Alert archive / Michigan / Tornado Warnings in 1988
Tornado Warning 4, NWS Detroit, MI
NWS Detroit, MI issued this tornado warning at Apr 3, 1988, 5:12 PM EDT for Washtenaw County, Michigan. It was in force for 48 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- Apr 3, 1988, 5:12 PM EDT (21:12 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 3, 1988, 6:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 48 min
- Issued by
- NWS Detroit, MI
- Area
- Whole counties
County Washtenaw County, MI
The radar
The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3, 5:55 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind 0 | Washtenaw, MI |
NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.
The nearest sounding before it
Detroit, MI (KFNT), launched 12:00Z, 9.2 hours before the alert went out and 62 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 87 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -93 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 910 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 52 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 3 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 66 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- -0.3
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KDTW 032115 COR
TORDTW
MIC161-032200-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING ...CORRECTION...1ST PARA...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT MI
512 PM EDT SUN APR 3 1988
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 600 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY
IN THE SOUTHEAST PART OF LOWER MICHIGAN
WASHTENAW
AT (455PM A FUNNEL CLOUD AND GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED
AT MANCHESTER IN WASHTENAW COUTY...53 MILES WEST
SOUTHWEST OF DOWNTOWN DETROIT. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES
AN HOUR.
TORNADOES HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THIS STORM AT CLAYTON...68
HMILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF DOWNTOWN DETROIT MICHIGAN.
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...FIND SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED
BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...TAKE SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH...
OR LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.
DO NOT USE YOUR CAR TO TRY TO OUTRUN A TORNADO. CARS ARE EASILY
TOSSED AROUND BY TORNADO WINDS. IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN THE PATH OF
A TORNADO...LEAVE THE CAR AND GO TO A STRONG BUILDING. IF NO
STRUCTURE IS NEARBY...TAKE SHELTER IN A DITCH OR LOW SPOT.
PEPOLE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM IN DEXTER...42 MILES WEST OF
DOWNTOWN DETOIT...AND WHITMORE LAKE 37 MILES WEST OF DOWNTOWN
DETROIT MICHIGAN SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.
GREENWhat forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this tornado 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, Apr 3, 2:31 PM EDT, 2 hours 41 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANN ARBOR MI 230 PM EDT SUN APR 3 1988 ...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF THE SOUTH HALF OF THE LOWER PENINSULA UNTIL 700 PM... AT 225 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SHOWERS AND VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR TRAVERSE CITY SOUTH THROUGH MUSKEGON TO EAST OF SOUTH BEND IN NORTHERN INDIANA. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN FROM NEAR KALAMAZOO SOUTH INTO INDIANA. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AROUND 35 MPH. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL... DAMAGING WINDS AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. PERSONS IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE PREPAREDr TO SEEK SHELTER IF A WARNING IS ISSUED OR THREATENING WEATHER OCCURS. JJK
Special weather statement, Apr 3, 3:35 PM EDT, 1 hour 37 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLINT MI
325 PM EST SUN APR 3 1988
...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING...
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN
UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING. CURRENTLY DETROIT WEATHER RADAR IS
INDICATING AN AREA OF SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN
AND POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL OVER PARTS OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN.
ANOTHER AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IS OVER SOUTHEAST LOWER
MICHIGAN AND NORTHERN OHIO.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LANSING MICHIGAN HAS ISSUED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR EATON..CALHOUN..AND BRANCH COUNTIES AS A
LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS CURRENTLY MOVING INTO THAT AREA.
REMEMBER THAT A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE RIPE FOR
THE FORMATION OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS..WHICH PRODUCE LARGE HAIL..
STRONG DAMAGING WINDS..AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING AS WELL AS TORNADOES
AND OFTEN WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING. PLEASE BE PREPARED TO
TAKE IMMEDIATE SHELTER SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPEAR IMMINENT.
FOR FURTHER WEATHER UPDATES..AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS PLEASE STAY TUNED
TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL TELEVISION AND RADIO STATIONS.
