UPDATE: 60,000 Without Power After Storm Rolls Through, Shutting Dream Cruise

UPDATES:

10:03 p.m.: The number of DTE customers who have lost power is now estimated at 60,000 after Saturday's severe weather, spokesman Alejandro Bodipo-Memba said, adding that  and  were among the hardest-hit areas. He said the company hopes to have most customers' power restored by Sunday morning. "We'll have crews working throughout the night," he said.

 "We're hoping to get the majority of folks back up tomorrow morning," DTE spokesman Alejandro Bodipo-Memba said. "That doesn't mean everybody, but the majority." He cautioned residents to stay at least 20 feet away from downed power lines and anything with which they come in contact and to report downed wires immediately by calling 800-477-4747. "We want everybody to be safe," he said

Original report:

A line of thunderstorms barreled through Oakland County between 4:30 and 5 p.m. with heavy winds and torrential rains, leaving thousands without power and downed trees throughout Royal Oak and other communities. 

According to DTE Energy's outage map, more than 11,000 customers lost power after Saturday's storm, with Royal Oak being the hardest-hit with 7,081 customers in the city without power just before 6:30 p.m.

Jeff Knill of Warren wasn't scared of getting wet Saturday while attending the Woodward Dream Cruise at Memorial Park in Royal Oak.

"Rain doesn't bother me," Knill said, "but hail does."

At 4 p.m., Knill was contemplating packing up his gear and family into his 1965 AMC Marlin and heading home. He wasn't alone in his concern. Throngs of spectators along Woodward were packing up and heading to safety as a line of quick-moving storms headed for Oakland County.

A severe thunderstorm warning issued through 5 p.m by the National Weather Service in Detroit indicated a line of severe thunderstorms capable of producing quarter-size hail and damaging winds in excess of 60 mph. That was not good news for those fancy hot rods and prized classics — or people outdoors.

Royal Oak Acting Fire Chief Chuck Thomas said about 4:30 p.m. that things were going smoothly Saturday, but police at the city's Fire Station No. 2 said they were warning spectators that hazardous weather was coming.

The storms were mostly expected across northern Oakland County, but not a lot of folks along Woodward were taking any chances.

"Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways," the weather service said. 

Rain could mean bad news for some classic cars without windshield wipers, such as Tim Pryztulski's 1936 Ford sedan. The Livonia man said he could run into some issues if it's storming when the Dream Cruise is over.

"I could chance it and go home — or stay here and wait," Pryztulski said.