Lake Huron, 2002

Marine Thunderstorm Winds in Lake Huron, July 29, 2002

July 29, 2002 · NWS DTX · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

4 marine thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

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 forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, 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 the first event at Jul 29, 1:55 PM EST, 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 29, 1:55 PM EST, 5 minutes before
SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
255 PM EDT MON JUL 29 2002

...SEVERE WEATHER THREAT ENDS EARLY THIS EVENING...
...DRY AND SLIGHTLY COOLER WEATHER TOMORROW...

COLD FRONT CURRENTLY SWINGING THROUGH MICHIGAN THIS AFTERNOON.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 7PM. BROKEN LINE OF STRONG STORMS
CURRENTLY MOVING THROUGH THE WESTERN CWA. BACK EDGE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG I-131 IN SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN. WOULD EXPECT THE
WESTERN CWA TO BE FREE OF STORMS BY 6 PM OR SO...WITH THE EASTERN
CWA DONE BY 8 OR 9 PM.

MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND DEW POINTS IN THE MID 60S ACROSS
MINNESOTA/WISCONSIN WILL GRADUALLY WORK INTO SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN
OVERNIGHT AS THE WINDS SHIFT TO THE WEST/NORTHWEST.

OVERALL...VERY FEW CHANGES TO PREVIOUS ZONES.

WEAK SHORT WAVE RIDGING TO BUILD INTO LOWER MICHIGAN TOMORROW. WITH
MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES AND 850 TEMPS AROUND 16C...MAX TEMPS CLOSE TO 90
DEGREES LOOKS GOOD. SURFACE RIDGE MOVES OVER SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN
TUESDAY NIGHT. WITH CALM WINDS...MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES...AND SURFACE
DEW POINTS IN THE MID 60S WILL INTRODUCE SOME FOG TO THE ZONES.

MOISTURE TRANSPORT VECTORS SHOWING SOME MOISTURE STREAMING UP FROM
THE SOUTHERN PLAINS BY WEDNESDAY. ALTHOUGH THE GULF OF MEXICO WILL
BE GENERALLY CLOSED FOR BUSINESS DUE TO A LARGE RIDGE...DEW PTS ARE
STILL EXPECTED TO CREEP BACK TOWARD 70 ACROSS SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN
WEDNESDAY NIGHT (JUST AHEAD TO THE NEXT COLD FRONT). 12Z AVN
CONTINUES TO HINT AT THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX DEVELOPING ALONG A WARM
FRONT ACROSS WISCONSIN WEDNESDAY MORNING. WARM FRONT TO MOVE ACROSS
NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN DURING THE DAY. GOOD 700 MB RIDGING OVER
SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN DURING THE DAY. WILL FOLLOW ETA MODEL AND KEEP IT
DRY. 850 MB TEMPS WARM CLOSE TO 20 C BY LATE WEDNESDAY.
HOWEVER...WITH THE INCREASING MOISTURE AND CLOUDS...WILL KEEP MAXES
NEAR 90 ONCE AGAIN. HOWEVER...WITH MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES...MID 90S ARE
POSSIBLE.

EXTENDED DISCUSSION...
IMPRESSIVE DEEP 500MB LOW FOR EARLY AUG PROJECTED PAST FEW DAYS TO
PROGRESS ACROSS SOUTHERN CANADA CONTINUES TO BE SCHEDULED BY ALL
EXTENDED MODELS. EMBEDDED SHORTWAVES AND VERY STRONG JET (NEAR
100K @ 300MB) SAILS ALONG THE NORTHERN BORDER OF THE U.S.

THE MODELS HAVE A BETTER CONSENSUS TODAY ON LEAD SHORTWAVE...
THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT AND WITH FRONTAL PASSAGE. WHILE TIMING IS
SLOWLY COMING TOGETHER...THERE STILL IS SOME VARIABILITY WITH THE
ECMWF THE LEAD OFF MODEL WITH THU EVE...THE GLOBAL/ETAXX OVERNIGHT
THU AND MRF/UK MIDDAY FRI. UNFORTUNATELY...THIS TIMING CONTINUES TO
AFFECT TWO DAYS IN THE EXTENDED...BUT HAVE ATTEMPTED TO FINE TUNE IT
A BIT (PEEK AT THE LATEST 12Z AVN NOW BARRELS THE FRONT THROUGH BY
THU AFTERNOON). WILL KEEP CHANCE OF STORMS IN FOR JUST THU AS MOST
(IF NOT ALL) SHOULD BE EAST BY FRI MORNING.

THE WEATHER QUIETS DOWN FOR A DELIGHTFUL WEEKEND AS A LARGE HIGH
PRESSURE TAKES CONTROL WITH MORE COMFORTABLE...COOLER WEATHER.
A WAVE WILL BE APPROACHING THE WESTERN LAKES LATE SUN BEHIND THE
HIGH AND THUS...CHANCE POPS ON MON.

