Alert archive / Michigan / Tornado Warnings in 1999
Tornado Warning 1, NWS Grand Rapids, MI
NWS Grand Rapids, MI issued this tornado warning at May 17, 1999, 6:26 PM EDT for Kalamazoo County, Michigan. It was in force for 49 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 17, 1999, 6:26 PM EDT (22:26 UTC)
- Expired
- May 17, 1999, 7:15 PM EDT
- In force
- 49 min
- Issued by
- NWS Grand Rapids, MI
- Area
- Whole counties
County Kalamazoo County, MI
The radar
The Grand Rapids radar (KGRR), 72 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:26 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 watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 17, 2:35 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Detroit, MI (KDTX), launched 12:00Z, 10.4 hours before the alert went out and 180 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
- 653 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -27 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 730 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 18 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 92 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 128 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.6
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
999 WFUS1 KGRR 172227 RRA TORGRR MIC077-172315- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI 626 PM EDT MON MAY 17 1999 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND RAPIDS HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WARNING FOR... KALAMAZOO COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN * UNTIL 715 PM EDT * AT 626 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A TORNADO 5 MILES WEST OF WESTWOOD...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. * THE TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR... COOPER...WESTWOOD AROUND 635 PM EDT KALAMAZOO...PARCHMENT AROUND 640 PM EDT EASTWOOD AROUND 645 PM EDT COMSTOCK AROUND 650 PM EDT RICHLAND AROUND 655 PM EDT GALESBURG AROUND 700 PM EDT THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. MWH/RJD
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.
NWS Grand Rapids, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at May 17, 2:59 PM EDT, 3 hours 27 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 17, 2:59 PM EDT, 3 hours 27 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI 255 PM EDT MON 17 1999 SFC LOW OUT OVR WISCONSIN AT 17Z...WITH A COLD FRONT STRETCHING SOUTHWEST INTO TEXAS. PLENTY OF CONVECTION AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT THE LAST 24 HOURS HOWEVER HAS PUSHED BETTER MSTR EASTWARD VIA OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES. MSTR AXIS EXTENDS FROM EVANSVILLE INDIANA NORTH INTO THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE GRR FCST AREA FROM JXN TO LAN. LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS PUSHING INTO WRN LWR MI...WITH ANOTHER LINE DEVELOPING IN WC INDIANA. BOTH LINES PUSHING OFF TO THE NORTHEAST. WILL NEED TO WATCH CONVECTION AS IT MOVES INTO THE BETTER MSTR LOCATED OVR CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN. THROUGH THE SHORT TERM PERIOD THOUGH...COLD FRONT TO THE WEST PUSHES EAST AND THROUGH THE FCST AREA LATE TONIGHT AND TMRW MORNING. ALOFT...WEAK SHORTWAVE AIDING CURRENT CONVECTION MOVING NORTHEAST THROUGH THE UPR MIDWEST THIS EVENING...WITH MAIN UPR WAVE SET TO COME THROUGH LATE TONIGHT AND TMRW. FCST CONCERNS THIS SHIFT WILL ONCE AGAIN PERTAIN TO TIMING OF CONVECTION THEN EVENTUAL ENDING OF THE PCPN. MODELS MORE IN AGREEMENT WITH THE QUICKER SOLUTION TO THE FRONT MOVING THROUGH TONIGHT AND TUESDAY...SO WILL FOLLOW THE CONSISTENCY OF THE ETA. AS FOR TONIGHT...ROUND OF TSTM/S THIS EVENING ANTICIPATED ON THE NUMEROUS OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES AND LAKE BREEZE FRONT...AIDED BY WEAK SHORT WAVE LOCATED OVR IOWA MOVING NORTHEAST. LI/S ON THE ORDER OF -4 TO -8 WITH CAPE VALUES OVR 3000 J/KG IN THE EAST. THREAT FOR SVR IS THERE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT IN THE FORM OF DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL. WILL GO WITH A WORDING OF OCCASIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE ENTIRE FCST AREA OVERNIGHT. HEAVY RAINFALL ALSO A POSSIBILITY WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES ARND AN INCH AND A HALF. AS FOR TUESDAY...MAIN UPR SHORT WAVE MOVES THROUGH IN THE MORNING...WITH COLD FRONT COMING THROUGH AS WELL. WILL MENTION SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE ONCE AGAIN ON TUEDAY GIVEN THE STRENGTH OF THE UPR S/WV AND LWR TROP CONVERGENCE ALONG THE FRONT. TUESDAY NIGHT...UPR SHORTWAVE MOVES EAST WITH NVA DRIVING IN BEHIND IT. WILL MENTION A FEW SHOWERS POSSIBLE THROUGH MIDNIGHT...WITH DECREASING CLOUDS LATE...AS DRIER AIR TRIES TO ADVECT IN FROM THE WEST. ON WEDNESDAY...PARTLY CLOUDY WORDING SHOULD COVER IT WITH RIDGING BUILDING IN BOTH AT THE SFC AND ALOFT. NGM MOS TEMPS APPEAR REASONABLE. IN THE EXTENDED WILL MAINTAIN THE DRY FCST. STILL A HINT AT A SHOWER ALONG A WEAK COOL FRONT FRI/SAT FROM THE MRF...BUT EUROPEAN MAINTAINS A DRY FCST AND WILL FOLLOW THAT LEAD. .GRR...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH TILL 900 PM ALL OF FCST AREA. DUKESHERER
