Alert archive / Michigan / Flash Flood Warnings in 1986

Flash Flood Warning 4, NWS Detroit, MI

September 29, 1986Genesee County, Michigan

NWS Detroit, MI issued this flash flood warning at Sep 29, 1986, 8:28 PM EDT for Genesee County, Michigan. It was in force for 5 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Sep 29, 1986, 8:28 PM EDT (00:28 UTC)
Expired
Sep 30, 1986, 1:00 AM EDT
In force
5 hr
Issued by
NWS Detroit, MI
Area
Whole counties

County Genesee County, MI

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The nearest sounding before it

Detroit, MI (KFNT), launched 00:00Z, 0.5 hours before the alert went out and 40 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Detroit, MI at 00:00Z on 1986-09-30Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 642 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Detroit, MI at 00:00Z on 1986-09-30The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 316 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
642 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-28 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
949 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
316 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
397 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
6.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAAOO KFNT 300028
FFWFNT
MIC049-300430-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLINT MI
828 PM EDT MON SEP 29 1986
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1230 AM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:
 
IN EAST CENTRAL MICHIGAN
          ..GENESEE

SPOTTERS AND THE GENESEE COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT REPORT THAT MOST
OF GENESEE COUNTY IS EXPERIENCING FLASH FLOODING DUE TO THE HEAVY
RAINS EXPERIENCED THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE DAY. THE LATEST WAVE OF
THUNDERSTORMS HAVE CAUSED STORM DRAINS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY TO
BACKUP..AND HAS CREATED HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS DUE TO WATER
STANDING IN LOW LYING AREAS OF MOST ROADS AND INTERSTATE FREEWAYS.
 
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS
IMMINENT.  MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.  DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO CROSS BRIDGES, DIPS, OR LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY.  NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM, EVEN A SMALL ONE,
ON FOOT.  TO ESCAPE RISING WATER MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND.
 
MOST DEATHS IN FLASH FLOODING OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.  DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO CROSS BRIDGES, DIPS, OR LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY.  NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM, EVEN A SMALL ONE,
ON FOOT.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Sep 29, 2:53 PM EDT, 5 hours 35 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLINT MI
250 PM EDT SEPTEMBER 29 1986

...VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL
   LOW MICHIGAN.

AT 230 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED VERY HEAVY
THUNDERSTORMS TO THE SOUTHWEST OF FLINT NEAR DURAND. THESE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF A LARGE AREA THAT EXTENDED TO WEST
OF LANSING.

AT 225 PM THE PUBLIC REPORTED VERY HEAVY RAIN...STRONG WIND AND
PEA SIZE HAIL NEA^R DURAND.

HEAVY RAIN...STRONG GUSTY WIND AND SMALL HAIL ALONG WITH FLOODING
OF LOW LYING AREAS AND UNDERPASSES CAN BE EXPECTED AS THESE
THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE TOWARDS THE EAST AT 45 MPH.

BURNEY
Special weather statement, Sep 29, 5:25 PM EDT, 3 hours 3 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANN ARBOR MI
520 PM EDT MON SEP 29 1986

   ...TORNADO WATCH FOR SOUTH LOWER MICHIGAN UNTIL 11 PM EDT...

AT 5 PM EDT RADAR SHOWED A NARROW BAND OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION EXTENDING
FROM NEAR BENTON HARBOR NORTH THROUGH HOLLAND AND THE AREA JUST EAST
OF MUSKEGON AND INTO NEWAYGO COUNTY.

THUS FAR ONLY TORRENTIAL RAINS HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THIS BAND...
BUT FURTHER INTENSIFICATION MAY OCCUR
.

PRESENT MOVEMENT IS TOWARD THE EAST NORTHEAST AT AROUND 45 MPH. THE
HEAVIEST RAINFALL WILL REACH THE GRAND RAPIDS AREA BETWEEN 530 AND
600 PM EDT.

HUGHES
Special weather statement, Sep 29, 7:17 PM EDT, 1 hour 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANN ARBOR MI
520 PM EDT MON SEP 29 1986

   ...TORNADO WATCH FOR SOUTH LOWER MICHIGAN UNTIL 11 PM EDT...

AT 7 PM EDT RADAR SHOWED A BAND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING
FROM NEAR SAGINAW THROUGH LANSING TO NEAR COLDWATER. IN ADDITION TO
TORRENTIAL RAINS...GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL AND WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 50
MPH HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS.

PRESENT MOVEMENT IS TOWARD THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. THESE STORMS
WILL MOVE INTO THE FLINT AND JACKSON AREAS BETWEEN 715 AND 745 PM EDT.

A SECOND AREA OF HEAVY STORMS EXTENDED FROM EXTREME SOUTHERN LAKE
MICHIGAN SOUTHWEST INTO EASTERN ILLINOIS. PRESENT MOVEMENT WILL CARRY
THESE STORMS INTO EXTREME SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN LATER THIS EVENING.

HUGHES
Special weather statement, Sep 29, 7:31 PM EDT, 57 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLINT MI
730 PM EDT SEPTEMBER 29 1986

...HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS..HIGH WINDS..AND FUNNEL CLOUDS REPORTED
                IN SHIAWASSEE COUNTY...
Special weather statement, Sep 29, 7:38 PM EDT, 50 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLINT MI
730 PM EDT SEPTEMBER 29 1986

...HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS..HIGH WINDS..AND FUNNEL CLOUDS REPORTED
                IN SHIAWASSEE COUNTY...
SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL IN SHIASASSEE COUNTY REPORT HEAVY
THUBDERSTORMS..FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..AND TWO REPORTS
OF FUNNEL CLOUDS NEAR THE TOWN OF MORRIS IN SHIAWASSEE COUNTY.

RADAR INDICATES A LINE OF HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH THE
COUNTY IN A NORTHEASTERLY DIRECTION AT THIS TIME. THE STORMS ARE
NOW ENTERING THE FLUSHING AREA IN WESTERN GENESEE COUNTY AS
REPORTED BY SPOTTERS. THE STORMS ARE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES
AN HOUR.

PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM SHOULD STAY ALERT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER AS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR THE FORMATION OF TORNADOES..
LARGE HAIL..DAMAGING WINDS..AND VERY HEAVY RAINS WITH THIS STORM.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EDT THIS EVENING
FOR GENESEE..LAPEER AND SHIAWASSEE COUNTIES..A FLOOD WARNING IS IN
EFFECT FOR THE FLINT RIVER..AND A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT
UNTIL  800 PM EDT TUESDAY EVENING.

PERSONS ARE URGED TO STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO..OR LOCAL
TELEVISION AND COMMERCIAL RADIO STATIONS FOR FURTHER UPDATES

DICKS

The office that day

Everything else NWS Detroit, MI issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 29, 8:16 PM EDTTornado WarningDTXGenesee, Lapeer59 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Michigan, 1986Every flash flood warning in 1986

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.