Alert archive / Michigan / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 9, NWS Detroit, MI

May 18, 1997Oakland County, Michigan

NWS Detroit, MI issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 18, 1997, 10:57 PM EDT for Oakland County, Michigan. It was in force for 48 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 18, 1997, 10:57 PM EDT (02:57 UTC)
Expired
May 18, 1997, 11:45 PM EDT
In force
48 min
Issued by
NWS Detroit, MI
Area
Whole counties

County Oakland County, MI

The radar

The Detroit radar (KDTX), 8 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:57 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Detroit, MI (KDTX), launched 00:00Z, 3.0 hours before the alert went out and 8 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 1997-05-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 17 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 00:00Z on 1997-05-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 296 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
17 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-791 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
754 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
62 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
296 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
450 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.

069 
WUUS01 KDTX 190259 RRA
SVRDTX
MIC125-190345-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION/IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
1057 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 1997

*   SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR
    OAKLAND COUNTY - SOUTHEASTERN LOWER MICHIGAN

*   UNTIL 1145 PM EDT
 
*   SOME AREAS AFFECTED
    NOVI                          BY 1058 PM EDT
    FARMINGTON HILLS              BY 1105 PM EDT
    PONTIAC                       BY 1110 PM EDT
    SOUTHFIELD                    BY 1114 PM EDT
    TROY                          BY 1119 PM EDT
    ROYAL OAK                     BY 1120 PM EDT

* AT 1056 PM EDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS INDICATED BY
  DETROIT/PONTIAC DOPPLER RADAR 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PONTIAC OR 4
  MILES NORTH OF NOVI MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.
 
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT.  REMEMBER... TORNADOES CAN AND
OCCASIONALLY DO DEVELOP RAPIDLY IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.  IF
THREATENING WEATHER IS OBSERVED... MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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, May 18, 5:45 PM EDT, 5 hours 12 minutes before
MIZ068>070-075>076-082>083-190000-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
545 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 1997

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 294 HAS BEEN CANCELLED...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH THAT WAS ISSUED FOR PARTS OF SOUTHEAST
LOWER MICHIGAN EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON HAS BEEN CANCELLED. THE SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAS MOVED TO THE SOUTH AND EAST OF THE AREA FOR
THE TIME BEING.

ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO LONGER AN IMMINENT THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER...
IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THUNDERSTORMS MAY REDEVELOP RAPIDLY LATER THIS
EVENING...AND MAY REACH SEVERE LIMITS. THEREFORE... FROM THE
CANCELLATION OF THIS WATCH IT SHOULD NOT BE INTERPRETED THAT THE THREAT
OF SEVERE WEATHER IS OVER FOR THE NIGHT.

STAY TUNED TO COMMERCIAL AND CABLE TELEVISION STATIONS FOR THE LATEST
WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS.

REILLY
Special weather statement, May 18, 5:47 PM EDT, 5 hours 10 minutes before
MIZ068>070-075>076-082>083-190000-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
545 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 1997

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 294 HAS BEEN CANCELLED...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH THAT WAS ISSUED FOR PARTS OF SOUTHEAST
LOWER MICHIGAN EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON HAS BEEN CANCELLED. THE SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAS MOVED TO THE SOUTH AND EAST OF THE AREA FOR
THE TIME BEING.

ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO LONGER AN IMMINENT THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER...
IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THUNDERSTORMS MAY REDEVELOP RAPIDLY LATER THIS
EVENING...AND MAY REACH SEVERE LIMITS. THEREFORE... FROM THE
CANCELLATION OF THIS WATCH IT SHOULD NOT BE INTERPRETED THAT THE THREAT
OF SEVERE WEAT8HER IS OVER FOR THE NIGHT.

STAY TUNED TO COMMERCIAL AND CABLE TELEVISION STATIONS FOR THE LATEST
WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS.

REILLY
Special weather statement, May 18, 10:45 PM EDT, 12 minutes before
MIZ047>049-053>055-068>070-075>076-082>083-190900-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
1045 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 1997

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 301 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR FAR SOUTHEAST LOWER
MICHIGAN UNTIL 500 AM...

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 301 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR LIVINGSTON... OAKLAND...
MACOMB... WASHTENAW... WAYNE... LENAWEE... AND MONROE COUNTIES UNTIL
500 AM. AN AREA OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM FROM JUST NORTH OF
JACKSON... SOUTHWEST TO SOUTH BEND INDIANA. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE
MOVING TO THE EAST AT 35 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL MOVE TO NEAR ANN ARBOR
BY 1145 PM... DETROIT AND ADRIAN BY 1230 AM... AND INTO MONROE BY
100 AM.

THE STORMS IN FAR SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN MAY PRODUCE WIND GUSTS UP TO
70 MPH... HAIL TO 1 INCH IN DIAMETER... AND POSSIBLY AN ISOLATED
TORNADO. SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED LATE THIS EVENING FOR FAR
SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN.

THUNDERSTORMS FARTHER NORTH WILL CONTINUE MOVE ACROSS THE FLINT...
SAGINAW... AND THUMB REGIONS THROUGH THE NIGHT. THESE STORMS ACROSS THE
REST OF SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN WILL MOVE EAST AT 35 MPH. THESE
THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE HAIL 1/2 INCH IN DIAMETER... WIND GUSTS UP TO
45 MPH AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

AS A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES... STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. DO NOT USE
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES OR THE TELEPHONE UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO... AND COMMERCIAL AND CABLE TELEVISION
STATIONS FOR THE LATEST WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS.

RBP
Special weather statement, May 18, 10:57 PM EDT, 0 minutes before
MIZ047>049-053>055-068>070-075>076-082>083-190900-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
1045 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 1997

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 301 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR FAR SOUTHEAST LOWER
MICHIGAN UNTIL 500 AM...

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 301 HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR LIVINGSTON... OAKLAND...
MACOMB... WASHTENAW... WAYNE... LENAWEE... AND MONROE COUNTIES UNTIL
500 AM. AN AREA OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM FROM JUST NORTH OF
JACKSON... SOUTHWEST TO SOUTH BEND INDIANA. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE
MOVING TO THE EAST AT 35 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL MOVE TO NEAR ANN ARBOR
BY 1145 PM... DETROIT AND ADRIAN BY 1230 AM... AND INTO MONROE BY
100 AM.

THE STORMS IN FAR SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN MAY PRODUCE WIND GUSTS UP TO
70 MPH... HAIL TO 1 INCH IN DIAMETER... AND POSSIBLY AN ISOLATED
TORNADO. SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED LATE THIS EVENING FOR FAR
SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN.

THUNDERSTORMS FARTHER NORTH WILL CONTINUE MOVE ACROSS THE FLINT...
SAGINAW... AND THUMB REGIONS THROUGH THE NIGHT. THESE STORMS ACROSS THE
REST OF SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN WILL MOVE EAST AT 35 MPH. THESE
THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE HAIL 1/2 INCH IN DIAMETER... WIND GUSTS UP TO
45 MPH AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

AS A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES... STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. DO NOT USE
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES OR THE TELEPHONE UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO... AND COMMERCIAL AND CABLE TELEVISION
STATIONS FOR THE LATEST WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS.

RBP

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 18, 11:18 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXLenawee57 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Michigan, 1997Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1997

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.