Alert archive / Michigan / Tornado Warnings in 1994
Tornado Warning 3, NWS Grand Rapids, MI
NWS Grand Rapids, MI issued this tornado warning at Jul 7, 1994, 9:18 PM EDT for Ingham County, Michigan. It was in force for 27 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Jul 7, 1994, 9:18 PM EDT (01:18 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 7, 1994, 9:45 PM EDT
- In force
- 27 min
- Issued by
- NWS Grand Rapids, MI
- Area
- Whole counties
County Ingham County, MI
The nearest sounding before it
Detroit, MI (KFNT), launched 00:00Z, 1.3 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.
- 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
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KLAN 080116 TORLAN MIC065-080145- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LANSING MI 918 PM EDT THU JUL 7 1994 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LANSING HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 945 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN SOUTH CENTRAL MICHIGAN ...NORTHERN INGHAM COUNTY AT 915 PM EDT...EATON COUNTY SHERIFFS REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD 5 MILES WEST OF LANSING...NEAR THE TOWN OF GRAND LEDGE. THE THUNDERSTORM PROUDUCING THIS FUNNEL WAS MOVING TO THE EAST 15 MILES AN HOUR. THIS STORM WILL REACH LANSING BETWEEN 925 AND 935 PM. PEOPLE IN THE TOWN OF LANSING SHOULD TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY. 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. DESROSIERS
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, Jul 7, 8:21 PM EDT, 57 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, 56 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, 9:07 PM EDT, 11 minutes before
MIZ020-021-025>027-031>033-037>039-043>045-050-515-080240- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MUSKEGON MI 907 PM EDT THU JUL 7 1994 ...THUNDERSTORMS DECREASING IN INTENSITY... AT 900 PM EDT... WEATHER RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 TO 20 MPH ACROSS NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN. THESE STORMS COVERED MOST OF THE REGION EXCEPT NORTHERN OCEANA AND MOST OF NEWAYGO COUNTIES. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS FALLING JUST NORTH OF CADILLAC AND IN EASTERN OSCEOLA COUNTY NEAR DIGHTON AND EASTERN MECOSTA COUNTY JUST SOUTH OF BARRYTON. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALSO DECREASING IN BOTH INTENSITY AND AERIAL COVERAGE. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE REGION THROUGH 1100 PM. THESE STORMS WILL NOT BE SEVERE BUT WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH VIVID LIGHTNING. DO NOT DRIVE INTO LOW LYING AREAS THAT ARE WATER COVERED AS THE ROAD YOU ARE ON MAY BE WASHED OUT. IF A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES... SEEK SHELTER IN A REINFORCED BUILDING. FELVER
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 9:11 PM EDT, 7 minutes before
MIZ020-021-025>027-031>033-037>039-043>045-050-515-080240- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MUSKEGON MI 907 PM EDT THU JUL 7 1994 ...THUNDERSTORMS DECREASING IN INTENSITY... AT 900 PM EDT... WEATHER RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 TO 20 MPH ACROSS NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN. THESE STORMS COVERED MOST OF THE REGION EXCEPT NORTHERN OCEANA AND MOST OF NEWAYGO COUNTIES. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS FALLING JUST NORTH OF CADILLAC AND IN EASTERN OSCEOLA COUNTY NEAR DIGHTON AND EASTERN MECOSTA COUNTY JUST SOUTH OF BARRYTON. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALSO DECREASING IN BOTH INTENSITY AND AERIAL COVERAGE. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE REGION THROUGH 1100 PM. THESE STORMS WILL NOT BE SEVERE BUT WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH VIVID LIGHTNING. DO NOT DRIVE INTO LOW LYING AREAS THAT ARE WATER COVERED AS THE ROAD YOU ARE ON MAY BE WASHED OUT. IF A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES... SEEK SHELTER IN A REINFORCED BUILDING. FELVER
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 9:15 PM EDT, 3 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, 9:18 PM EDT, 0 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.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Grand Rapids, MI issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 7, 8:25 PM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | GRR | Kent | 6 hr |
| Jul 7, 9:02 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | GRR | Eaton | 28 min |
| Jul 7, 9:55 PM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | GRR | Ionia, Montcalm | 3 hr |
| Jul 7, 9:59 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRR | Clinton | 12 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.