Alert archive / Michigan / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2015

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 43, NWS Detroit, MI

August 2, 2015Sanilac County, Tuscola County, Michigan

NWS Detroit, MI issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 2, 2015, 3:34 PM EDT for Sanilac County, Tuscola County, Michigan. It was in force for 56 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
Aug 2, 2015, 3:34 PM EDT (19:34 UTC)
Expired
Aug 2, 2015, 4:30 PM EDT
In force
56 min
Issued by
NWS Detroit, MI
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Possible
Hail
1.0 in
Wind
60.0 mph

Counties Sanilac County, MI, Tuscola County, MI

The radar

The Detroit radar (KDTX), 92 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:34 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 12:00Z, 7.6 hours before the alert went out and 89 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 2015-08-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 12 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 12:00Z on 2015-08-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 113 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
12 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-186 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1599 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
113 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
218 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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.

NWS Detroit, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Aug 2, 3:25 PM EDT, 9 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 2, 3:25 PM EDT, 9 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
325 PM EDT SUN AUG 2 2015

.SHORT TERM...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

SCATTERED CONVECTION CONTINUES TO BUBBLE OVER FAR NORTHERN CWA ALONG
WEST TO EAST OUTFLOW BOUNDARY STALLED OVER THAT AREA ALONG SOUTHERN
PERIPHERY OF CONVECTIVE CLUSTER TRACK(S) FROM THIS MORNING AND EARLY
AFTERNOON. EXPECT THIS ACTIVITY TO GRADUALLY INCREASE IN COVERAGE
THROUGH THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON...AT LEAST NORTH OF THE INTERSTATE
69 CORRIDOR. GIVEN THE DEGREE OF INSTABILITY ADVECTING INTO AREA FROM
THE WEST AND SOUTHWEST AND FEEDING THIS ACTIVITY...EXPECT SOME OF
THESE STORMS TO BE SEVERE. TO THIS POINT...THIS ACTIVITY HAS HAS
REMAIN CONFINED TO THE SAGINAW VALLEY AND NORTHERN THUMB. IF THIS
REMAINS THE CASE...LATER ACTIVITY THIS EVENING SHOULD HAVE A
STRAIGHT SHOT INTO THE AREA WITHIN TOO MUCH IMPEDANCE FROM
STABILIZATION IN THE WAKE OF THIS LEAD CLUSTER OF SEVERE STORMS.

THIS MAIN WIDESPREAD ACTIVITY...WHICH WILL SPREAD SOUTHWARD THROUGH
THE AREA THIS EVENING...STILL LOOKS TO ORGANIZE FROM VARIOUS
CONVECTIVE CLUSTERS CURRENTLY ACTIVE OVER NORTHERN WISCONSIN AND
WESTERN NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN. AS A COLD FRONT AND STRONG UPPER
LEVEL SUPPORT FROM AMPLIFYING UPPER TROUGH WORK INTO THE
REGION...THESE CLUSTERS SHOULD COMBINE INTO A PRETTY SOLID LINE (OR
TWO) OF STORMS AND ACCELERATE THROUGH SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN FROM
MID TO LATE EVENING. WHILE LATE DAY INSTABILITY...CURRENTLY 2500
J/KG OF MLCAPE...WILL EASE BY THIS TIME...HIGH BULK SHEAR FROM
STRONG WIND FIELD...ALONG WITH GENERAL UPSCALE ORGANIZATION OF THE
MESOSCALE SYSTEM...SHOULD SUPPORT RATHER WIDESPREAD WIND DAMAGE.

