorm," said Andy Sullivan, meteorologist at the National Weather Service station in Gaylord.
Weather officials recorded more than 2.5 inches of rain in Traverse City between 4 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Thursday, Sullivan said.
The tropical storm moved quickly across the southwestern deserts and the western plains, carrying with it some embedded thunderstorms that caused lightning flashes.
"It was mostly cloud-to-cloud lightning," Sullivan said.
In Traverse City, rain drops falling on impervious surfaces created havoc as gutters swelled and streets flooded.
City workers rushed to do what they could as the storm sewers were "running pretty full," said Bob Cole, Traverse City's public services director.
"It really filled the gutters up in a hurry. It was worse on the west side. Our guys spent the morning out there getting leaves and such out of the catch basins," Cole said. "I'm sure there are some people on the west side of town who probably got some water in their garages or basements."
Nancy Kellum lives on Cedar Street near Kids Creek, a stream that often floods during heavy rain, she said.
"The street is still flooded out in front of our house," Kellum said more than an hour after the rainfall stopped.
No rain water leaked into Kellum's basement, but her yard was saturated and she expected her sump pump to kick on, she said.
Major rain events often hike E. coli levels in local beach waters and the Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay took water samples at Bryant Park on Thursday, said Sarah U'Ren, the nonprofit's program director.
The samples will be tested for pathogens, including E. coli. The work is paid for through a grant from the U.S. Geological Survey, not part of the weekly beach testing program by the Grand Traverse County Health Department that ended two weeks ago. But the health department will report the test results today.
Elevated E. coli levels are expected, said Thomas Buss, the department's environmental health manager.
More rain is expected today, along with strong winds with gusts up to 45 mph, Sullivan said.
Saturday and Sunday should be sunny with temperatures expected to be in the in the lower-60s.
Region
Related Photos
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Pedestrians make their way through Traverse City on a rainy Thursday afternoon. Record-Eagle/Jan-Michael Stump
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Bobby Lane, 13, of Traverse City, walks home in the rain Thursday from his bus stop. Record-Eagle/Keith King
Rain leaves northern Mich. sopping wet
2.5 inches falls on TC in 9-hour span Thursday
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