Yep.. The real storm was not far away. Southern Michigan.

June 1, 2019 (click here)

WEATHER UPDATE, 7:55 p.m: 

The severe thunderstorm warning is still in effect for central Allegan County. 

High winds and penny size hail are expected for that area. The warning is in effect until 8:15 p.m. 

Thunderstorm watches are also in effect for much of West Michigan.

WEATHER UPDATE, 7:35 p.m: 

A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for counties across southern Michigan as storms cross Lake Michigan.

Severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for Calhoun, Allegan and Ottawa Counties Saturday evening.

The storm first hit Calhoun County, with reports of large hail. The National Weather Service said "tennis ball size hail" and 60 mph wind gusts are the hazards in that area. They said people in Calhoun County should expect wind and hail damage to roofs, siding, windows, vehicles and trees.

The severe thunderstorm warning remains in effect for Calhoun County until 7:30 p.m. NWS said a tornado is possible

Currently continuous low-level thunder over NORTHWEST Ohio, near Toledo. It has been continuous for at least 10 minutes. There are grey clouds to dark grey clouds. There is a single high ceiling and low-level sporadic clouds that are light grey. The clouds are moving fast, appears to be moving in a straight line. Didn't notice circular motion to indicate tornado nearby. If this is part of a tornado, the size of it is enormous. 

The system has that eerie stillness at the ground of a tornado's external cloud structure.

No rain.

No surface winds. 

Birds are singing.

If I can upload the video I will.

There has been no lightning through this episode. It is 4:01 PM and the clouds are slowing, there are some breaks in the cloud cover with a lighter sky. No direct sunlight. Birds are absent and the thunder remains continuous, but, sounds more distant.

4:04 pm

Birds sitting on wire and fence but rarely singing.

Thunder is continuing.

June 1, 2019
1958z
NOAA/Goes East Infrared

It appears to be primarily over the lake. Erie. Literally. Lake Erie. The cloud system is huge. It reminds me more of a heat transfer system cloud, than any weather cloud.'

I am no wizard with electronics. 

4:13 Thunder continues, no lightning, birds mostly quiet. Pictures below are the peripheral clouds. I am fairly convinced these are the peripheral clouds to this system.  Image A and Image B line up next to each other. To my interpretation, those are peripheral developing mammantus clouds.

Image A

                                                               Image B
4:23 pm EST The thunder continues
with no lightning and birds are singing.

There was just a lightning burst that
lit up the sky. There is no rain. Birds are not seen, but, singing loudly. I assume they moved to the trees with the flash of lightning. The clouds are starting to move again, the temperature is cooler and the thunder more distant.

4:34 Below are local loops of the cloud network. There have been several flashes of lightning without any thunder except the low level that is continuous. Is there a chance this is actually a thunderstorm without the rain?

I return to my assessment of a heat transfer system, but, I have never seen one with thunder or intermittent lightning. Although, considering there is a change in temperature the lightning makes sense.

4:38 pm EST The thunder continues, intermittent lightning, no rain. Birds are flying about and singing. Clouds appear to be more still than before. The birds were not in normal flight before. This is the first time they are moving as if a normal day.

4:42 pm EST The lightning has moved off to the distance and closer to Lake Erie. Birds singing, sky lighter without sunshine, clouds moving again, the temperature remains cool and the ground is damp from the rain received before the continuous thunder began. That rain was a storm with a fair amount of wind, but, nothing that would damage. More or less a wind that would be felt on the face if outside.

4:45 pm EST I think that is it. The thunder is nearly undetectable. The lightning has moved off and there is now a dog barking that was silent before. The clouds are still moving, there is no rain. it is a peripheral system and the temperature remains cool. 

END