Alert archive / Michigan / Flash Flood Warnings in 1994

Flash Flood Warning 5, NWS Grand Rapids, MI

July 7, 1994Kent County, Michigan

NWS Grand Rapids, MI issued this flash flood warning at Jul 7, 1994, 8:25 PM EDT for Kent County, Michigan. It was in force for 6 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 7, 1994, 8:25 PM EDT (00:25 UTC)
Expired
Jul 8, 1994, 2:30 AM EDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Grand Rapids, MI
Area
Whole counties

County Kent County, MI

The nearest sounding before it

Detroit, MI (KFNT), launched 00:00Z, 0.4 hours before the alert went out and 176 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 1994-07-08Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2204 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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 1994-07-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 47 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
2204 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
967 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
26 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
47 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
88 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.6
Supercell composite
3.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KGRR 080026
FFWGRR
MIC081-080630-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
825 PM EDT THU JUL 7 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND RAPIDS HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  230 AM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN
 
   ...KENT COUNTY
 
AT 823 PM EDT... WEATHER RADAR INDICATED INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY
RAIN OVER GRAND RAPIDS AND VICINITY. A SKYWARN SPOTTER REPORTED NEARLY
THREE INCHES OF RAIN BETWEEN 745 AND 815 PM EDT AT WYOMING.
THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH KENT COUNTY UNTIL 930 PM
EDT. TOTAL RAINFALL BY 930 PM EDT IS EXPECTED TO BE 2 TO 4 INCHES.
SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS WILL FLOOD QUICKLY DUE TO THE HEAVY RAIN FROM
THESE THUNDERSTORMS. MANY DIPS... LOW SPOTS AND INTERSECTIONS ON
ROADWAYS HAVE BECOME FLOODED WITH TWO TO THREE FEET OF WATER.
 
DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.
THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOU TO CROSS SAFELY.
VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE ABANDONED QUICKLY... AND
YOU SHOULD MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.
TPH
 
&

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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 7, 7:00 PM EDT, 1 hour 25 minutes before
MIZ051-056>058-064-065-071-072-080000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
700 PM EDT THU JUL 7 1994

...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN...

AT 655 PM EDT... WEATHER RADAR DETECTED A 20 MILE WIDE BROKEN LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS FROM CARSON CITY...45 MILES EAST NORTHEAST OF GRAND RAPIDS
TO CALEDONIA... 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GRAND RAPIDS.  MOVEMENT OF THIS
LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS TO THE EAST AT 10 TO 15 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL
CONTINUE TO EFFECT PERSONS IN CARSON CITY TO BELDING TO CALEDONIA
THROUGH 730 PM.

ANOTHER AREA OF RAIN WITH A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED FROM GANGES TO
LAWTON AND WEST OVER LAKE MICHIGAN.  MOVEMENT WAS TO THE EAST NORTHEAST
AT 20 MPH.  IT WILL SPREAD OVER HOLLAND TO VICKSBURG BY 800 PM.

DRIVERS ENCOUNTERING THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING SHOULD BE AWARE THAT
LOCALIZED FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS UNDERPASSES MAY OCCUR.
ALSO REMEMBER THAT HEAVY RAIN CAN REDUCE VISIBILITIES SIGNIFICANTLY.
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 7:05 PM EDT, 1 hour 20 minutes before
MIZ020-021-025>027-031>033-037>039-043>045-050-515-080130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
FOR NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE  MUSKEGON MI
705 PM EDT THU JUL 7 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP...

AT 700 PM EDT... WEATHER RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING TO DEVELOP
IN WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN.  ON BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS
STRETCHED FROM NEAR HART IN OCEANA COUNTY NORTH TO SOUTH BOARDMAN IN
KALKASKA COUNTY.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS ON THE MASON/LAKE COUNTY
BOARDER NEAR THE TOWN OF BRANCH.  ANOTHER BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED
FROM JUST EAST OF MUSKEGON NORTHEAST TO EVART IN OSCEOLA COUNTY.  THE
STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM IN THIS BAND WAS LOCATED IN SOUTHWEST NEWAYGO COUNTY
NEAR NEWAYGO.  ALL OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH
AND WILL CONTINUE THAT TREND THROUGH 900 PM.  AT THIS TIME NONE OF THE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE SEVERE BUT MANY WERE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND
VIVID LIGHTNING.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THROUGH
900 PM AND WILL CONTAIN VERY HEAVY RAINFALL.

THE BEST PLACE TO BE DURING A THUNDERSTORM IS IN A REINFORCED SHELTER.
DO NOT GO OUTSIDE AS LIGHTNING CAN BE A KILLER.

FELVER
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 7:05 PM EDT, 1 hour 20 minutes before
MIZ020-021-025>027-031>033-037>039-043>045-050-515-080130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
FOR NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE  MUSKEGON MI
705 PM EDT THU JUL 7 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP...