AS OF 3 PM...IT APPEARS THE STORM CLUSTER THAT WILL LIKELY BECOME
OUR MAIN EVENT THIS EVENING IS ORGANIZING OVER NORTHERN WISCONSIN AS
THE FULL UPPER SUPPORT OF THE DEEPENING SHORTWAVE TROUGH IS NOW
SPREADING INTO THIS AREA. THIS CURRENT LOCATION SUPPORTS A SLIGHTLY
FASTER ADVANCE INTO THE AREA BY PERHAPS 1 OR 2 HOURS -VS- THE
PREVIOUS FORECAST THINKING. THIS BASICALLY FOCUSES THIS NEXT ROUND
OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AT 23Z-00Z OVER THE FAR NORTHERN CWA TO 01Z-
02Z FLINT INTO NORTHERN METRO DETROIT...AND QUICKLY SOUTH FROM THERE
THE REST OF THE EVENING AS WHAT WILL MOST LIKELY BE A FORWARD
PROPAGATING MCS MATURES AND RACES THROUGH LOWER MICHIGAN.

&&

.LONG TERM...

UPPER LOW CENTER WILL SLOWLY TRACK FROM ONTARIO TO QUEBEC MONDAY AND
TUESDAY. THIS WILL KEEP THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL GREAT LAKES
CONFINED WITHIN COOLER WEST TO NORTHWEST FLOW AROUND THE BACKSIDE OF
THE SYSTEM. COOLER AND QUIETER WEATHER CAN BE EXPECTED FOR THE FIRST
PART OF THE WORK WEEK...ALTHOUGH A FEW SHORTWAVE TROUGHS WILL STILL
PIVOT DOWN ACROSS MICHIGAN. MODELS ARE STILL KEYING IN ON A
SECONDARY COLD FRONT DROPPING DOWN THROUGH NORTHERN AND CENTRAL
LOWER MICHIGAN LATE MONDAY THROUGH THE FIRST PART OF MONDAY NIGHT.
FORECAST CONTINUES TO CARRY A LOW CHANCE OF POPS FROM I-69 NORTH
WHERE MORE MOISTURE WILL BE AVAILABLE AND WHERE COOLER MID-LEVEL AIR
WILL OVERLAP WITH DIURNAL HEATING AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THE SECONDARY
FRONT WILL REMAIN SETTLED OVER CENTRAL MICHIGAN INTO TUESDAY...AND
MAY AGAIN PROVIDE A FOCUS FOR SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS
TUESDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING AS A SHORTWAVE TROUGH CLIPS ACROSS THE
REGION. CONDITIONS WILL FEEL COOLER WITH DEWPOINTS DROPPING INTO
MORE COMFORTABLE READINGS IN THE 50S...AND AS DAYTIME HIGHS ONLY
REACH INTO THE MID 70S TO LOW 80S MONDAY AND INTO THE 70S ON TUESDAY.

WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

FAIR WEATHER IS STILL ON TRACK FOR WEDNESDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE MOVES
OVER THE REGION. DRY CONDITIONS SHOULD HOLD OVER MOST OF SOUTHEAST
MICHIGAN ON THURSDAY MORNING...WITH EXCEPTION OF THE SOUTHERN MOST
COUNTIES WHERE SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL BEGIN TO POP. CHANCES OF
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL SPREAD NORTHWARD THROUGH THE
AFTERNOON AND EVENING OFF LOW PUSHING INTO NORTHERN OHIO. CONFIDENCE
AND TIMING ON THIS SYSTEM IS LOW TO MODERATE DUE TO MODEL
INCONSISTENCIES. POTENTIAL FOR SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORMS WILL LINGER INTO SATURDAY.

&&

.MARINE...

STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS WITH GUSTS OF 25 TO 30 KNOTS WILL CONTINUE
INTO TONIGHT IN ADVANCE OF A COLD FRONT DROPPING THROUGH THE GREAT
LAKES. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE OVER SAGINAW BAY...WHERE
SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL FUNNEL. THE FRONT AND A WARM AND UNSTABLE
AIRMASS PRECEDING IT WILL ALSO PROVIDE ROUNDS OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT...SOME OF WHICH WILL BE SEVERE. THE
MOST LIKELY THREAT WITH THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE WIND GUSTS TO 50
KNOTS. WINDS WILL TURN WEST AND THEN NORTHWEST BEHIND THE FRONT
MONDAY. WIND SPEEDS MONDAY LOOK TO BE GREATEST OVER NORTHERN LAKE
HURON...WHERE THEY WILL REACH BETWEEN 15 TO 25 KNOTS MONDAY NIGHT
THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT AS COOLER AIR SETTLES OVER THE CENTRAL GREAT
LAKES REGION.