KEITH DICKSSpecial weather statement, Apr 3, 3:54 PM EDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANN ARBOR MI 355 PM EDT SUN APR 3 1988 ...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF THE SOUTH HALF OF THE LOWER PENINSULA UNTIL 700 PM... AT 350 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDER- STORM...SOME VERY HEAVY...FROM NEAR MUSKEGON TO LANSING THEN SOUTHWARD INTO NORTHERN OHIO. THE MOST INTENSE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED SOUTHWEST OF HILLSDALE ON THE MICHIGAN-OHIO BORDER. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AROUND 35 MPH. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL... DAMAGING WINDS AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. PERSONS IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER IF A WARNING IS ISSUED OR T4HREATENING WEATHER OCCURS. JJK
Special weather statement, Apr 3, 4:25 PM EDT, 47 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANN ARBOR MI 425 PM EDT SUN APR 3 1988 ...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF THE SOUTH HALF OF THE LOWER PENINSULA UNTIL 700 PM... THE TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING WEST AND SOUTHWEST COUNTIES OF MICHIGAN. KENT...ALLEGAN...VAN BUREN...BERRIEN...CASS...ST JOSEPH...KALAMAZOO AT 420 PM RADAR SHOWED SHOWERS AND VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN. THE MOST INTENSE THUNDERSTORM WAS IN HILLSDALE COUNTY. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. PERSONS IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER IF A WARNING IS ISSUED OR THREATENING WEATHER OOCCURS. JJK
Special weather statement, Apr 3, 4:40 PM EDT, 32 minutes before
TTAA00 KFNT032040CIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLINT MI
430 PM EST SUN APR 3 1988
...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING...
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN
UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING. CURRENTLY DETROIT WEATHER RADAR IS
INDICATING SHOWERS AND VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF
SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN. THE MOST INTENSE
THUNDERSTORM WAS IN HILLSDALE COUNTY AND MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT
35 MPH.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING FOR BOTH
HILLSDALE AND LENAWEE COUNTIES AS A TORNADO IS ON THE GROUND NEAR THE
TOWN OF WALDON. BARNS AND BUILDINGS ARE REPORTED AS BEING DOWN AT
WALDON AT THIS TIME.
PRESENTLY THERE IS NO SEVERE WEATHER BEING REPORTED OR INDICATED IN
EAST CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN..HOWEVER PERSONS ARE STRONGLY URGED TO
REMAIN ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER..AND BE PREPARED TO
TAKE IMMEDIATE SHELTER IF jNECESSARY.
PLEASE STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL TELEVISION AND
RADIO STATIONS FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
KEITH DICKSSpecial weather statement, Apr 3, 4:52 PM EDT, 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANN ARBOR MI 450 PM EDT SUN APR 3 1988 ...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR A PORTION OF THE SOUTH HALF OF THE LOWER PENINSULA UNTIL 700 PM... THE TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OF MICHIGAN. KENT...ALLEGAN...VAN BUREN...BERRIEN...CASS...ST JOSEPH...KALAMAZOO MECOSTA...MONTCALM...ISABELLA...IONIA...BARRY...CALHOUN...BRANCH... MIDLAND...BAY. AT 445 PM RADAR SHOWED SHOWERS AND VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN. THE MOST INTENSE THUNDERSTORM WAS IN SOUTHEAST JACKSON COUNTY. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. PERSONS IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE PREPAREyD TO SEEK SHELTER IF A WARNING IS ISSUED OR THREATENING WEATHER OCCURS. JJK
The office that day
Everything else NWS Detroit, MI issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3, 4:36 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | DTX | Lenawee | 24 min |
| Apr 3, 4:55 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | DTX | Lenawee | 5 min |
| Apr 3, 4:55 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | DTX | Lenawee | 25 min |
| Apr 3, 6:32 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | DTX | Oakland | 23 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Michigan, 1988Every tornado warning in 1988Tornadoes in 1988
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.