AT 700 PM EDT... WEATHER RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING TO DEVELOP
IN WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN.  ON BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS
STRETCHED FROM NEAR HART IN OCEANA COUNTY NORTH TO SOUTH BOARDMAN IN
KALKASKA COUNTY.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS ON THE MASON/LAKE COUNTY
BOARDER NEAR THE TOWN OF BRANCH.  ANOTHER BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED
FROM JUST EAST OF MUSKEGON NORTHEAST TO EVART IN OSCEOLA COUNTY.  THE
STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM IN THIS BAND WAS LOCATED IN SOUTHWEST NEWAYGO COUNTY
NEAR NEWAYGO.  ALL OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH
AND WILL CONTINUE THAT TREND THROUGH 900 PM.  AT THIS TIME NONE OF THE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE SEVERE BUT MANY WERE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND
VIVID LIGHTNING.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THROUGH
900 PM AND WILL CONTAIN VERY HEAVY RAINFALL.

THE BEST PLACE TO BE DURING A THUNDERSTORM IS IN A REINFORCED SHELTER.
DO NOT GO OUTSIDE AS LIGHTNING CAN BE A KILLER.

FELVER
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 7:53 PM EDT, 32 minutes before
MIZ051-056>058-064-065-071-072-080100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
753 PM EDT THU JUL 7 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN...

AT 753 PM EDT... AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS COVERED MUCH OF SOUTHWEST
LOWER MICHIGAN.  THE STRONGEST STORM DETECTED ON WEATHER RADAR WAS
LOCATED FROM NEAR GRANDVILLE... 5 MILES WEST OF GRAND RAPIDS TO
GRAND RAPIDS.  A SKYWARN SPOTTER REPORTED VERY HEAVY RAIN...  PEA SIZED
HAIL...  AND WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH IN GRAND RAPIDS.  MOVEMENT OF THE
THUNDERSTORMS WAS TO THE NORTH AT 10 MPH.  THESE HEAVY STORMS
WILL EFFECT PERSON IN WALKER TO CANNONSBURG BY 900 PM.
THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE OVER MUCH OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN
THROUGH 900 PM.

LOCALIZED FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS IS POSSIBLE DUE TO THE SLOW
MOVEMENT OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS. DRIVERS ALSO REMEMBER THAT HEAVY RAIN
CAN REDUCE VISIBILITIES SIGNIFICANTLY. PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THESE
STORMS SHOULD GO INDOORS TO AVOID THE DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH LIGHTNING
STRIKES.
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 8:21 PM EDT, 4 minutes before
MIZ046-052-059-066-067-07-074-080100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LANSING MI
821 PM EDT THU JUL 7 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTH CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN...

AT 815 PM...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS
MOST OF LOWER MICHIGAN...INCLUDING SOUTH CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN.
ONE STRONG STORM WAS 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF LANSING...OR BETWEEN THE
TOWNS OF PEWAMO AND FOWLER IN CLINTON COUNTY.  THIS STORM WAS
DRIFTING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 10 MILES AND HOUR AND AFFECT THE
AREAS AROUND FOWLER AND MATHERTON BETWEEN 815 AND 900 PM EDT.

ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS OVER SOUTHERN EATON COUNTY...ABOUT 25 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF LANSING...EAST OF THE TOWN OF OLIVET.  THIS STORM WAS
ALSO MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL PASS BETWEEN
CHARLOTTE AND EATON RAPIDS BETWEEN 835 AND 845 PM EDT.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AS THEY PASS
OVERHEAD.  DO NOT ATTEMP TO DRIVE THROUGH STANDING WATER ON ROADS.

ALSO...SMALL HAIL AND FREQENT DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH
THEST STORMS.  MOVE INDOORS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE DANGERS
OF LIGHTNING.

STAY TUNED TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADIO FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND
STATEMENTS.

DESROSIERS
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 8:22 PM EDT, 3 minutes before
MIZ046-052-059-066-067-07-074-080100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LANSING MI
821 PM EDT THU JUL 7 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTH CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN...

AT 815 PM...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS
MOST OF LOWER MICHIGAN...INCLUDING SOUTH CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN.
ONE STRONG STORM WAS 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF LANSING...OR BETWEEN THE
TOWNS OF PEWAMO AND FOWLER IN CLINTON COUNTY.  THIS STORM WAS
DRIFTING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 10 MILES AND HOUR AND AFFECT THE
AREAS AROUND FOWLER AND MATHERTON BETWEEN 815 AND 900 PM EDT.

ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS OVER SOUTHERN EATON COUNTY...ABOUT 25 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF LANSING...EAST OF THE TOWN OF OLIVET.  THIS STORM WAS
ALSO MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL PASS BETWEEN
CHARLOTTE AND EATON RAPIDS BETWEEN 835 AND 845 PM EDT.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AS THEY PASS
OVERHEAD.  DO NOT ATTEMP TO DRIVE THROUGH STANDING WATER ON ROADS.

ALSO...SMALL HAIL AND FREQENT DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH
THEST STORMS.  MOVE INDOORS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE DANGERS
OF LIGHTNING.

STAY TUNED TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADIO FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND
STATEMENTS.

DESROSIERS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 7, 9:02 PM EDTTornado WarningGRREaton28 min
Jul 7, 9:18 PM EDTTornado WarningGRRIngham27 min
Jul 7, 9:55 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGRRIonia, Montcalm3 hr
Jul 7, 9:59 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGRRClinton12 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Michigan, 1994Every flash flood warning 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.