Mission Statement
Be a leader and partner in emergency management and weather forecasting, providing accurate and life-saving 'ground truth' to the public, local authorities, and the National Weather Service when dangerous weather is occurring or imminent.
Get In Touch With Us
Business Inquiries & Licensing Requests
Please email us at:
westmi.wx@gmail.com
Make A Storm Report
If you wish to submit a storm report please click here or share it with us via one of our social media accounts!
Mailing Address
For security reasons, we do not make this information publicly available.
Please email us and we'll provide you with additional information.
Social Media Accounts
Our Story & Who We Are Today
Introduction
West Michigan Weather Was Founded In 2019 By Jonah & Owen Drake.
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Two brothers who share a passion for the mystery of weather and a wish to make Michigan part of #WeatherReady Nation!
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From watching storms out the windows of their home to a full-fledged community with more than 10,000 cross-platform followers, this is the home of WMIWX!
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Our Story
Inspired by the Discovery Channel series: 'Tornado Chasers' and the star Dr. Reed Timmer, Owen and Jonah Drake began to steadily gain interest in severe weather and had an increasing desire to share that passion with those around them!
In an effort to save lives, preserve property, and increase overall weather awareness they launched a Discord server in 2019 and the organization quickly grew from there.
Having completed basic weather spotting certification through the National Weather Service and having studied severe weather on a much more in-depth basis in their free time, they decided to begin chasing severe weather near their hometown, north of Grand Rapids, MI in the summer of 2018 with only their phones, a single vehicle, and a NOAA weather radio.
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Who We Are Today
West Michigan Weather has become a full-on community comprised of weather enthusiasts, meteorologists, SkyWarn Spotters, emergency management personnel from around the region, Michiganders, and people from across the country and the world!
Today we provide live storm chasing and weather updates, school closing outlooks, generalized weather forecasts, significant weather event reviews, storm reporting, and more to more than 22,000 square miles of Western Lower Michigan.
WMIWX Coverage Area
We provide weather forecasts, live storm chasing, and significant weather event reviews for over 4,200 square nautical miles of Lake Michigan and more than 22,000 square miles of Western, Central, South-central, and Southwestern lower Michigan!
This includes 28 counties: Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Branch, Cass, Calhoun, Clare, Clinton, Eaton, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Ingham, Ionia, Isabella, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola, Ottawa, St. Joseph, and VanBuren.
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Included also are the Lake Michigan open and nearshore waters from Michiana, North to Manistee, and out West to the mid-lake MI/WI state line.
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Meet the Team
Meet The West Michigan Weather Community Founders & Their Staff!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the best way to get updates from WMIWX?
A: The best way to get updates from WMIWX is to follow us on Twitter(X). We use this platform most often, especially during severe weather events.
Q: Can I donate to West Michigan Weather?
A: Yes! Please check out the "Donate" section of the website here! There are many options for both one time and recurring donations.
Q: Will my school be closed tomorrow?
A: We're not sure. All we can do is make a prediction! School closures are up to the adminstrators of the individual district or their representatives.
