Alert archive / Michigan / Tornado Warnings in 1990

Tornado Warning 1, NWS Detroit, MI

July 18, 1990Genesee County, Michigan

NWS Detroit, MI issued this tornado warning at Jul 18, 1990, 5:18 PM EDT for Genesee County, Michigan. It was in force for 27 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
Jul 18, 1990, 5:18 PM EDT (21:18 UTC)
Expired
Jul 18, 1990, 5:45 PM EDT
In force
27 min
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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 18, 5:30 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 0Genesee, 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, 9.3 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 12:00Z on 1990-07-18Temperature 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 1990-07-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 116 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
24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
116 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
96 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 KFNT 182118
TORFNT
MIC049-182145-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED 
TORNADO WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLINT MI
518 PM EDT WED JUL 18 1990

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING 
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 545 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY

   IN THE EAST CENTRAL PART OF LOWER MICHIGAN
      SOUTHERN GENESEE

AT 515 PM A TORNADO WAS REPORTED ON THE GROUND ABOUT 1 MILE
SOUTH OF BISHOP AIRPORT MOVING EAST AT 35 TO 40 MPH. PERSONS IN
GRAND BLANC ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO...GO TO A BASEMENT SHELTER
IF AVAILABLE...OTHERWISE TO A CENTRAL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR.  ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOsR A REINFORCED BUILDING.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.

YORK

What 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, Jul 18, 3:09 PM EDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before
MIZ031>034-036>039-042 181700-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLINT MI
330 PM EDT TUE JUL 18 1990

 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH FOR EAST CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNTIL 9PM...

AT 230 PM EDT...AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORM...40 MILE WIDE... WERE
LOCATED IN EASTERN BAY.. NORTHERN TUSCOLA AND CENTRAL HURON COUNTIES.
AT 155 EDT HALF INCH HAIL WAS REPORTED AT STANDISH. AT 237 EDT LESS
3/4 INCH OF HAIL WAS REPORTED IN HURON COUNTY.
THE AREA WAS MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AROUND 20 MILES AND HOUR WHILE
THE INDIVIDUAL STROMS WERE MOVING EAST AROUND 45 MILES AND HOUR.

PERSONS IN EAST CENTRAL MICHIGAN SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IF THREATENING
WEATHER DEVELOPS.

FITZGERALD
Special weather statement, Jul 18, 3:28 PM EDT, 1 hour 50 minutes before
MIZ031>034-036>039-042 181700-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLINT MI
330 PM EDT TUE JUL 18 1990

 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH FOR EAST CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNTIL 9PM...

AT 230 PM EDT...AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORM...40 MILE WIDE... WERE
LOCATED IN EASTERN BAY.. NORTHERN TUSCOLA AND CENTRAL HURON COUNTIES.
AT 155 EDT HALF INCH HAIL WAS REPORTED AT STANDISH. AT 237 EDT LESS
3/4 INCH OF HAIL WAS REPORTED IN HURON COUNTY.
THE AREA WAS MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AROUND 20 MILES AND HOUR WHILE
THE INDIVIDUAL STROMS WERE MOVING EAST AROUND 45 MILES AND HOUR.

PERSONS IN EAST CENTRAL MICHIGAN SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IF THREATENING
WEATHER DEVELOPS.

FITZGERALD
Special weather statement, Jul 18, 3:50 PM EDT, 1 hour 28 minutes before
MIZ001>068-182100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANN ARBOR MI
350 PM EDT WED JUL 18 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH 624 CONTINUES IN EFFECT TILL 900 PM
EDT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN...

THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH COVERS ALL OF MICHIGANS LOWER PENINSULA
SOUTH OF A LINE...FROM 50 MILES NORTH OF MUSKEGON...TO 55 MILES
NORTHEAST OF BAY CITY...OR ROUGHLY FROM LUDDINGTON TO TAWAS CITY.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FARORABLE FOR
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.  SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OF 60 MILES AN HOUR OR
GREATER...AND / OR HAIL 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER OR GREATER.

AT 345 PM EDT...AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED ACROSS CENTRAL
LOWER MICHIGAN.  THIS AREA WAS 40 MILES WIDE...AND WAS CENTERED ALONG
A LINE FROM MUSKEGON TO SAGINAW BAY...AND THEN ACROSS THE THUMB AREA.

