Alert archive / Michigan / Flash Flood Warnings in 1989

Flash Flood Warning 3, NWS Grand Rapids, MI

June 23, 1989Gratiot County, Michigan

NWS Grand Rapids, MI issued this flash flood warning at Jun 23, 1989, 6:35 PM EDT for Gratiot County, Michigan. It was in force for 115 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 23, 1989, 6:35 PM EDT (22:35 UTC)
Expired
Jun 23, 1989, 8:30 PM EDT
In force
115 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Rapids, MI
Area
Whole counties

County Gratiot 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 12:00Z, 10.6 hours before the alert went out and 115 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 12:00Z on 1989-06-23Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 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 12:00Z on 1989-06-23The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 117 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
NaN m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
21 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
117 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
125 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KLAN 232237 RRA
FFWLAN
MIC057-240030-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LANSING MI
635 PM EDT FRI JUN 23 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LANSING HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  830 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN CENTRAL MICHIGAN
          ...GRATIOT
 
AT 630 PM EDT STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN CONTINUED TO
MOVE INTO GRATIOT COUNTY. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES HAVE BEEN
REPORTED BETWEEN 5 AND 630 PM EDT. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL OF 1 TO 2
INCHES IS POSSIBLE AS THESE STORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA.
SEVERAL SECONDARY ROADS HAVE SEVERAL INCHES OF STANDING WATER IN THE
LOWER AREAS AND THE STORM SEWERS IN THE ALMA AND ITHACA AREAS ARE
RUNNING AT FULL CAPACITY. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL WILL FURTHER ADD TO THE
PROBLEMS AND THERE WILL LIKELY BE CONSIDERABLE URBAN AND LOW AREA
FLOODING THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS.
 
 
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.

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, Jun 23, 4:17 PM EDT, 2 hours 18 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LANSING, MI
417 PM EDT FRI JUN 23 1989

  ...VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE IN CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN...

AT 410 PM EDT RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING ACROSS
CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MAINLY OVER GRATIOT
COUNTY WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS LOCATED 8 MILES WEST OF ITHACA AND
5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF ITHACA BOTH IN GRATIOT COUNTY OR ABOUT 30 MILES
NORTH OF LANSING.

HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS DUE TO THE VERY SLOW
MOVEMENT. PEA SIZE HAIL HAS BEEN REPORTED ALONG WITH GUSTY WINDS IN
THE TOWN OF ITHACA. MOVEMENT OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WAS TO THE SOUTHEAST
AT ONLY 10 MPH.

IF YOU ARE IN THE xPATH OF THESE VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PREPARE TO
TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

KALLAS
Special weather statement, Jun 23, 4:40 PM EDT, 1 hour 55 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
440 PM EDT FRI JUN 23 1989

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN...

AT 433 PM EDT...WEATHER RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...
SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS MOVING THROUGH SOUTHWEST
LOWER MICHIGAN. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN NORTHEAST
MONTCALM...NEAR THE TOWNS OF MAPLE HILL AND HOWARD CITY...30 MILES
NORTHEAST OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS.

OTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN NORTH WESTERN IONIA
COUNTY...NEAR THE TOWN OF BELDING AND EXTENDED SOUTHWEST THROUGH
SOUTHERN KENT COUNTY TO NORTHERN VAN BUREN COUNTY. MOVMENT OF THE
THUNDERSTORMS WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTAIN VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS AND
POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL. PERSONS DRIVING IN SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN SHOULD
BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR FLOODED STREETS AND UNDERAPASSES.
CARLE
Special weather statement, Jun 23, 4:44 PM EDT, 1 hour 51 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE  MUSKEGON MI
435 PM EDT FRI JUN 23 1989

...THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAINS MOVING INTO SOUTHERN MECOSTA COUNTY...

AT 430 PM EDT...WEATHER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTH-
CENTRAL MONTCALM COUNTY BEGINNING TO MOVE INTO SOUTHEASTERN MECOSTA
COUNTY. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS...
EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINFALL...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING AS THEY MOVE TO THE
NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 20 MPH.
Special weather statement, Jun 23, 5:04 PM EDT, 1 hour 31 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LANSING, MI
502 PM EDT FRI JUN 23 1989

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR GRATIOT COUNTY IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM EDT...
  ...VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE IN CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN...

AT 455 PM EDT RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
IN CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN. RAIN AMOUNTS OF UP TO 2 INCHES IN ONE HOUR
WERE REPORTED IN GRATIOT COUNTY 3 MILES SOUTHEAST OF ITHACA. THERE
ALSO HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF MARBLE SIZE HAIL IN NORTHEAST GRATIOT COUNTY.
THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED IN THE ALMA/ST. LOUIS AREA IN
NORTHERN GRATIOT COUNTY OR ABOUT 40 MILES NORTH OF LANSING.

ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 25 MILES WEST OF MT. PLEASANT.

ALL OF THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THESE VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PREPARE TO
TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. STAY TUNED TO YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR
LOCAL RADIO/TV STATION FOR FURTHER WEATHER UPDATES AND STATEMENTS.

KALLAS
Special weather statement, Jun 23, 5:54 PM EDT, 41 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LANSING, MI
555 PM EDT FRI JUN 23 1989

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR GRATIOT COUNTY IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM EDT...
   ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN...

AT 550 PM EDT RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING
FROM THE TOWN OF ITHACA IN GRATIOT COUNTY SOUTHWESTWARD TO THE CITY OF
KALAMAZOO IN KALAMAZOO COUNTY. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED NEAR
MAPLE RAPIDS IN NORTHWEST CLINTON COUNTY...20 MILES WEST OF LANSING AND
15 MILES WEST OF BATTLE CREEK.

2.3 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN IN ITHACA SINCE 430 PM EDT.

ALL OF THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THESE VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PREPARE TO
TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. STAY TUNED TO YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR
LOCAL RADIO/TV STATION FOR FURTHER WEATHER UPDATES AND STATEMENTS.

KALLAS
Special weather statement, Jun 23, 6:06 PM EDT, 29 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
605 PM EDT FRI JUN 23 1989

 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL BARRY COUNTY...

AT 600 PM EDT...WEATHER RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL BARRY COUNTY. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE
LOCATED IN LINE EXTENDING SOUTHWEST FROM THE TOWN OF NASHVILLE IN
EASTERN BARRY COUNTY TO THE HICKORY CORNERS AREA IN SOUTH CENTRAL BARRY
COUNTY. MOVMENT OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTAIN VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS AND
POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL. SOME FLOODING OF ROADS AND LOW LYING AREAS IS
POSSIBLE WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS AS THEY CONTAIN VERY HEAVY RAIN.

CARLE

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 23, 4:25 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGRRGratiot2 hr
Jun 23, 7:48 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGRRAllegan27 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Michigan, 1989Every flash flood warning in 1989

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.