Alert archive / Michigan / Tornado Warnings in 1997
Tornado Warning 7, NWS Detroit, MI
NWS Detroit, MI issued this tornado warning at Jul 2, 1997, 4:15 PM EDT for Saginaw County, Michigan. It was in force for 30 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- Jul 2, 1997, 4:15 PM EDT (20:15 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 2, 1997, 4:45 PM EDT
- In force
- 30 min
- Issued by
- NWS Detroit, MI
- Area
- Whole counties
County Saginaw County, MI
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2, 4:20 PM EDT | Tornado F1 | Burt, MI |
NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in.
The watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2, 1:45 PM EDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Detroit, MI (KDTX), launched 12:00Z, 8.3 hours before the alert went out and 85 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
- 103 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -131 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1006 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 32 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 119 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 140 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.7
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KDTX 022018 RRA
TORDTX
MIC145-022045-
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
415 PM EDT WED JUL 2 1997
* TORNADO WARNING FOR
SAGINAW COUNTY - SOUTHEASTERN LOWER MICHIGAN
* UNTIL 445 PM EDT
* SOME AREAS AFFECTED
BIRCH RUN BY 437 PM EDT
* AT 412 PM EDT...A POSSIBLE TORNADO WAS INDICATED BY
DETROIT/PONTIAC DOPPLER RADAR 18 MILES SOUTH OF SAGINAW OR 15
MILES WEST OF BIRCH RUN MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.
LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE TO THE NORTH
TOWARD BRIDGEPORT AND FRAKENMUTH.
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER FROM THE WEATHER IN A
STRONG BUILDING. DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN AND
DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE ALL POSSIBLE IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. STAY
INSIDE AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.
BTWhat 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 2, 11:35 AM EDT, 4 hours 40 minutes before
MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-031200- SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI 1135 AM EDT WED JUL 02 1997 ...SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL STATEMENT FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN... DISPATCHERS...PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGERS IMMEDIATELY. SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY IN SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. AN INTENSE COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE AREA DURING THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON. THE AIR MASS AHEAD OF THE FRONT HAS EXTENSIVE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE LOW 70S ACROSS THE AREA. THE FRONT WILL PROVIDE ENOUGH LIFT TO PRODUCE THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF WHICH WILL LIKELY BECOME SEVERE. THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP DURING THE EARLY PART OF THE AFTERNOON IN SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN AND THEN MOVE INTO SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN DURING THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING. THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE BETWEEN 3 PM AND 8 PM. SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER DEVELOP...THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE FROM DAMAGING WIND WHICH WILL EXCEED 60 MPH AND COULD APPROACH 100 MPH IN THE MORE INTENSE STORMS. HOWEVER... ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE ALONG WITH HAIL AROUND ONE INCH IN DIAMETER. MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS WILL BE EAST AT 35 TO 40 MPH. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO...TELEVISION AND CABLE TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER UPDATES ON THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER IN SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN. DLK/BT
Special weather statement, Jul 2, 11:36 AM EDT, 4 hours 39 minutes before
MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-031200- SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI 1135 AM EDT WED JUL 02 1997 ...SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL STATEMENT FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN... DISPATCHERS...PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGERS IMMEDIATELY. SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY IN SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. AN INTENSE COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE AREA DURING THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON. THE AIR MASS AHEAD OF THE FRONT HAS EXTENSIVE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE LOW 70S ACROSS THE AREA. THE FRONT WILL PROVIDE ENOUGH LIFT TO PRODUCE THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF WHICH WILL LIKELY BECOME SEVERE. THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP DURING THE EARLY PART OF THE AFTERNOON IN SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN AND THEN MOVE INTO SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN DURING THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING. THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE BETWEEN 3 PM AND 8 PM. SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER DEVELOP...THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE FROM DAMAGING WIND WHICH WILL EXCEED 60 MPH AND COULD APPROACH 100 MPH IN THE MORE INTENSE STORMS. HOWEVER... ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE ALONG WITH HAIL AROUND ONE INCH IN DIAMETER. MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS WILL BE EAST AT 35 TO 40 MPH. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO...TELEVISION AND CABLE TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER UPDATES ON THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER IN SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN. DLK/BT
Special weather statement, Jul 2, 1:30 PM EDT, 2 hours 45 minutes before
MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-021900- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI 130 PM EDT WED JUL 02 1997 ...TORNADO WATCH 553 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM... TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 553 IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN UNTIL 800 PM. THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... BAY MIDLAND SAGINAW TUSCOLA HURON SANILAC LAPEER GENESSEE SHIAWASSEE ST CLAIR MACOMB OAKLAND LIVINGSTON WASTENAW WAYNE LENAWEE MONROE AT 130 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN FROM CADILLAC TO JUST NORTH OF GRAND RAPIDS. THIS LINE IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE BUILDING SOUTH DURING THE AFTERNOON WITH THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. THIS ACTIVITY WILL LIKELY REACH MIDLAND COUNTY BY 300 PM AND THEN POINTS SOUTH AND EAST INTO THE REST OF SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN LATER IN THE AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IS LIKELY IN THE WATCH AREA WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF TORNADOES. PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER IF THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION...OR CABLE TELEVISION OUTLETS FOR LATER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER WARNINGS. BT
Special weather statement, Jul 2, 1:33 PM EDT, 2 hours 42 minutes before
MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-021900- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI 130 PM EDT WED JUL 02 1997 ...TORNADO WATCH 553 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM... TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 553 IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN UNTIL 800 PM. THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... BAY MIDLAND SAGINAW TUSCOLA HURON SANILAC LAPEER GENESSEE SHIAWASSEE ST CLAIR MACOMB OAKLAND LIVINGSTON WASTENAW WAYNE LENAWEE MONROE AT 130 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN FROM CADILLAC TO JUST NORTH OF GRAND RAPIDS. THIS LINE IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE BUILDING SOUTH DURING THE AFTERNOON WITH THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. THIS ACTIVITY WILL LIKELY REACH MIDLAND COUNTY BY 300 PM AND THEN POINTS SOUTH AND EAST INTO THE REST OF SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN LATER IN THE AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IS LIKELY IN THE WATCH AREA WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF TORNADOES. PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER IF THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION...OR CABLE TELEVISION OUTLETS FOR LATER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER WARNINGS. BT
The office that day
Everything else NWS Detroit, MI issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2, 3:05 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | DTX | Saginaw | 40 min |
| Jul 2, 3:31 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DTX | Bay | 44 min |
| Jul 2, 3:46 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | DTX | Saginaw | 29 min |
| Jul 2, 4:01 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | DTX | Genesee, Shiawassee | 44 min |
| Jul 2, 4:39 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DTX | Tuscola | 51 min |
| Jul 2, 4:46 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | DTX | Genesee | 29 min |
| Jul 2, 4:55 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | DTX | Livingston | 35 min |
| Jul 2, 5:01 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | DTX | Lapeer | 44 min |
| Jul 2, 5:21 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DTX | Oakland | 54 min |
| Jul 2, 5:35 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | DTX | Livingston, Washtenaw | 35 min |
| Jul 2, 5:40 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | DTX | Oakland | 30 min |
| Jul 2, 5:48 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | DTX | Wayne | 42 min |
| Jul 2, 6:20 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | DTX | Macomb, Saint Clair | 25 min |
| Jul 2, 6:29 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | DTX | Wayne | 31 min |
| Jul 2, 7:01 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | DTX | Wayne | 29 min |
| Jul 2, 7:30 PM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | DTX | Macomb, Wayne | 3 hr |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Michigan, 1997Every tornado warning in 1997Tornadoes 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.