Alert archive / Michigan / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 6, NWS Detroit, MI

June 28, 1994Genesee County, Michigan

NWS Detroit, MI issued this tornado warning at Jun 28, 1994, 7:43 PM EDT for Genesee County, Michigan. It was in force for 55 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 28, 1994, 7:43 PM EDT (23:43 UTC)
Expired
Jun 28, 1994, 8:38 PM EDT
In force
55 min
Issued by
NWS Detroit, MI
Area
Whole counties

County Genesee County, MI

The nearest sounding before it

Detroit, MI (KFNT), launched 12:00Z, 11.7 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 1994-06-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 15 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 1994-06-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 63 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
15 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-55 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
983 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
27 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
63 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
61 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 282344
TORFNT
MIC049-290045-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLINT MI
743 PM EDT TUE JUN 28 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FLINT HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  845 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN
 
   ...GENESEE COUNTY
 
AT 744 PM EDT..DOPPLER INDICATED SOME ROTATION IN A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
JUST NORTHWEST OF FLINT. THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR
AND WILL AFFECT THE FLINT AREA FOR THE NEXT 45 MINUTES.
 
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY.  AVOID WINDOWS.
 
 
HERRON
&

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 28, 6:55 PM EDT, 48 minutes before
MIZALL-290200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
653 PM EDT TUE JUN 28 1994

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN
LOWER MICHIGAN UNTIL 1000 PM EDT...

THE TORNADO WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR THE WESTERN LOWER MICHIGAN
COUNTIES OF WEXFORD...MISSAUKEE...LAKE...OSCEOLA...NEWAYGO...MECOSTA...
MUSKEGON...KENT...MONTCALM...IONIA...BARRY...ALLEGAN...VAN BUREN...
KALAMAZOO...BERRIEN...AND CASS COUNTIES.

THE TORNADO WATCH IS STILL IN EFFECT FOR THE REMAINDER OF CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN UNTIL 1000 PM EDT.  SOME COMMUNITIES STILL IN
THE TORNADO WATCH AREA ARE HOUGHTON LAKE...OSCODA...MOUNT PLEASANT...
SAGINAW...LANSING...BATTLE CREEK...JACKSON...FLINT...DETROIT...AND ANN
ARBOR.

A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NORTH CENTRAL THROUGH SOUTH
CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN AT 650 PM EDT WILL CONTINUE MOVING EAST ABOUT
30 MILES AN HOUR...MOVING INTO EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST LOWER
MICHIGAN BETWEEN 800 AND 900 PM EDT.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE
OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND POSSIBLE TORNADOES.

STAY TUNED TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADIO OR OTHER LOCAL RADIO
OR TELEVISION STATION FOR UPDATES ON THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS
WEATHER SITUATION.

JWK
Special weather statement, Jun 28, 7:00 PM EDT, 43 minutes before
MIZALL-290200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
659 PM EDT TUE JUN 28 1994

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN
LOWER MICHIGAN UNTIL 1000 PM EDT...

THE TORNADO WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR THE WESTERN LOWER MICHIGAN
COUNTIES OF WEXFORD...MISSAUKEE...LAKE...OSCEOLA...NEWAYGO...MECOSTA...
MUSKEGON...OTTAWA...KENT...MONTCALM...IONIA...BARRY...ALLEGAN...
VAN BUREN...KALAMAZOO...BERRIEN...AND CASS COUNTIES.

THE TORNADO WATCH IS STILL IN EFFECT FOR THE REMAINDER OF CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN UNTIL 1000 PM EDT.  SOME COMMUNITIES STILL IN
THE TORNADO WATCH AREA ARE HOUGHTON LAKE...OSCODA...MOUNT PLEASANT...
SAGINAW...LANSING...BATTLE CREEK...JACKSON...FLINT...DETROIT...AND ANN
ARBOR.

A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NORTH CENTRAL THROUGH SOUTH
CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN AT 650 PM EDT WILL CONTINUE MOVING EAST ABOUT
30 MILES AN HOUR...MOVING INTO EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST LOWER
MICHIGAN BETWEEN 800 AND 900 PM EDT.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE
OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND POSSIBLE TORNADOES.

STAY TUNED TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADIO OR OTHER LOCAL RADIO
OR TELEVISION STATION FOR UPDATES ON THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS
WEATHER SITUATION.

...CORRECTED TO REMOVE OTTAWA COUNTY FROM TORNADO WATCH...

JWK
Special weather statement, Jun 28, 7:28 PM EDT, 15 minutes before
MIZ063-068>070-075-076-082-083-290030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT MI
728 PM EDT TUE JUN 28 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO WESTERN LIVINGSTON COUNTY...
...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT FOR ALL OF
SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN...

