Alert archive / Michigan / Tornado Warnings in 1998

Tornado Warning 1, NWS Detroit, MI

April 16, 1998Sanilac County, Michigan

NWS Detroit, MI issued this tornado warning at Apr 16, 1998, 4:32 PM EDT for Sanilac County, Michigan. It was in force for 43 min. 4 reports 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
Apr 16, 1998, 4:32 PM EDT (20:32 UTC)
Expired
Apr 16, 1998, 5:15 PM EDT
In force
43 min
Issued by
NWS Detroit, MI
Area
Whole counties

County Sanilac County, MI

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 16, 4:47 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 52Shabbona, MI
Apr 16, 4:47 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 52Sandusky, MI
Apr 16, 4:55 PM EDTHail 1.75Carsonville, MI
Apr 16, 4:57 PM EDTTornado F1Carsonville, 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 nearest sounding before it

Detroit, MI (KDTX), launched 12:00Z, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 103 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 12:00Z on 1998-04-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 12:00Z on 1998-04-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 213 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
494 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
49 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
213 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
133 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.

938 
WFUS01 KDTX 162031 RRA
TORDTX
MIC151-162115-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
432 PM EDT THU APR 16 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DETROIT/PONTIAC HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SANILAC COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN LOWER MICHIGAN

* UNTIL 515 PM EDT

* AT 431 PM EDT...  NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  A DEVELOPING TORNADO 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SANDUSKY MOVING
  NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

* SOME AREAS AFFECTED
  SANDUSKY                      BY 435 PM EDT
  DECKERVILLE                   BY 450 PM EDT
  FORESTVILLE                   BY 505 PM EDT


IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IN A HOME OR
BUSINESS IS AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE.  AVOID
WINDOWS.

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, Apr 16, 11:45 AM EDT, 4 hours 47 minutes before
MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-170300-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
1145 AM EDT THU APR 16 1998

...SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL STATEMENT FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN...

DISPATCHERS...PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGERS IMMEDIATELY.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING.
SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY APPROACH SEVERE LIMITS LATE THIS AFTERNOON
REQUIRING SPOTTER ACTIVATION.

AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TRACKS NORTHEAST THROUGH CENTRAL LOWER
MICHIGAN TODAY...THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP OVER SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN AFTER
200 PM. THE BEST CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE SOUTH OF I-69 WITH
MOVEMENT TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. THE STRONGER STORMS WILL HAVE THE
POTENTIAL FOR 3/4 INCH HAIL AND WIND GUSTS NEAR 50 MPH.

THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL LINGER INTO THIS EVENING BUT WILL END
BY 1000 PM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET...FOR
THE LATEST INFORMATION.

BT
Special weather statement, Apr 16, 11:45 AM EDT, 4 hours 47 minutes before
MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-170300-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
1145 AM EDT THU APR 16 1998

...SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL STATEMENT FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN...

DISPATCHERS...PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGERS IMMEDIATELY.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING.
SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY APPROACH SEVERE LIMITS LATE THIS AFTERNOON
REQUIRING SPOTTER ACTIVATION.

AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TRACKS NORTHEAST THROUGH CENTRAL LOWER
MICHIGAN TODAY...THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP OVER SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN AFTER
200 PM. THE BEST CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE SOUTH OF I-69 WITH
MOVEMENT TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. THE STRONGER STORMS WILL HAVE THE
POTENTIAL FOR 3/4 INCH HAIL AND WIND GUSTS NEAR 50 MPH.

THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL LINGER INTO THIS EVENING BUT WILL END
BY 1000 PM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET...FOR
THE LATEST INFORMATION.

BT
Special weather statement, Apr 16, 1:28 PM EDT, 3 hours 4 minutes before
MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-170300-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
128 PM EDT THU APR 16 1998

...SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL STATEMENT FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN...

DISPATCHERS...PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGERS IMMEDIATELY.

NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN
THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING.  SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY EXCEED
SEVERE LIMITS.  SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE REQUIRED.

AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TRACKS NORTHEAST THROUGH CENTRAL LOWER
MICHIGAN THIS AFTERNOON...THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS SOUTHEAST
MICHIGAN.  SOME THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE SEVERE...WITH HAIL POSSIBLY AS
LARGE IN DIAMETER AS A GOLFBALL.  WIND GUSTS NEAR 50 MPH WILL ALSO BE
POSSIBLE AS THE STORMS MOVE TO THE NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL LINGER INTO THIS EVENING...THOUGH THE THREAT OF
SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO END BY 8 PM.  ALL THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD
END BY 1000 PM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET...FOR
THE LATEST INFORMATION.

DJF
Special weather statement, Apr 16, 1:40 PM EDT, 2 hours 52 minutes before
MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-170200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
140 PM EDT THU APR 16 1998

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 229 IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST
MICHIGAN THROUGH 8 PM...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR
ALL OF SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN EFFECTIVE UNTIL 8 PM.  A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE STORMS IN AND
CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA...WITH HAIL 3/4-INCH IN DIAMETER OR LARGER AND
WINDS OF 58 MPH OR GREATER.  THE WATCH COVERS THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN
SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN...

MIDLAND             BAY            HURON          SAGINAW
TUSCOLA             SANILAC        LAPEER         ST. CLAIR
SHIAWASSEE          GENESEE        LIVINGSTON     OAKLAND
MACOMB              WASHTENAW      WAYNE          LENAWEE
MONROE

THIS INCLUDES THE COMMUNITIES AND SURROUNDING AREAS OF MIDLAND...BAY
CITY...SAGINAW...BAD AXE...FLINT...PORT HURON...DETROIT...ANN ARBOR...
AND MONROE.

ONCE AGAIN...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS THAT SEVERE WEATHER MAY
OCCUR.  PERSONS ACROSS SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS.  IF THUNDERSTORMS MOVE NEARBY OR
OVERHEAD...BE SURE TO MOVE INSIDE IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE.  WHILE INDOORS...
STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR LATER INFORMATION ON THE POSSIBILITY OF
SEVERE WEATHER IN SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN.

DJF
Special weather statement, Apr 16, 1:40 PM EDT, 2 hours 52 minutes before
MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-170200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
140 PM EDT THU APR 16 1998

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 229 IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST
MICHIGAN THROUGH 8 PM...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR
ALL OF SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN EFFECTIVE UNTIL 8 PM.  A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE STORMS IN AND
CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA...WITH HAIL 3/4-INCH IN DIAMETER OR LARGER AND
WINDS OF 58 MPH OR GREATER.  THE WATCH COVERS THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN
SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN...

MIDLAND             BAY            HURON          SAGINAW
TUSCOLA             SANILAC        LAPEER         ST. CLAIR
SHIAWASSEE          GENESEE        LIVINGSTON     OAKLAND
MACOMB              WASHTENAW      WAYNE          LENAWEE
MONROE

THIS INCLUDES THE COMMUNITIES AND SURROUNDING AREAS OF MIDLAND...BAY
CITY...SAGINAW...BAD AXE...FLINT...PORT HURON...DETROIT...ANN ARBOR...
AND MONROE.

ONCE AGAIN...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS THAT SEVERE WEATHER MAY
OCCUR.  PERSONS ACROSS SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS.  IF THUNDERSTORMS MOVE NEARBY OR
OVERHEAD...BE SURE TO MOVE INSIDE IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE.  WHILE INDOORS...
STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR LATER INFORMATION ON THE POSSIBILITY OF
SEVERE WEATHER IN SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN.

DJF

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 16, 2:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXMidland, Saginaw62 min
Apr 16, 3:21 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXShiawassee59 min
Apr 16, 3:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXLivingston60 min
Apr 16, 3:56 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXGenesee59 min
Apr 16, 4:23 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXOakland27 min
Apr 16, 4:48 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXLapeer32 min
Apr 16, 5:23 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXSaint Clair, Sanilac37 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Michigan, 1998Every tornado warning in 1998Tornadoes in 1998

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.