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 17, 2:52 PM EDT, 3 hours 34 minutes before
MIZ037>040-043>046-050>052-056>059-064>067-071>074-180100- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI 252 PM EDT MON MAY 17 1999 A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN THE PARTS OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF LOWER MICHIGAN: IN SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN ALLEGAN BARRY KALAMAZOO VAN BUREN KENT OTTAWA IN WEST CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN LAKE MASON MUSKEGON NEWAYGO OCEANA IN CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN MECOSTA MONTCALM OSCEOLA GRATIOT CLARE ISABELLA IN SOUTH CENTRAL LOWER MICHIGAN CALHOUN CLINTON EATON INGHAM JACKSON IONIA ...AND THE ADJOINING COASTAL WATERS OF THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... MASON OCEANA MUSKEGON OTTAWA ALLEGAN VAN BUREN MWH
Local storm report, May 17, 6:12 PM EDT, 14 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
512 PM EST MON MAY 17 1999
TIME(EST) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0420 PM NEAR DOWNTOWN MI WIND DAMAGE
05/17/99 KENT SEVERAL LARGE TREES DOWN.
NUMEROUS POWER LINES DOWN.
0500 PM PARMA, WEST OF JXN MI .75 INCH HAIL
05/17/99 JACKSON
MACLocal storm report, May 17, 6:12 PM EDT, 14 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
512 PM EST MON MAY 17 1999
TIME(EST) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0420 PM NEAR DOWNTOWN MI WIND DAMAGE
05/17/99 KENT SEVERAL LARGE TREES DOWN.
NUMEROUS POWER LINES DOWN.
0500 PM PARMA, WEST OF JXN MI .75 INCH HAIL
05/17/99 JACKSON
MACLocal storm report, May 17, 6:19 PM EDT, 7 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
519 PM EST MON MAY 17 1999
TIME(EST) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0420 PM ROCKFORD MI WIND DAMAGE
05/17/99 KENT ROOF DAMAGE TO GOLF COURSE
CLUB HOUSE IN ROCKFORD
0440 PM ST JOHNS MI 60 MPH WIND GUST
05/17/99 CLINTON
MACLocal storm report, May 17, 6:19 PM EDT, 7 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
519 PM EST MON MAY 17 1999
TIME(EST) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0420 PM ROCKFORD MI WIND DAMAGE
05/17/99 KENT ROOF DAMAGE TO GOLF COURSE
CLUB HOUSE IN ROCKFORD
0440 PM ST JOHNS MI 60 MPH WIND GUST
05/17/99 CLINTON
MACThe office that day
Everything else NWS Grand Rapids, MI issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 10:56 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRR | Allegan, Kent, Ottawa | 34 min |
| May 17, 2:13 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRR | Kent | 32 min |
| May 17, 3:53 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRR | Van Buren | 22 min |
| May 17, 4:40 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRR | Allegan, Barry, Calhoun | 45 min |
| May 17, 4:40 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRR | Ottawa | 45 min |
| May 17, 4:50 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRR | Eaton, Jackson | 25 min |
| May 17, 4:50 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRR | Ionia, Kent | 25 min |
| May 17, 4:50 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRR | Eaton, Jackson | 55 min |
| May 17, 4:50 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRR | Ionia, Kent | 55 min |
| May 17, 5:13 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRR | Clinton, Ingham, Montcalm | 62 min |
| May 17, 5:38 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRR | Isabella, Mecosta | 52 min |
| May 17, 5:38 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRR | Gratiot | 52 min |
| May 17, 5:41 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRR | Van Buren | 49 min |
| May 17, 5:45 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRR | Calhoun, Jackson | 45 min |
| May 17, 5:59 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRR | Clare, Osceola | 61 min |
| May 17, 6:20 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRR | Ingham | 40 min |
| May 17, 7:05 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRR | Barry, Eaton | 40 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Michigan, 1999Every tornado warning in 1999Tornadoes in 1999
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.