AT 720 PM...RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS JUST WEST OF LIVINGSTON
COUNTY.  THESE STORMS HAVE THE HISTORY OF PRODUCING ONE INCH HAIL.  THE
STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL BE NEAR THE TOWN
OF FOWLERVILLE...55 MILES WEST-NORTHWEST OF DOWNTOWN DETROIT BY 745 PM...
AND DEERFIELD...49 MILES NORTHWEST OF DOWNTOWN DETROIT BY 815 PM.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING. DO NOT STAND NEAR WINDOWS. DO NOT USE TELEPHONES
OR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. MOTORISTS
SHOULD AVOID LOW WATER CROSSINGS...ESPECIALLY UNDERPASSES.
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...FIND SHELTER FROM THE WEATH^ER IN A
STRONG BUILDING. STAY INSIDE AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM
HAS PASSED.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST UPDATE ON THESE
STORMS.

RUA
Special weather statement, Jun 28, 7:28 PM EDT, 15 minutes before
MIZ063-068>070-075-076-082-083-290030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT MI
728 PM EDT TUE JUN 28 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO WESTERN LIVINGSTON COUNTY...
...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT FOR ALL OF
SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN...

AT 720 PM...RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS JUST WEST OF LIVINGSTON
COUNTY.  THESE STORMS HAVE THE HISTORY OF PRODUCING ONE INCH HAIL.  THE
STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL BE NEAR THE TOWN
OF FOWLERVILLE...55 MILES WEST-NORTHWEST OF DOWNTOWN DETROIT BY 745 PM...
AND DEERFIELD...49 MILES NORTHWEST OF DOWNTOWN DETROIT BY 815 PM.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING. DO NOT STAND NEAR WINDOWS. DO NOT USE TELEPHONES
OR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. MOTORISTS
SHOULD AVOID LOW WATER CROSSINGS...ESPECIALLY UNDERPASSES.
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...FIND SHELTER FROM THE WEATHER IN A
STRONG BUILDING. STAY INSIDE AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM
HAS PASSED.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST UPDATE ON THESE
STORMS.

RUA
Special weather statement, Jun 28, 7:40 PM EDT, 3 minutes before
MIZALL-290200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
740 PM EDT TUE JUN 28 1994

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEAST LOWER
MICHIGAN UNTIL 1000 PM EDT...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR EMMET...
CHARLEVOIX...CHEYBOYGAN..OTSEGO...AND CRAWFORD COUNTIES IN EXTREME
NORTH CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN. THE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM
FOR THE NORTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN COUNTIES OF PRESQUE ISLE...MONTMORENCY...
ALPENA...OSCODA...AND ALCONA COUNTIES.

A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH NORTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN THIS
EVENING WILL MOVE BEYOND THE COAST AND INTO LAKE HURON BETWEEN 830 AND
930 PM EDT.  MEANWHILE...SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL
AND DAMAGING WINDS AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WATCH AREA.

STAY INDOORS AWAY FROM WINDOWS AS THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH YOUR AREA.
STAY TUNED TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADIO OR OTHER LOCAL RADIO
OR TELEVISION STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

JWK

THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE
OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND POSSIBLE TORNADOES.

STAY TUNED TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADIO OR OTHER LOCAL RADIO
OR TELEVISION STATION FOR UPDATES ON THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS
WEATHER SITUATION.

...CORRECTED TO REMOVE OTTAWA COUNTY FROM TORNADO WATCH...

JWK
Special weather statement, Jun 28, 7:43 PM EDT, 0 minutes before
MIZALL-290200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
740 PM EDT TUE JUN 28 1994

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEAST LOWER
MICHIGAN UNTIL 1000 PM EDT...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR EMMET...
CHARLEVOIX...CHEYBOYGAN..OTSEGO...AND CRAWFORD COUNTIES IN EXTREME
NORTH CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN. THE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM
FOR THE NORTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN COUNTIES OF PRESQUE ISLE...MONTMORENCY...
ALPENA...OSCODA...AND ALCONA COUNTIES.

A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH NORTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN THIS
EVENING WILL MOVE BEYOND THE COAST AND INTO LAKE HURON BETWEEN 830 AND
930 PM EDT.  MEANWHILE...SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL
AND DAMAGING WINDS AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WATCH AREA.

STAY INDOORS AWAY FROM WINDOWS AS THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH YOUR AREA.
STAY TUNED TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADIO OR OTHER LOCAL RADIO
OR TELEVISION STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

JWK

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 28, 1:54 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXGladwin66 min
Jun 28, 2:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXBay, Saginaw62 min
Jun 28, 3:53 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXBay, Tuscola67 min
Jun 28, 4:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXGenesee, Shiawassee42 min
Jun 28, 4:06 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXLivingston39 min
Jun 28, 4:22 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXLivingston53 min
Jun 28, 4:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXTuscola43 min
Jun 28, 6:34 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXSaginaw56 min
Jun 28, 6:34 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXShiawassee47 min
Jun 28, 7:29 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXShiawassee36 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.