Alert archive / Michigan / Flash Flood Warnings in 1994

Flash Flood Warning 6, NWS Grand Rapids, MI

July 7, 1994Ionia County, Montcalm County, Michigan

NWS Grand Rapids, MI issued this flash flood warning at Jul 7, 1994, 9:55 PM EDT for Ionia County, Montcalm County, Michigan. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 7, 1994, 9:55 PM EDT (01:55 UTC)
Expired
Jul 8, 1994, 12:45 AM EDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Grand Rapids, MI
Area
Whole counties

Counties Ionia County, MI, Montcalm County, MI

The nearest sounding before it

Detroit, MI (KFNT), launched 00:00Z, 1.9 hours before the alert went out and 144 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 080156
FFWGRR
MIC067-117-080800-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
955 PM EDT THU JUL 7 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND RAPIDS HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  400 AM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN
 
   ...NORTHERN IONIA COUNTY...MONTCALM COUNTY
 
AT 953 PM EDT... WEATHER RADAR SHOWED SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS OVER
NORTH IONIA COUNTY... AND OVER ALL OF MONTCALM COUNTY. THE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 MPH AND WERE PRODUCING
VERY HEAVY RAIN. ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE LIKELY THROUGH
11PM EDT. SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS IN NORTH IONIA COUNTY AND MONTCALM
COUNTY WILL FLOOD QUICKLY DUE TO THE HEAVY RAIN FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS 
THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE EAST INTO GRATIOT AND CLINTON COUNTIES
BY 11PM EDT.
 
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, 9:18 PM EDT, 37 minutes before
MIZ051-056>058-064-065-071-072-080200-

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

...RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER PORTION OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN...

AT 910 PM EDT... AN AREA OF RAIN WITH A FEW THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM
CONKLIN... 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF GRAND RAPIDS THROUGH CUTLERVILLE TO
HICKORY CORNERS... 35 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GRAND RAPIDS.  THIS AREA CONTINUED
NORTH AND EAST THROUGH CEDAR SPRINGS EDMORE AND PORTLAND.  MOVEMENT WAS
TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 15.  THE WEST EDGE OF THIS LINE WILL MOVE TO
KENT CITY TO CASCADE TO MAPLE GROVE BY 1030 PM.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY
RAINFALL.

REMEMBER... ALL THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. THIS IS
ONE OF THE TOP WEATHER KILLERS IN THE COUNTRY. PRACTICE LIGHTNING
SAFETY BY MOVING INDOORS UNTIL THE STORMS PASS.
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 9:20 PM EDT, 35 minutes before
MIZ051-056>058-064-065-071-072-080230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION TO TEXT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
920 PM EDT THU JUL 7 1994

...RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER PORTION OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN...

AT 910 PM EDT... AN AREA OF RAIN WITH A FEW THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM
CONKLIN... 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF GRAND RAPIDS THROUGH CUTLERVILLE TO
HICKORY CORNERS... 35 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GRAND RAPIDS.  THIS AREA CONTINUED
NORTH AND EAST THROUGH CEDAR SPRINGS... EDMORE AND PORTLAND.  MOVEMENT WAS
TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.  THE WEST EDGE OF THIS LINE WILL MOVE TO
KENT CITY TO CASCADE TO MAPLE GROVE BY 1030 PM.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY
RAINFALL.

REMEMBER... ALL THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. THIS IS
ONE OF THE TOP WEATHER KILLERS IN THE COUNTRY. PRACTICE LIGHTNING
SAFETY BY MOVING INDOORS UNTIL THE STORMS PASS.
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 9:22 PM EDT, 33 minutes before
MIZ051-056>058-064-065-071-072-080230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION TO TEXT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
920 PM EDT THU JUL 7 1994

...RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER PORTION OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN...

AT 910 PM EDT... AN AREA OF RAIN WITH A FEW THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM
CONKLIN... 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF GRAND RAPIDS THROUGH CUTLERVILLE TO
HICKORY CORNERS... 35 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GRAND RAPIDS.  THIS AREA CONTINUED
NORTH AND EAST THROUGH CEDAR SPRINGS... EDMORE AND PORTLAND.  MOVEMENT WAS
TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.  THE WEST EDGE OF THIS LINE WILL MOVE TO
KENT CITY TO CASCADE TO MAPLE GROVE BY 1030 PM.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING A&ND BRIEF HEAVY
RAINFALL.

REMEMBER... ALL THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. THIS IS
ONE OF THE TOP WEATHER KILLERS IN THE COUNTRY. PRACTICE LIGHTNING
SAFETY BY MO
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 9:24 PM EDT, 31 minutes before
MIZ051-056>058-064-065-071-072-080230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION TO TEXT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
920 PM EDT THU JUL 7 1994

...RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER PORTION OF SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN...

AT 910 PM EDT... AN AREA OF RAIN WITH A FEW THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM
CONKLIN... 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF GRAND RAPIDS THROUGH CUTLERVILLE TO
HICKORY CORNERS... 35 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GRAND RAPIDS.  THIS AREA CONTINUED
NORTH AND EAST THROUGH CEDAR SPRINGS... EDMORE AND PORTLAND.  MOVEMENT WAS
TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.  THE WEST EDGE OF THIS LINE WILL MOVE TO
KENT CITY TO CASCADE TO MAPLE GROVE BY 1030 PM.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING A.ND BRIEF HEAVY
RAINFALL.

REMEMBER... ALL THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. THIS IS
ONE OF THE TOP WEATHER KILLERS IN THE COUNTRY. PRACTICE LIGHTNING
SAFETY BY MOVING INDOORS UNTIL THE STORMS PASS.
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 9:30 PM EDT, 25 minutes before
MIZ044-080240-

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

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IS OVER SOUTHWEST NEWAYGO COUNTY...

AT 925 PM EDT... WEATHER RADAR DETECTED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER SOUTHWEST
NEWAYGO COUNTY NEAR FREMONT.  THIS THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT
20 MPH AND WILL PASS THROUGH WHITE CLOUD BY 1000 PM.  RESIDENTS IN THE
PATH OF THIS STORM CAN EXPECT A PERIOD OF VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ALONG WITH
VIVID LIGHTNING WITH THE PASSAGE OF THIS STORM.

KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY TONIGHT AND BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH STANDING WATER ON ROADS.

FELVER
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 9:32 PM EDT, 23 minutes before
MIZ044-080240-

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

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IS OVER SOUTHWEST NEWAYGO COUNTY...

AT 925 PM EDT... WEATHER RADAR DETECTED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER SOUTHWEST
NEWAYGO COUNTY NEAR FREMONT.  THIS THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT
20 MPH AND WILL PASS THROUGH WHITE CLOUD BY 1000 PM.  RESIDENTS IN THE
PATH OF THIS STOlRM CAN EXPECT A PERIOD OF VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ALONG WITH
VIVID LIGHTNING WITH THE PASSAGE OF THIS STORM.

KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY TONIGHT AND BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH STANDING WATER ON ROADS.

FELVER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 7, 8:25 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGRRKent6 hr
Jul 7, 9:02 PM EDTTornado WarningGRREaton28 min
Jul 7, 9:18 PM EDTTornado WarningGRRIngham27 min
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.