THIS AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

THESE THUNDDRSTORMS WERE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS...
AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.  SOME OF THE STORNGER STORMS WERE PRODUCING
HAIL.  A FEW OF THESE STORMS HAVE AND WILL CONTINUE TO BECOME SEVERE.

IF YOU LIVE IN CENTRAL OR SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN...PLAN NOW WHAT
YOU WILL DO SHOULD SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP IN YOUR BACKYARD.

MOTORISTS CAN EXPECT SHARPLY REDUCED VISIBILITIES IN HEAVY RAIN
FROM THESE STORMS.  PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS WILL RESULT IN
SLIPPERY CONDITIONS.

STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS ON THIS DANGEROUS
WEATHER SITUATION.

EDF
Special weather statement, Jul 18, 3:52 PM EDT, 1 hour 26 minutes before
MIZ031>034-036>039-042 181700-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLINT MI
345 PM EDT TUE JUL 18 1990

 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH FOR EAST CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNTIL 9PM...
 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WARNING FOR MIDLAND..TUSCOLA..CENTRAL HURON
COUNTIES.

AT 330 PM EDT...AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORM...WERE LOCATED MIDLAND COUNTY.
THE AREA WAS MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AROUND 20 MILES AND HOUR WHILE
THE INDIVIDUAL STROMS WERE MOVING EAST AROUND 45 MILES AND HOUR.

PERSONS IN EAST CENTRAL MICHIGAN SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IF THREATENING
WEATHER DEVELOPS.

FITZGERALD
Special weather statement, Jul 18, 3:54 PM EDT, 1 hour 24 minutes before
MIZ031>034-036>039-042 181700-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLINT MI
345 PM EDT TUE JUL 18 1990

 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH FOR EAST CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNTIL 9PM...
 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WARNING FOR MIDLAND..TUSCOLA..SANILAC COUNTIES

AT 330 PM EDT...AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORM...WERE LOCATED MIDLAND COUNTY.
THE AREA WAS MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AROUND 20 MILES AND HOUR WHILE
THE INDIVIDUAL STROMS WERE MOVING EAST AROUND 45 MILES AND HOUR.

PERSONS IN EAST CENTRAL MICHIGAN SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IF THREATENING
WEATHER DEVELOPS.

FITZGERALD
Special weather statement, Jul 18, 5:00 PM EDT, 18 minutes before
MIZ001>068-182200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANN ARBOR MI
500 PM EDT WED JUL 18 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH 624 CONTINUES IN EFFECT TILL 900 PM
EDT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN...

AT 450 PM EDT...AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED ACROSS CENTRAL
LOWER MICHIGAN.  THIS AREA WAS ABOUT 75 MILES WIDE.  THE LEADING
EDGE OF THE STORMS EXTENDED ALONG A LINE FROM 15 MILES NORTH OF
FLINT...TO 15 MILES NORTH OF LANSING...TO JUST NORTH OF GRAND RAPIDS.

MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS WAS SOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE CITIES OF GRAND RAPIDS...
LANSING...AND FLINT BETWEEN 5 AND 530 THIS EVENING.

THESE THUNDDRSTORMS WERE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS...
AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.  THERE HAVE GEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF PEA TO
MARBLE SIZED HAIL.  LARGER HAIL IS POSSIBLE WITH SOME OF THE STORMS.
A FEW OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE AND WILL CONTINUE TO BECOME SEVERE.

IF YOU LIVE IN CENTRAL OR SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN...PLAN NOW WHAT
YOU WILL DO SHOULD SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP IN YOUR BACKYARD.

MOTORISTS CAN EXPECT SHARPLY REDUCED VISIBILITIES IN HEAVY RAIN
FROM THESE STORMS.  PONDING OF WATER ON [ROADWAYS WILL RESULT IN
SLIPPERY CONDITIONS.

STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS ON THIS DANGEROUS
WEATHER SITUATION.

EDF

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 18, 8:55 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXCrawford65 min
Jul 18, 1:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXGladwin32 min
Jul 18, 1:54 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXArenac, Bay66 min
Jul 18, 3:13 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXSanilac, Tuscola62 min
Jul 18, 3:39 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXMidland46 min
Jul 18, 5:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXGenesee, Tuscola45 min
Jul 18, 6:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXMacomb, Oakland, Saint Clair40 min
Jul 18, 6:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXLivingston40 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Michigan, 1990Every tornado warning in 1990Tornadoes in 1990

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.