1 flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.
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.
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.
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 May 21, 2:00 PM EST, 50 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI 300 PM EDT FRI MAY 21 2004 .DISCUSSION... WE WILL EXTEND/HOIST FLOOD WATCH TO COVER ALL OF THE CWA THROUGH 6 PM SATURDAY (FOR NOW). VERY ACTIVE WEATHER PERIOD SO THIS WILL BE BRIEF. SEVERE MCS/BOW ECHO PROGRESSING EAST WITH THE BOW APEX ACROSS EXTREME SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN. SEVERE WEATHER, FOR THE MOMENT, WILL CLEAR THE REGION BY 20Z AS WE WILL BE ON THE SUBSIDENCE SIDE OF THIS DEPARTING SYSTEM WITH RAIN GRADUALLY COMING TO AN END. COLD POOL ACROSS WISCONSIN HAS SENT THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS INTO CENTRAL IOWA. NEW CONVECTION IS ALREADY DEVELOPING, LIKELY INTO ANOTHER MCS, IN NORTHERN IOWA WHERE LOW LEVEL JET PER PROFILERS IS FEEDING MOIST AIR NORTH ALONG THE BAROCLINIC BOUNDARY. LATEST MODELS SUGGEST UPSTREAM MCS WILL TRACK INITIALLY NORTHEAST THEN TURN EAST PER CORFIDI VECTORS AND THICKNESSES. HOWEVER, THE WARM FRONT WILL BE DISPLACED A BIT FURTHER SOUTH SO AT LEAST FOR NOW THE THREAT FROM SEVERE WEATHER (HAIL/WIND) WILL BE LIMITED. THE MAIN CONCERN WILL BE FLOODING AS THE GROUND IS QUITE SATURATED AND FLOOD GUIDANCE NUMBERS ARE LOWERING WITH TIME. THE LOW LEVEL JET WILL STRENGTHEN OVERNIGHT (>50KTS) ACROSS THE PLAINS AS TROF DIGS ACROSS THE ROCKIES. THIS WILL BE SURE TO KEEP ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80 OVERNIGHT ACROSS THE PLAINS AND TRACK EAST ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES. PWATS REMAIN WELL ABOVE 1.50 SO HEAVY RAINFALL A REAL CONCERN. SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL PICKS UP ONCE AGAIN SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY AS IMPRESSIVE SURFACE WAVE DEEPENS A BIT AS IT TRACKS TOWARD THE GREAT LAKES. STRONG LOW LEVEL JET COMBINING WITH FRONTAL BOUNDARY DRAPED ACROSS THE CWA COULD PROVE TO BE VERY INTERESTING. EHI/S CLIMB OVER 2 WITH HELICITIES IN EXCESS OF 200 M2/S2...PRIMARILY ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 69 WITH CAPES AROUND 2K J/KG. OF COURSE, WITH ALL OF THIS CONVECTION IN THE MODELS, IT WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO PIN DOWN FRONTAL PLACEMENT AND SEVERE POTENTIAL. WE ARE CERTAIN THAT WE WILL REMAIN IN THE MCS TRACK FOR HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLOODING INTO THE WEEKEND. LOOKS LIKE A BREAK ARRIVES FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK AS UPSTREAM TROF RELOADS ACROSS THE PLAINS. THIS WILL SEND ANOTHER COLD FRONT ACROSS THE LAKES NEXT WEEK AS IT STILL LOOKS COOL AND WET FOR LATE WEEK INTO THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. && .DTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...FLOOD WATCH...THROUGH 6 PM SATURDAY...ALL OF SOUTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN. && BGM EXPERIMENTAL GRAPHICAL FORECASTS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/DTX (ALL LOWER CASE)
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI 1219 PM EDT FRI MAY 21 2004 MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-221100- BAY-GENESEE-HURON-LAPEER-MIDLAND-SAGINAW-SANILAC-SHIAWASSEE- ST. CLAIR-TUSCOLA- 1219 PM EDT FRI MAY 21 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 69. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 232 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON...WITH ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY TONIGHT. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE SEVERE...WITH HAIL TO ONE INCH IN DIAMETER BEING THE MAIN HAZARD. HOWEVER...DAMAGING WINDS TO 70 MPH AND A POSSIBLE TORNADO CAN NOT BE RULED OUT TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORM MOVEMENT WILL BE TO THE EAST AT 40 MPH. THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...WHICH COULD LEAD TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. A FRONTAL BOUNDARY OVER THE NORTHERN OHIO VALLEY WILL RETURN NORTH AS A WARM FRONT LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. .DAY TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF MORE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...AS A FRONTAL BOUNDARY LINGERS ACROSS THE REGION. