Hours after an outbreak of severe weather impacted dozens of states, experts in the field of geospatial data were busy surveying neighborhoods in Barnsdall, Oklahoma, and Portage, Michigan – both impacted by tornadoes.

Geospatial Insurance Consortium released aerial imagery of what the communities looked like before and after the tornadoes struck, and photos show the erratic characteristics of one of Mother Nature’s most powerful forces.

Imagery from Barnsdall, Oklahoma, showed homes and outbuildings that had significant storm damage, with debris spread many yards from the residences.

Imagery from Barnsdall, Oklahoma showed homes and outbuildings that had significant storm damage, with debris spread many yards from the residences.

(Geospatial Insurance Consortium  / FOX Weather)

Many trees appeared to be de-leafed or even snapped at their bases.

Meteorologists at the National Weather Service office in Tulsa determined that the tornado that struck the community maxed out an EF-4 strength with winds around 166-200 mph.

Local authorities reported more than three dozen homes were either damaged or destroyed, and one person was killed.

SCAR OF DEVASTATING OKLAHOMA EF-4 TORNADO CAN BE SEEN FROM SPACE

The same storm system produced tornadoes in Michigan, with an EF-2 tearing a path through the town of Portage in Kalamazoo County.

Local meteorologists determined the twister to have winds in the 111-135 mph range, but due to the more densely populated area, more structures were damaged or destroyed than during northeastern Oklahoma’s event.

“The high-resolution oblique and ortho imagery shows widespread devastation and the erratic nature of a tornado, where one home could be left standing and the two or three next to it completely destroyed,” the GIC said.

Portage in Kalamazoo County, Michigan

(Geospatial Insurance Consortium / FOX Weather)

WHY TORNADO ALLEY IS SHIFTING EAST

Photos showed extensive roof damage to homes, and unlike trees and foliage in Oklahoma, the vegetation appeared to be uprooted versus being snapped by the strong winds.

The differences in the characteristics of the damage may be due to the weaker wind speeds or because the ground in parts of the Great Lakes is a bit more saturated than in the Plains.

The before-and-after imagery is provided to insurers to help the claim processes in disaster zones. 

“This imagery helps our insurer members proactively reach out to impacted customers to get them on the road to recovery as quickly as possible,” the GIC stated.

Damage estimates from the latest round of severe storms have not been released, but an outbreak during the final days of April is estimated to have produced losses in excess of $2 billion.

May is typically the peak month for tornadoes in the U.S., with 250-300 typical formations.

During June and July, the storm track tends to shift northward, with states such as the Dakotas, Minnesota and Iowa being at a higher risk for severe weather.

Imagery from Barnsdall, Oklahoma showed homes and outbuildings that had significant storm damage, with debris spread many yards from the residences.

(Geospatial Insurance Consortium / FOX Weather)

(CBS DETROIT) – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Thursday that 85 new jobs will be created in Michigan to help expand the state’s presence as a “high-tech hub” for the electric vehicle testing, defense and aerospace industries. 

The jobs were created due to two investment projects, with LHP Engineering and Barron Industries Inc., which will represent $12.7 million in capital investment, according to a release.

“Today, we are announcing two investments in Oakland County creating 85 jobs and building on Michigan’s advanced manufacturing,” said Whitmer. “Since I took office, we have secured more than 38,000 auto jobs, many building batteries and electric vehicles, and we have continued growing our strong defense and aerospace industries. We will keep competing with other states and nations to bring more jobs and projects home so we can help more workers and businesses ‘make it’ in Michigan.” 

LHP Engineering, headquartered in Columbus, will open an electric vehicle testing center in Pontiac. The company provides engineering, training, and technology services. 

Officials expect this project to create 35 jobs and generate a capital investment of $3.6 million. A $500,000 Michigan Business Development Program grant supports the project.

“This is a perfect example of how the state, in collaboration with local cities and counties, is becoming a global leader in mobility and vehicle electrification,” said Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter. “When LHP Engineering Solutions had a choice of where to locate its new electric vehicle testing and training center and the 35 high-wage engineering jobs that come with it, the company chose Pontiac over another site in Indiana. We welcome the investment and the confidence that LHP has in Michigan and Oakland County.”  

The second investment project is with Barron Industries, Inc., a family-owned metal castings producer in the defense and aerospace industry.

The company is expanding by acquiring new metal 3D printing and machining equipment. The move is expected to generate $9.1 million in capital investment, creating 50 new jobs. 

These jobs will have an average wage of $32 an hour along with benefits, almost $10 above the regional median wage. The project is supported by a  $900,000 Michigan Business Development Program grant. 

• Hosts: Tony Garica (@RealTonyGarcia) and Rainer Sabin (@RainerSabin)

• Editor: Robin Chan

• Executive producer: Kirkland Crawford

• Producer: Andrew Birkle

• Email: apgarcia@freepress.com

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On this episode: Tony and Rainer open the show by discussing Michigan basketball’s media availability on Tuesday and what they heard from Dusty May and the rest of his new staff. Did the Wolverines nail this difficult and important offseason? And could this team make the NCAA tournament?

Then after the break, Andrew and Rainer ask Tony about his one-on-one interview with Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, what went into setting the meeting up, his biggest takeaways and other behind-the-scenes notes.

SABIN: Michigan basketball and Dusty May clearly (and rapidly) moving in the right direction

GARCIA: Michigan basketball’s Dusty May ‘pleasantly surprised’ by state of new roster

WARDE MANUEL INTERVIEW: Michigan AD Warde Manuel exclusive interview: The hardest thing he has done in career