Alert archive / Michigan / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Detroit, MI

June 13, 1994Washtenaw County, Michigan

NWS Detroit, MI issued this tornado warning at Jun 13, 1994, 2:51 PM EDT for Washtenaw County, Michigan. It was in force for 39 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 13, 1994, 2:51 PM EDT (18:51 UTC)
Expired
Jun 13, 1994, 3:30 PM EDT
In force
39 min
Issued by
NWS Detroit, MI
Area
Whole counties

County Washtenaw County, MI

The nearest sounding before it

Detroit, MI (KFNT), launched 12:00Z, 6.9 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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Detroit, MI at 12:00Z on 1994-06-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 9 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Detroit, MI at 12:00Z on 1994-06-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 153 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
9 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-251 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1200 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
153 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
182 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 KDTW 131851
TORDTW
MIC161-131930-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED 
TORNADO WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT MI
251 PM EDT MON JUN 13 1994

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING 
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 330 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY

   IN THE SOUTHEAST PART OF LOWER MICHIGAN
      WESTERN WASHTENAW

AT 245 PM...A TORNADO WAS ON THE GROUND IN THE CITY OF JACKSON.
IT DESTROYED A HOME. THE TORNADO WAS MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH AND
WILL ENTER WESTERN WASHTENAW COUNTY NEAR MANCHESTER OR CHELSEA
AROUND 300 PM. MANCHESTER IS ABOUT 53 MILES WEST OF DOWNTOWN
DETROIT.

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.


THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION.  ACT QUICKLY.  IF YOU ARE
IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A SHELTER BELOW GROUND IF
AVAILABLE.  OTHERWISE...GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR POSSIBLE.  AVOID WINDOWS.  ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES...
TAKE COVER IN A REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.

 YORK/RIDDLE

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, Jun 13, 2:25 PM EDT, 26 minutes before
MIZ047-048-053>055-060>062-132030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLINT  MI
225 PM EDT MON JUN 13 1994

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE COUNTIES OF
SAGINAW...LAPEER...GENESEE...SHIAWASSEE...TUSCOLA...AND SANILAC OF
CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN UNTIL 8 PM...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
UNTIL 8 PM FOR THE COUNTIES SAGINAW...LAPEER...GENESEE...SHIAWASSEE...
TUSCOLA...AND SANILAC. THIS WATCH INCLUDES THE COMMUNITIES OF
FLINT...CARO...LAPEER...SANDUSKY...OWOSSO...AND SAGINAW. AT THIS TIME
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN AND PEA SIZE HAIL WERE MOVING EAST
ACROSS MOST OF THESE COUNTIES AT 45 MPH. THIS STATMENT IS A UPDATE FOR
THE ONE ISSUED AT 201 PM.

MOTORISTS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR REDUCED VISIBILITIES DURING
DOWNPOURS OF RAIN.  STREETS MAY FLOOD QUICKLY.

STAY TUNED TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL
RADIO OR TELEVISION STATION FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS
WEATHER SITUATION.

WSF
Special weather statement, Jun 13, 2:27 PM EDT, 24 minutes before
MIZ047-048-053>055-060>062-132030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLINT  MI
225 PM EDT MON JUN 13 1994

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE COUNTIES OF
SAGINAW...LAPEER...GENESEE...SHIAWASSEE...TUSCOLA...AND SANILAC OF
CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN UNTIL 8 PM...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
UNTIL 8 PM FOR THE COUNTIES SAGINAW...LAPEER...GENESEE...SHIAWASSEE...
TUSCOLA...AND SANILAC. THIS WATCH INCLUDES THE COMMUNITIES OF
FLINT...CARO...LAPEER...SANDUSKY...OWOSSO...AND SAGINAW. AT THIS TIME
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN AND PEA SIZE HAIL WERE MOVING EAST
ACROSS MOST OF THESE COUNTIES AT 45 MPH. THIS STATMENT IS A UPDATE FOR
THE ONE ISSUED AT 201 PM.

MOTORISTS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR REDUCED VISIBILITIES DURING
DOWNPOURS OF RAIN.  STREETS MAY FLOOD QUICKLY.

STAY TUNED TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL
RADIO OR TELEVISION STATION FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS
WEATHER SITUATION.

WSF
Special weather statement, Jun 13, 2:35 PM EDT, 16 minutes before
MIZ063-068>070-075-076-082-083-131930-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT MI
235 PM EDT MON JUN 13 1994

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST LOWER
MICHIGAN UNTIL 800 PM...