&&

.AVIATION...ISSUED 146 PM EDT SUN AUG 2 2015

THUNDERSTORMS TO THE NORTH SHOULD CONGEAL AND DROP SOUTH THROUGH
AREA THIS EVENING AS A COLD FRONT DROPS SOUTH THROUGH THE CENTRAL
GREAT LAKES. EXPECT A DECENT CHANCE OF A POCKETS OF SEVERE WEATHER
WITHIN THIS EXPECTED AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS...WHICH WILL MOST LIKELY
PROGRESS FROM MBS AT 00Z-01Z TO THE I-94 TERMINALS BY 03Z-05Z AND
THEN EXIT SOUTH OF WHOLE AREA AFTER 06-07Z. OTHERWISE THAN PATCHY
LATE NIGHT FOG TONIGHT...VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD...ONCE AGAIN...BE THE
RULE ONCE THE STORMY WEATHER ENDS TONIGHT.

FOR DTW...MOST PROBABLE TIME FOR TSTORMS WILL BE 03-06Z IN ADVANCE
OF APPROACHING COLD FRONT.

//DTW THRESHOLD PROBABILITIES...

* LOW FOR TSTORMS THIS AFTN. MEDIUM AFTER 03Z TONIGHT.

&&

.DTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MI...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR MIZ049.

LAKE HURON...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM EDT MONDAY FOR LHZ421-422-441>443.

LAKE ST CLAIR...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM EDT MONDAY FOR LCZ460.

MICHIGAN WATERS OF LAKE ERIE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM EDT MONDAY FOR LEZ444.

&&

SHORT TERM...DG
LONG TERM....HLO/DE
MARINE.......HLO
AVIATION.....DG

YOU CAN OBTAIN YOUR LATEST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTS ONLINE
AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/DETROIT (ALL LOWER CASE).
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 2, 3:51 AM EDT, 11 hours 43 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
351 AM EDT SUN AUG 2 2015

MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-030800-
MIDLAND-BAY-HURON-SAGINAW-TUSCOLA-SANILAC-SHIAWASSEE-GENESEE-LAPEER-
ST. CLAIR-LIVINGSTON-OAKLAND-MACOMB-WASHTENAW-WAYNE-LENAWEE-MONROE-
351 AM EDT SUN AUG 2 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST
MICHIGAN.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. THERE IS AN
ENHANCED RISK THAT THESE STORMS WILL BE SEVERE. THE PRIMARY THREAT
IS WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH. ADDITIONAL THREATS INCLUDE LARGE HAIL TO
ONE INCH IN DIAMETER AND AN ISOLATED TORNADO MAINLY NORTH OF THE I-
69 CORRIDOR.

THE GREATEST THREAT IS BETWEEN 8PM AND 2AM...ALTHOUGH AN ISOLATED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IS POSSIBLE NORTH OF THE M59 CORRIDOR AS EARLY
AS 3PM. STORM MOTION WILL BE NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

A BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IS IN EFFECT FOR HURON COUNTY. SEE THE
LATEST COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE FOR DETAIL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS EVENING INTO TONIGHT.
DISPATCHERS PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGERS IMMEDIATELY.

