Alert archive / Michigan / Tornado Warnings in 1990

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Detroit, MI

August 28, 1990Monroe County, Michigan

NWS Detroit, MI issued this tornado warning at Aug 28, 1990, 6:00 PM EDT for Monroe County, Michigan. It was in force for 45 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
Aug 28, 1990, 6:00 PM EDT (22:00 UTC)
Expired
Aug 28, 1990, 6:45 PM EDT
In force
45 min
Issued by
NWS Detroit, MI
Area
Whole counties

County Monroe 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
Aug 28, 6:15 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 52Monroe, 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, 10.0 hours before the alert went out and 89 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 1990-08-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3624 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 1990-08-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 194 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
3624 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-27 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
602 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
43 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
194 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
185 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
3.6
Supercell composite
16.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KDTW 282200
TORDTW
MIC115-282245-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED 
TORNADO AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT MI
600 PM EDT TUE AUG 28 1990

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO AND SPECIAL 
MARINE WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 645 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE 
FOLLOWING COUNTY

   IN THE SOUTHEAST PART OF LOWER MICHIGAN
      MONROE

...THIS WARNING ALSO INCLUDES THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS FOR THE
COUNTY JUST MENTIONED

AT 550 PM EDT...RADAR INDICATED AND LENAWEE COUNTY SHERIFFS
DEPARTMENT CONFIRMED A TORNADO NEAR TECUMSEH WAS MOVING TOWARD THE
LENAWEE...MONROE COUNTY BORDER.  THIS TORNADO WAS 47 MILES WEST
SOUTHWEST OF DOWNTOWN DETROIT.  PEOPLE IN THE CITIES OF DEERFIELD
AND DUNDEE SHOULD TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.  MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT
30 MILES AN HOUR.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE IS IN
A BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...FIND SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY.  AVOID WINDOWS.

 ZALESKI/SHARPE

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, Aug 28, 3:34 PM EDT, 2 hours 26 minutes before
MIZ001-068-281800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANN ARBOR MI
335 PM EDT TUE AUG 28 1990

...TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN UNTIL 800 PM TONIGHT...

THE TORNADO WATCH COVERS ALL OF LOWER MICHIGAN SOUTH OF A LINE THAT
EXTENDS FROM JUST NORTH OF STANDISH...WEST TO MANISTEE. AS OF 330 PM
AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS...WHICH HAS DEVELOPED SINCE 230 PM OVER
SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. THE STONGEST STORM WAS JUST SOUTH OF
HILLSDALE. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO OCCURE OVER SOUTHERN
LAKE HURON...SAGINAW BAY AND THE NORTHERN TIP OF THE MICHIGAN THUMB.

THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE DURING THE NEXT HOUR...
SO... PEOLPE IN OR NEAR THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN ON THE LOOK OUT
FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND BE READY TO MOVE TO SAFETY QUICKLY. STAY TUNED
TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION STATION FOR
LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS.

WDM
Special weather statement, Aug 28, 3:48 PM EDT, 2 hours 12 minutes before
MIZ001-068-281800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION TO WORDING...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANN ARBOR MI
345 PM EDT TUE AUG 28 1990

...TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN UNTIL 800 PM TONIGHT...

THE TORNADO WATCH COVERS ALL OF LOWER MICHIGAN SOUTH OF A LINE THAT
EXTENDS FROM JUST NORTH OF STANDISH...WEST TO MANISTEE. AS OF 330 PM
AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS DEVELOPED OVER SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN.
THE STONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS JUST SOUTH OF HILLSDALE. SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER SOUTHERN LAKE HURON...SAGINAW BAY AND
THE NORTHERN TIP OF THE MICHIGAN THUMB.

THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE DURING THE NEXT HOUR...
SO... PEOLPE IN OR NEAR THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN ON THE LOOK OUT
FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND BE READY TO MOVE TO SAFETY QUICKLY. STAY TUNED
TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION STATION FOR
LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS.

WDM
Special weather statement, Aug 28, 4:42 PM EDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before
MIZ001-068-281800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANN ARBOR MI
442 PM EDT TUE AUG 28 1990

...TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN UNTIL 800 PM TONIGHT...

