Alert archive / Michigan / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 8, NWS Grand Rapids, MI

July 16, 1990Ingham County, Michigan

NWS Grand Rapids, MI issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 16, 1990, 10:34 PM EDT for Ingham County, Michigan. It was in force for 26 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 16, 1990, 10:34 PM EDT (02:34 UTC)
Expired
Jul 16, 1990, 11:00 PM EDT
In force
26 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Rapids, MI
Area
Whole counties

County Ingham 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 16, 10:45 PM EDTHail 1.75Ingham, 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 00:00Z, 2.6 hours before the alert went out and 78 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 1990-07-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 165 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 00:00Z on 1990-07-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 93 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
165 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-60 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1608 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
93 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
153 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KARB 170234
SVRLAN
MIC045-065-170330-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LANSING MI
ISSUED BY ANN ARBOR MI
1034 PM EDT MON JUL 16 1990

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1130 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTIES

   IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL PART OF LOWER MICHIGAN
      NORTHERN EATON...NORTHERN INGHAM

AT 1015 PM A SEVER THUNDERSTORM WAS REPORTED MOVING THROUGH
NORTHERN INGHAM COUNTY. THIS STORM SHOULD PASS THROUGH THE
LANSING AREA BETWEEN 1030 AND 1100 PM.

INTENSE LIGHTNING IS REPORTED WITH THIS STORM.  IF OUTDOORS...
STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS.  MOVE INDOORS IF POSSIBLE.  WHEN
INDOhORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID USING
TELEPHONES AND ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT.

K..

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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 16, 8:34 PM EDT, 2 hours before
MIZ002-003-004-009-010-013-015-016-170110-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
834 PM EDT MON JUL 16 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING THROUGH VAN BUREN AND KALAMAZOO COUNTIES...

AT 830 PM EDT WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDING FROM BATTLE CREEK...20 MILES EAST OF KALAMAZOO... THROUGH
DECATUR IN SOUTHWEST VANBUREN COUNTY...22 MILES SOUTHWEST OF KALAMAZOO
...TO SOUTH BEND. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE EAST AT 15 MPH. LARGE HAIL WAS
REPORTED JUST NORTH OF SOUTHBEND. PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THESE
THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAIN...
GUSTY WINDS AND POSSIBLE HAIL.
JSB
Special weather statement, Jul 16, 9:01 PM EDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
MIZ055>057-059-170300-

SPECIAL WEATHER AND MARINE STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MUSKEGON MI
900 PM EDT MON JUL 17 1990

...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN THIS
EVENING. THE THUNDERSTORMS
HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF PRODUCING HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS OVER PARTS OF NORTHEAST
WISCONSIN EARLY THIS EVENING...HOWEVER THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE
EXPECTED TO DECREASE SOMEWHAT IN INTENSITY AS THEY MOVE OVER THE COOL
WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN EARLY TONIGHT.
BOATERS FROM CHARLEVOIX SOUTHWARD TO POINT BETSIE SHOULD BEGIN TO MAKE
PLANS TO HEAD FOR SAFE HARBOR IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR. AS THESE STORMS
APPROACH THE AREA BE PREPARED FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF STRONG SHIFTING
WINDS...HEAVY RAINS...HAIL AND DEADLY LIGHTNING.

SMITH
Special weather statement, Jul 16, 9:09 PM EDT, 1 hour 25 minutes before
MIZ055>057-059-170300-

SPECIAL WEATHER AND MARINE STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MUSKEGON MI
900 PM EDT MON JUL 17 1990

...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN THIS
EVENING...

AT 850 PM EDT WEATHER RADAR DETECTED THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW WITH VERY RAINS
AND POSSIBLE HAIL OVER PARTS OF NORTHEAST WISCONSIN AND NORTHERN LAKE
MICHIGAN. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED JUST NORTHEAST OF GREEN BAY
WISCONSIN. THE AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING EAST AT 25 TO
30 MILES AN HOUR AND IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE NEARSHORE AREAS OF NORTHWEST
LOWER MICHIGAN...FROM CHARLEVOIX SOUTHWARD TO POINT BETSIE BETWEEN 930 AND
1030 PM EDT THIS MONDAY EVENING. THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF
PRODUCING HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS OVER PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN EARLIER
THIS EVEING. HOWEVER...THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE
IN INTENSITY AS THEY MOVE OVER THE COOLER WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN EARLY
TONIGHT.

BOATERS FROM CHARELVOIX SOUTHWARD TO POINT BETSIE SHOULD BEGIN TO MAKE
PLANS TO SEEK SAFE HARBOR IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR. AS THESE STORMS APPROACH
YOUR AREA BE PREPARED FOR STRONG SHIFTING WINDS...VERY HEAVY RAINS...HAIL
AND DEADLY LIGHTNING.

SMITH
Special weather statement, Jul 16, 9:25 PM EDT, 1 hour 9 minutes before
MIZ011-012-018-020-170216-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LANSING, MI
920PM EDT MON JUL 16 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN...

THE 900PM EDT DETROIT RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING
THROUGH PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN. THE STORMS WERE
LOCATED FROM NORTHERN JACKSON COUNTY WEST SOUTHWEST THROUGH CALHOUN
COUNTY TO LAKE MICHIGAN. THE STRONGEST CELL WAS LOCATED JUST EAST
SOUTHEAST OF BATTLE CREEK NEAR ALBION MICHIGAN...22 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST
OF BATTLE CREEK.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES PER HOUR AND WILL BE MOVING
INTO THE JACKSON AREA BY 940PM EDT.

AS THIS STORM MOVED THROUGH THE BATTLE CREEK AREA ONE QUARTER INCH
HAIL WAS REPORTED.
.
BE ON THE ALERT FOR HEAVY DOWNPOURS...SMALL HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS
AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AS THESE STORMS MOVE THROUGH THE AREA. TAKE
SHELTER AS THESE STORMS APPROACH AND STAYED TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER
RADAR FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND STATEMENTS.

P.LEWIS
Special weather statement, Jul 16, 10:07 PM EDT, 27 minutes before
MIZ011-012-018-020-022-023-160300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LANSING, MI
1005PM EDT MON JUL 16 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING SLOWLY THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL
LOWER MICHIGAN...

AT 1000PM EDT...RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING TO
MOVE THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN.  THE STRONGEST OF THESE
STORMS WERE INDICATED IN WESTERN EATON COUNTY.  A THUNDERSTORM NOW
MOVING INTO SOUTHWEST EATON COUNTY PRODUCED HALF INCH HAIL NORTHEAST
OF BATTLE CREEK IN CALHOUN COUNTY WHEN IT MOVED THROUGH AT ABOUT 950PM
EDT.  ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS INDICATED IN CENTRAL EATON COUNTY. THIS
STORM SHOULD PASS JUST NORTH OF THE CITY OF CHARLOTTE BY 1015PM EDT.

OTHER *WEAKER THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER CALHOUN AND JACKSON COUNTIES.  ALL
STORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 25 MPH.  PERSONS IN THE PATHS
OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE ON THE ALERT FOR INTENSE LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAIN..
AND POSSIBLE HAIL.
KOTTKE

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 16, 9:33 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGRRVan Buren25 min
Jul 16, 10:34 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGRREaton11 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Michigan, 1990Every severe thunderstorm warning 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.