AT 230 PM...A LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS ABOUT TO MOVE
INTO SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN. THE LINE EXTENDED FROM 5 MILES SOUTH
OF FLINT SOUTHWEST TO NEAR JACKSON. IT WAS MOVING QUICKLY EAST AT
45 MPH.

THIS LINE WAS ALREADY PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. SMALL
HAIL WAS REPORTED IN NORTHWEST OAKLAND COUNTY AT 220 PM. THE LINE
WILL LIKELY INTENSIFY...AND DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL ARE POSSIBLE
IN SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN.

PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE READY TO TAKE SHELTER ON SHORT
NOTICE. LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS. DO NOT STAND NEAR
WINDOWS DURING SEVERE WEATHER.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR TO LOCAL TV AND RADIO STATIONS FOR
ANY FURTHER UPDATES OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

YORK
Special weather statement, Jun 13, 2:36 PM EDT, 15 minutes before
MIZ063-068>070-075-076-082-083-131930-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT MI
235 PM EDT MON JUN 13 1994

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST LOWER
MICHIGAN UNTIL 800 PM...

AT 230 PM...A LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS ABOUT TO MOVE
INTO SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN. THE LINE EXTENDED FROM 5 MILES SOUTH
OF FLINT SOUTHWEST TO NEAR JACKSON. IT WAS MOVING QUICKLY EAST AT
45 MPH.

THIS LINE WAS ALREADY PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. SMALL
HAIL WAS REPORTED IN NORTHWEST OAKLAND COUNTY AT 220 PM. THE LINE
WILL LIKELY INTENSIFY...AND DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL ARE POSSIBLE
IN SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN.

PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE READY TO TAKE SHELTER ON SHORT
NOTICE. LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS. DO NOT STAND NEAR
WINDOWS DURING SEVERE WEATHER.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR TO LOCAL TV AND RADIO STATIONS FOR
ANY FURTHER UPDATES OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

YORKN
Special weather statement, Jun 13, 2:43 PM EDT, 8 minutes before
MIZ053>055-060>062-131945-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLINT  MI
243 PM EDT MON JUN 13 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED ACROSS PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL LOWER
MICHIGAN...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM FOR MOST OF
EAST CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN.  COMMUNITIES INCLUDED IN THE WATCH AREA
ARE FLINT...OWOSOO...LAPEER...SAGINAW...SANDUSKY AND CARO.

AT 239 PM...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH TORRENTIAL RAIN...SMALL
HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS...EXTENDED FROM 5 MILES SOUTH OF FLINT THEN
SOUTHWEST TO JACKSON.  THIS LINE WAS MOVING EAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.

BY 250 PM...THE COMMUNITIES OF LINDEN AND FENTON WILL BE AFFECTED BY
THIS LINE OF STORMS.

MOTORISTS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR REDUCED VISIBILITIES DURING
DOWNPOURS OF RAIN.  STREETS MAY FLOOD QUICKLY.
Special weather statement, Jun 13, 2:44 PM EDT, 7 minutes before
MIZ053>055-060>062-131945-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLINT  MI
243 PM EDT MON JUN 13 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED ACROSS PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL LOWER
MICHIGAN...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM FOR MOST OF
EAST CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN.  COMMUNITIES INCLUDED IN THE WATCH AREA
ARE FLINT...OWOSOO...LAPEER...SAGINAW...SANDUSKY AND CARO.

AT 239 PM...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH TORRENTIAL RAIN...SMALL
HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS...EXTENDED FROM 5 MILES SOUTH OF FLINT THEN
SOUTHWEST TO JACKSON.  THIS LINE WAS MOVING EAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.

BY 250 PM...THE COMMUNITIES OF LINDEN AND FENTON WILL BE AFFECTED BY
THIS LINE OF STORMS.

MOTORISTS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR REDUCED VISIBILITIES DURING
DOWNPOURS OF RAIN.  STREETS MAY FLOOD QUICKLY.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 13, 2:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXMacomb65 min
Jun 13, 2:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXOakland43 min
Jun 13, 3:12 PM EDTTornado WarningDTXLivingston, Washtenaw48 min
Jun 13, 3:32 PM EDTTornado WarningDTXOakland28 min
Jun 13, 3:42 PM EDTTornado WarningDTXSaint Clair33 min
Jun 13, 4:16 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXMacomb, Wayne44 min
Jun 13, 4:21 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXLenawee, Washtenaw54 min
Jun 13, 5:05 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXWayne40 min
Jun 13, 6:54 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXLenawee, Monroe66 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Michigan, 1994Every tornado warning in 1994Tornadoes in 1994

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.