LCZ460-LEZ444-LHZ361>363-421-422-441>443-462>464-030800-
LAKE ST. CLAIR-
MICHIGAN WATERS OF LAKE ERIE FROM DETROIT RIVER TO NORTH CAPE MI-
LAKE HURON FROM 5NM EAST OF MACKINAC BRIDGE TO PRESQUE ISLE LT
BEYOND 5 NM OFF SHORE-
LAKE HURON FROM PRESQUE ISLE LIGHT TO STURGEON POINT MI BEYOND 5NM
OFF SHORE-
LAKE HURON FROM STURGEON POINT TO ALABASTER MI BEYOND 5NM OFF SHORE-
OUTER SAGINAW BAY SW OF ALABASTER TO PORT AUSTIN MI TO INNER SAGINAW
BAY-INNER SAGINAW BAY SW OF POINT AU GRES TO BAY PORT MI-
PORT AUSTIN TO HARBOR BEACH MI-HARBOR BEACH TO PORT SANILAC MI-
PORT SANILAC TO PORT HURON MI-
LAKE HURON FROM PORT AUSTIN TO HARBOR BEACH BEYOND 5NM OFF SHORE-
LAKE HURON FROM HARBOR BEACH TO PORT SANILAC BEYOND 5NM OFF SHORE-
LAKE HURON FROM PORT SANILAC TO PORT HURON BEYOND 5NM OFF SHORE-
351 AM EDT SUN AUG 2 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF LAKE ERIE...LAKE
HURON AND LAKE ST CLAIR.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. THERE IS AN
ENHANCED RISK THAT THESE STORMS WILL BE SEVERE. THE PRIMARY THREAT
IS WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH. ADDITIONAL THREATS INCLUDE LARGE HAIL TO
ONE INCH IN DIAMETER AND AN ISOLATED TORNADO MAINLY NORTH OF THE I-
69 CORRIDOR.

THE GREATEST THREAT IS BETWEEN 8PM AND 2AM...ALTHOUGH AN ISOLATED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IS POSSIBLE NORTH OF THE M59 CORRIDOR AS EARLY
AS 3PM. STORM MOTION WILL BE NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

A BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IS IN EFFECT FOR HURON COUNTY. SEE THE
LATEST COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE FOR DETAIL.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT. SEE THE FORECAST FOR DETAIL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY AND TONIGHT.

YOU CAN OBTAIN YOUR LATEST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTS ONLINE
AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/DETROIT (ALL LOWER CASE).

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 2, 2:46 PM EDT, 48 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Local storm report, Aug 2, 2:59 PM EDT, 35 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Local storm report, Aug 2, 3:13 PM EDT, 21 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Local storm report, Aug 2, 3:33 PM EDT, 1 minute before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 2, 3:58 AM EDTBeach Hazards StatementDTXHuron18 hr
Aug 2, 1:33 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXHuron, Sanilac, Tuscola57 min
Aug 2, 1:44 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningDTX91 min
Aug 2, 2:18 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXHuron57 min
Aug 2, 2:24 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXSanilac, Tuscola81 min
Aug 2, 2:28 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningDTX62 min
Aug 2, 2:35 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXBay, Saginaw55 min
Aug 2, 2:55 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningDTX95 min
Aug 2, 2:56 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningDTX94 min
Aug 2, 3:21 PM EDTTornado WarningDTXSanilac, Tuscola39 min
Aug 2, 3:29 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXBay, Saginaw32 min
Aug 2, 5:10 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningDTX65 min
Aug 2, 5:42 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningDTX2 hr
Aug 2, 5:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXHuron90 min
Aug 2, 5:57 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXBay48 min
Aug 2, 6:18 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningDTX87 min
Aug 2, 6:24 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXHuron, Sanilac, Tuscola81 min
Aug 2, 7:05 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningDTX115 min
Aug 2, 7:08 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXHuron, Sanilac32 min
Aug 2, 7:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXTuscola15 min
Aug 2, 7:41 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryDTXTuscola3 hr
Aug 2, 7:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDTXBay, Midland30 min
Aug 2, 7:51 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningDTX84 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Michigan, 2015Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2015

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.