Michigan, 1998

Flash Flood and Hail in Michigan, July 14, 1998

July 14, 1998 · NWS DTX · 5 events in 4 counties and zones

A weakening cold front stretched from northern Wisconsin to central lower Michigan. A cluster of thunderstorms developed in northwest Wisconsin during the early morning hours.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$3,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS DTX wrote it up.

A weakening cold front stretched from northern Wisconsin to central lower Michigan. A cluster of thunderstorms developed in northwest Wisconsin during the early morning hours. These storms moved southeast along the cold front, crossing Lake Michigan by early afternoon. Abundant sunshine allowed the atmosphere to become very unstable in southeast Michigan, and the storms pulsed to severe levels as they crossed the Saginaw Valley during the afternoon and early evening hours.Quarter sized hail was reported in Midland and Saginaw Counties. A county sheriff reported 58 mph winds near Bay City. Along Corunna Road (M-21) in Flint Township, power lines were downed, and a construction trailer was moved off of its foundation.Training of thunderstorms produced some marginal flash flooding in and just west of the city of Saginaw. Up to three inches of rain fell in this area in less than two hours. Numerous underpasses and several city streets were flooded as a result.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Midland

When
July 14, 1:50 PM EST
Where
Midland County, Hope
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
POST OFFICE
Coordinates
43.770, -84.330

Hail, Saginaw

When
July 14, 4:40 PM EST to 4:45 PM EST
Where
Saginaw County, Freeland to 3 mi NW of Saginaw
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
POST OFFICE
Coordinates
43.470, -84.120

Flash Flood, Saginaw

When
July 14, 4:50 PM EST to 7:30 PM EST
Where
Saginaw County, 1 mi NW of Saginaw
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
43.335, -84.053 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Bay

When
July 14, 5:10 PM EST
Where
Bay County, 1 mi NE of Bay City
Measured
51 kt (59 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.620, -83.870

Thunderstorm Wind, Genesee

When
July 14, 6:06 PM EST
Where
Genesee County, 5 mi W of Flint
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage
$3,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.030, -83.780

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Michigan in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, July 1998

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5657426, 5657429, 5657430, 5657427, 5657428.