Fruit tree damage near Traverse City

Severe storms carrying strong winds and hail caused damage to crops near Traverse City over the weekend.
MLive.com reports that apple, grape and cherry crops were hit hard by the storms the Leelanau Peninsula, Old Mission Peninsula and the fruit belt near Elk Rapids on Sunday. Winds of up to 100 mph passed through the region, shredding leaves, ripping off bark and downing trees and trellises. Some fruit was blown off of the branches or punctured by hail.
Although the weather damage was widespread, severity varied by location.
Brian Altonen of Altonen’s Orchards owns two orchards in Antrim County. He tells the Traverse City Record-Eagle that the orchard further north in Kewadin saw little damage. But he says damage at the other orchard a few miles south in Elk River was extensive.  (AP)