AS OF 430 PM SCATTERED VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER BRANCH
AND HILLSDALE COUNTIES OF SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN. THE THUNDERSTORMS
OVER SOUTHERN LAKE HURON HAVE DISIPATED OVER THE CENTRAL PART LAKE
HURON. A NEW THUNDERSTORM HAS DEVELOPED NEAR BAD AXE AND ANOTHER JUST
WEST OF ANN ARBOR. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOPE DURING THE NEXT FEW
HOURS...SO...PEOLPE IN OR NEAR THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN4 ON THE
LOOKOUT FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND BE READY TO MOVE TO SAFETY QUICKLY.
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION
STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS.
WDM
Special weather statement, Aug 28, 5:05 PM EDT, 55 minutes before
MIZ026-031>034-036>039-042-282230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLINT MI
505 PM EDT TUE AUG 28 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM THIS EVENING...

A TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF EAST CENTRAL MICHIGAN
UNTIL 8 PM. AT 5 PM...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED INTENSE THUNDERSTORM
ACTIVITY OVER EXTREME SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.
IN EAST CENTRAL MICHIGAN...A THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER NORTHERN SANILAC
COUNTY...ABOUT 50 MILES NORTHEAST OF FLINT.
THIS STORM MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AS IT
MOVES EAST AT ABOUT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

THUNDERSTORMS COULD RAPIDLY DEVELOP OVER OTHER PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL
MICHIGAN THIS EVENITNG...SO THE TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL
8 PM.

YORK
Special weather statement, Aug 28, 5:09 PM EDT, 51 minutes before
MIZ001-068-281800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANN ARBOR MI
505 PM EDT TUE AUG 28 1990

...TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING CENTRAL LOWER
MICHIGAN COUNTIES...LAKE...OSCEOLA...CLARE...GLADWIN...NEWAGO...
MECOSTA...ISABELLA...

THE TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE MOST OF COUNTIES IN EAST
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN UNTIL 800 PM.

THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOPE OVER THE SOUTHERN
PART OF LOWER MICHIGAN...MOST OF THE THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE SOUTH
OF A LINE THAT EXTENDS FROM BAD AXE TO GRAND RAPIDS.

IF SEVERE WEATHER IS SIGHTED...MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFTEY QUICKLY.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR[ TELEVISION
STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS.
WDM
Special weather statement, Aug 28, 5:37 PM EDT, 23 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT MI
535 PM EDT TUE AUG 28 1990

AT 525 PM...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...
WERE NOTED OVER PARTS OF SOUTHERN ONTARIO AND SOUTHEAST LOWER
MICHIGAN. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED 15 MILES SOUTH OF LONDON
ONTARIO WITH ANOTHER JUST SOUTHWEST OF ADRIAN MICHIGAN...IN LENEWEE
COUNTY. HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WIND AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING CAN BE
EXPECTED AS THESE STORMS PASS OVERHEAD.

THESE STORMS WERE PART OF A SCATTERED AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS AND RAIN
SHOWERS WHICH CONTINUED OVER PARTS OF SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN AND
EXTENDED OVER PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN LAKE HURON...SOUTHERN ONTARIO...
NORTHEAST INDIANA AND NORTHWEST OHIO.

ALL MOVEMENT WAS EAST SOUTHEAST AROUND 35 MILES AN HOUR.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 27, 8:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXOtsego60 min
Aug 27, 8:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXCrawford65 min
Aug 27, 8:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXRoscommon60 min
Aug 27, 9:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXRoscommon45 min
Aug 27, 9:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXCrawford30 min
Aug 27, 9:17 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXOgemaw60 min
Aug 27, 9:35 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXOgemaw, Roscommon60 min
Aug 27, 9:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXArenac73 min
Aug 27, 10:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXClare, Gladwin35 min
Aug 27, 10:22 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXHuron53 min
Aug 27, 11:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXClare, Gladwin60 min
Aug 27, 11:54 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXBay, Midland66 min
Aug 28, 12:49 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXMacomb, Saint Clair41 min
Aug 28, 5:42 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXLenawee63 min
Aug 28, 6:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXWayne60 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.