Tornado watch covers six Michigan counties until 2 a.m. Friday — Weather Grand Rapids

Weather Grand Rapids: The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch Thursday night for parts of southeast Michigan as storms moved through Metro Detroit on June 11. The watch stays in effect until 2 a.m. Friday, giving residents in the area a short overnight window to follow updates and prepare for warnings.

Six counties in the watch

The watch includes Bay, Genesee, Livingston, Midland, Saginaw, and Shiawassee counties. Cities inside the watch area include Bay City, Brighton, Durand, Flint, Fowlerville, Howell, Midland, Owosso, and Saginaw.

Forecasters said conditions were favorable for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. A watch does not mean a tornado has been spotted, but it does mean the weather setup can support one.

Metro Detroit Thursday night

The alert came as severe weather was possible in Metro Detroit on Thursday, June 11, while storms moved through the region. That left the affected counties under an overnight alert rather than a daytime one, when more people would normally be actively tracking changes in the forecast.

Residents were told to stay alert, monitor weather updates, and be ready to move to shelter if warnings are issued. For people in the listed counties, the practical step is simple: keep a way to receive weather warnings and be prepared to act before the watch expires at 2 a.m. Friday.