Alert archive / Michigan / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Grand Rapids, MI

March 12, 2012Kalamazoo County, Michigan

NWS Grand Rapids, MI issued this tornado warning at Mar 12, 2012, 5:44 PM EDT for Kalamazoo County, Michigan. It was in force for 43 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Mar 12, 2012, 5:44 PM EDT (21:44 UTC)
Expired
Mar 12, 2012, 6:27 PM EDT
In force
43 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Rapids, MI
Area
Storm-based polygon

County Kalamazoo County, MI

The radar

The Grand Rapids radar (KGRR), 60 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:46 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Mar 12, 6:09 PM EDTHAIL 0.254 S Plainwell, MISPOTTER REPORTD LITTLE DINGS IN HIS CAR.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Mar 12, 4:22 PM EDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Detroit, MI (KDTX), launched 12:00Z, 9.7 hours before the alert went out and 186 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 2012-03-12Temperature 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°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Detroit, MI at 12:00Z on 2012-03-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 124 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
1981 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
124 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
86 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.

857 
WFUS53 KGRR 122144
TORGRR
MIC077-122245-
/O.NEW.KGRR.TO.W.0002.120312T2144Z-120312T2245Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
544 PM EDT MON MAR 12 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND RAPIDS HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN KALAMAZOO COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN...

* UNTIL 645 PM EDT

* AT 542 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE
  TRACKING A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS
  DANGEROUS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR PAW PAW...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT
  35 MPH.

* THIS TORNADIC STORM WILL BE NEAR...
   COOPER AROUND 610 PM EDT...
   NORTHWOOD AROUND 610 PM EDT...
   HIGHLAND PARK AROUND 625 PM EDT...
   GULL LAKE AROUND 625 PM EDT...
   YORKVILLE AROUND 625 PM EDT...

THE WARNING INCLUDES AREAS SURROUNDING THESE LOCATIONS...
  KALAMAZOO...          RICHLAND...           OSHTEMO...
  ALAMO...              HIGHLAND PARK...      GULL LAKE...
  YORKVILLE...          COOPER...             NORTHWOOD...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES ON THIS DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
GRAND RAPIDS AT 1 800 647 3836.

&&

LAT...LON 4242 8576 4242 8530 4217 8576
TIME...MOT...LOC 2145Z 246DEG 32KT 4225 8587

$$

TJT
3 follow-up statements
511 
WWUS53 KGRR 122202
SVSGRR

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
602 PM EDT MON MAR 12 2012

MIC077-122245-
/O.CON.KGRR.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120312T2245Z/
KALAMAZOO MI-
602 PM EDT MON MAR 12 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN KALAMAZOO COUNTY
UNTIL 645 PM EDT...

AT 559 PM EDT...SPOTTERS REPORTED A DEVELOPING TORNADO JUST NORTH OF 
NORTHWOOD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH. THE STORM SHOULD EXIT 
KALAMAZOO COUNTY BY 615 PM EDT.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
   COOPER AROUND 600 PM EDT...

THE WARNING INCLUDES AREAS SURROUNDING THESE LOCATIONS...
  RICHLAND...           ALAMO...              HIGHLAND PARK...
  GULL LAKE...          COOPER...             NORTHWOOD...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

FOR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR
HOME OR BUSINESS. DO NOT DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE
ROAD.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
GRAND RAPIDS AT 1 800 647 3836.

&&

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EDT MONDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTHWESTERN MICHIGAN.

LAT...LON 4242 8576 4242 8530 4227 8564
TIME...MOT...LOC 2201Z 237DEG 41KT 4237 8559

$$

TJT
401 
WWUS53 KGRR 122221
SVSGRR

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
621 PM EDT MON MAR 12 2012

MIC077-122245-
/O.CON.KGRR.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120312T2245Z/
KALAMAZOO MI-
621 PM EDT MON MAR 12 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEASTERN KALAMAZOO
COUNTY UNTIL 645 PM EDT...

AT 617 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF RICHLAND...MOVING EAST 
AT 40 MPH. THIS STORM WILL EXIT EXTREME NORTHEAST KALAMAZOO COUNTY 
BY 630 PM EDT.



PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

FOR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR
HOME OR BUSINESS. DO NOT DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE
ROAD.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
GRAND RAPIDS AT 1 800 647 3836.

&&

LAT...LON 4234 8549 4242 8548 4242 8530
TIME...MOT...LOC 2221Z 252DEG 33KT 4241 8535

$$

TJT
729 
WWUS53 KGRR 122227
SVSGRR

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
627 PM EDT MON MAR 12 2012

MIC077-122237-
/O.CAN.KGRR.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120312T2245Z/
KALAMAZOO MI-
627 PM EDT MON MAR 12 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN KALAMAZOO COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE WARNED
AREA. 

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EDT MONDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTHWESTERN MICHIGAN.

LAT...LON 4234 8549 4242 8548 4242 8530
TIME...MOT...LOC 2227Z 252DEG 33KT 4242 8528

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 12, 3:18 AM EDTSmall Craft AdvisoryGRR17 hr
Mar 12, 11:54 AM EDTRiver Flood AdvisoryGRRIonia5 days
Mar 12, 11:54 AM EDTRiver Flood AdvisoryGRRIngham47 hr
Mar 12, 1:32 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningGRR100 min
Mar 12, 2:18 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGRRMuskegon, Oceana57 min
Mar 12, 2:45 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGRRMason60 min
Mar 12, 3:01 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGRRLake, Newaygo59 min
Mar 12, 3:10 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGRRMuskegon50 min
Mar 12, 3:15 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGRRNewaygo60 min
Mar 12, 3:43 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGRRMecosta62 min
Mar 12, 4:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGRRMecosta, Montcalm, Newaygo45 min
Mar 12, 4:05 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGRRClare, Osceola40 min
Mar 12, 4:33 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGRRIsabella21 min
Mar 12, 4:36 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningGRR84 min
Mar 12, 5:02 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGRRVan Buren58 min
Mar 12, 5:24 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGRRAllegan66 min
Mar 12, 5:32 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGRRVan Buren43 min
Mar 12, 5:38 PM EDTTornado WarningGRRVan Buren16 min
Mar 12, 5:44 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGRRMecosta61 min
Mar 12, 5:59 PM EDTTornado WarningGRRAllegan, Barry44 min
Mar 12, 6:08 PM EDTTornado WarningGRRIsabella, Mecosta37 min
Mar 12, 6:36 PM EDTTornado WarningGRREaton24 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Michigan, 2012Every tornado warning in 2012Tornadoes in 2012

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.