Name: Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Michigan, July 5 to 6, 1999
Start: 1999-07-05T21:20
End: 1999-07-06T00:30
Location: Michigan

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
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 APX wrote it up.

Numerous thunderstorms moved across eastern upper and northwest lower Michigan with isolated severe wind reports. Training echoes (thunderstorms continuously moving over the same general area) over the Lake Michigan shoreline counties in northwest lower Michigan caused up to 4 inches of rainfall within a few hours. This caused many secondary roadways near the Grand Traverse Bay area and across the Leelanau peninsula to flood. The Leelanau peninsula had several reports of secondary roadway flooding. Specifically, Cherry Bend Rd, Trumble Rd, and Cottonwood Rd were washed out. Traverse City also had several secondary city streets which had flooding. The worst was along East Front Street and 14th Street in downtown, where one business incurred minor basement flooding.

The radar

The NCL Michigan radar (KAPX), 137 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:18 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Thunderstorm Wind, Chippewa

When: July 5, 9:20 PM EST
Where: Chippewa County, De Tour Vlg
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.000, -83.920

Flash Flood, Antrim

When: July 5, 10:54 PM EST
Where: Antrim County, Elk Rapids
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.007, -85.176 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

4 to 6 inches of water covered secondary roads.

Flash Flood, Leelanau

When: July 6, 12:00 AM EST
Where: Leelanau County, Countywide
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 45.152, -86.038 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several secondary roads throughout the county were washed out.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wexford

When: July 6, 12:10 AM EST
Where: Wexford County, 9 mi NW of Cadillac
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 44.350, -85.530

Several trees and power lines down.

Flash Flood, Grand Traverse

When: July 6, 12:30 AM EST
Where: Grand Traverse County, Traverse City
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.716, -85.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Small creeks were overflowing their banks and several secondary streets were covered with water.

What these are

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.
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Michigan in 1999 Every state in 1999 This day in weather history Warnings in Michigan, July 1999

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: 5700789, 5700786, 5700788, 5700790, 5700787.