DEEDLER

.DTX...NONE.

SF

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 29, 9:30 AM EST, 4 hours 30 minutes before
MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-301200-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
1030 AM EDT MON JUL 29 2002

DISPATCHERS...PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGERS IMMEDIATELY.

HAZARDS...
THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR ACROSS ALL OF SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND THERE IS A CHANCE SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY
BECOME SEVERE.

DISCUSSION...
VERY WARM AND HUMID AIR WILL REMAIN OVER SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN THIS
AFTERNOON AHEAD OF AN ADVANCING COLD FRONT.

THE COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN DURING THE
AFTERNOON AND SWING ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. THE COLD FRONT
WILL TAP INTO THE WARM HUMID AIR IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA CREATING A
FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR STRONG THUNDERSTORMS. THERE IS A CHANCE
SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE. THE MOST LIKELY TIME FOR
SEVERE STORMS TO OCCUR WILL BE BETWEEN 1 PM AND 8 PM. THE PRIMARY
HAZARD WILL BE WIND GUSTS 60 TO 80 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL MOVE
NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH AND WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY FREQUENT LIGHTNING
AND DRENCHING RAINFALL.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NECESSARY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

OUTLOOK FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...
NO HAZARDS ARE EXPECTED.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO... OR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS... FOR
THE LATEST FORECAST INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
YOU CAN ALSO OBTAIN THE LATEST FORECAST ON THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE WEB SITE.

HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/DTX/ (ALL LOWER CASE)
Special weather statement, Jul 29, 1:00 PM EST, 1 hour before
MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-301200-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
200 PM EDT MON JUL 29 2002

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 551 IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EDT FOR ALL OF
SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN...

DISPATCHERS...PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGERS IMMEDIATELY.

HAZARDS...
THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR ACROSS ALL OF SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND THERE IS A CHANCE SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY
BECOME SEVERE.

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
FOR ALL OF THE SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN EFFECTIVE UNTIL 700 PM EDT
THIS EVENING. THIS WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES

BAY...MIDLAND...HURON...SANILAC... TUSCOLA...SAGINAW...
SHIAWASSEE...GENESEE...LAPEER...ST. CLAIR...LIVINGSTON...
OAKLAND...MACOMB...WAYNE...WASHTENAW...LENAWEE...AND MONROE

DISCUSSION...
VERY WARM AND HUMID AIR WILL REMAIN OVER SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN THIS
AFTERNOON AHEAD OF AN ADVANCING COLD FRONT.

THE COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN THIS AFTERNOON
AND SWING ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. THE COLD FRONT WILL TAP INTO
THE WARM HUMID AIR IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA CREATING A FAVORABLE
ENVIRONMENT FOR STRONG THUNDERSTORMS. THERE IS A CHANCE SOME OF
THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE. THE PRIMARY HAZARD WILL BE WIND
GUSTS 60 TO 80 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL MOVE NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH AND
WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND DRENCHING RAINFALL.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION...
SPOTTERS HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED.

OUTLOOK FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...
NO HAZARDS ARE EXPECTED.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO... OR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS... FOR
THE LATEST FORECAST INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
YOU CAN ALSO OBTAIN THE LATEST FORECAST ON THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE WEB SITE.

HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/DTX/ (ALL LOWER CASE)

The radar

The Detroit radar (KDTX), 106 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:57 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 marine thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Marine Thunderstorm Wind, Inner Saginaw Bay & Sw of Pt Au Gres to Bay Port Mi

When
July 29, 2:00 PM EST
Where
Inner Saginaw Bay & Sw of Pt Au Gres to Bay Port Mi marine zone, 8 mi SW of Sebewaing
Measured
48 kt (55 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
43.650, -83.567

Marine Thunderstorm Wind, Outer Saginaw Bay & Sw of Alabaster to Pt Austin Mi

When
July 29, 2:00 PM EST
Where
Outer Saginaw Bay & Sw of Alabaster to Pt Austin Mi marine zone, 15 mi SW of Bay Port
Measured
48 kt (55 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
43.700, -83.600

Marine Thunderstorm Wind, Lh Pt Austin to Hbr Beach Mi 5nm Offshore to Intl Border

When
July 29, 2:08 PM EST
Where
Lh Pt Austin to Hbr Beach Mi 5nm Offshore to Intl Border marine zone, 20 mi SW of Port Austin
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
43.850, -83.283

Marine Thunderstorm Wind, Pt Austin to Hbr Beach Mi

When
July 29, 2:08 PM EST
Where
Pt Austin to Hbr Beach Mi marine zone, 20 mi SW of Port Austin
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
43.850, -83.283

What these are

Marine Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm winds of 34 knots or more over coastal or lake waters.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Lake Huron in 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather history

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: 5304053, 5304054, 5304055, 5304056.