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY LINGER INTO MONDAY MORNING...OTHERWISE THE NEXT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LATE TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... DISPATCHERS...PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGERS IMMEDIATELY. THE SPOTTER NETWORK HAS BEEN ACTIVATED. MIZ068>070-075-076-082-083-221100- LENAWEE-LIVINGSTON-MACOMB-MONROE-OAKLAND-WASHTENAW-WAYNE- 1219 PM EDT FRI MAY 21 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN ALONG AND SOUTH OF M-59. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 232 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM. NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON...WITH SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE AGAIN TONIGHT. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE SEVERE...WITH HAIL TO ONE INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH BEING THE MAIN HAZARDS. A BRIEF TORNADO CAN NOT BE RULED OUT AS WELL TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORM MOVEMENT WILL BE TO THE EAST AT 40 MPH. A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM SATURDAY. THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT MAY ALSO PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN THAT FELL LAST NIGHT. THE ADDITIONAL RAINFALL MAY CREATE FLOODING PROBLEMS. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...PLEASE SEE THE LATEST FLOOD WATCH STATEMENT. A FRONTAL BOUNDARY OVER THE NORTHERN OHIO VALLEY WILL RETURN NORTH AS A WARM FRONT LATE TODAY AND TONIGHT. .DAY TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF MORE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...AS A FRONTAL BOUNDARY LINGERS ACROSS THE REGION. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY LINGER INTO MONDAY MORNING...OTHERWISE THE NEXT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LATE TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... DISPATCHERS...PLEASE NOTIFY YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGERS IMMEDIATELY. THE SPOTTER NETWORK HAS BEEN ACTIVATED. BRAVENDER
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
158 PM EDT FRI MAY 21 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0150 PM HAIL 2 E ADDISON 41.99N 84.31W
05/21/2004 1.75 INCH LENAWEE MI LAW ENFORCEMENT
0150 PM TSTM WND GST 2 E ADDISON 41.99N 84.31W
05/21/2004 70 MPH LENAWEE MI LAW ENFORCEMENT
0153 PM HAIL CHELSEA 42.31N 84.02W
05/21/2004 0.50 INCH WASHTENAW MI PUBLIC
&&
RBWPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
201 PM EDT FRI MAY 21 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0155 PM TSTM WND GST CHELSEA 42.31N 84.02W
05/21/2004 65 MPH WASHTENAW MI PUBLIC
0159 PM TSTM WND GST 1 NW TECUMSEH 42.02N 83.96W
05/21/2004 60 MPH LENAWEE MI AIRPLANE PILOT
MARBLE SIZE HAIL
&&
RBWPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
205 PM EDT FRI MAY 21 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0145 PM HAIL 5 N ADDISON 42.06N 84.35W
05/21/2004 1.00 INCH LENAWEE MI TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
NEAR CAMBRIDGE JUNCTION
RBWPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
238 PM EDT FRI MAY 21 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0201 PM HAIL SALINE 42.18N 83.78W
05/21/2004 1.00 INCH WASHTENAW MI EMERGENCY MNGR
0201 PM TSTM WND GST SALINE 42.18N 83.78W
05/21/2004 60 MPH WASHTENAW MI EMERGENCY MNGR
8 INCH TREE LIMBS BLOWN DOWN
0203 PM HAIL ADRIAN 41.90N 84.04W
05/21/2004 0.75 INCH LENAWEE MI TRAINED SPOTTER
HAIL COVERING THE GROUND
0205 PM NON-TSTM WND GST ANN ARBOR 42.28N 83.73W
05/21/2004 61 MPH WASHTENAW MI AWOS
MEASURED BY ANN ARBOR ASOS
0205 PM HAIL YPSILANTI 42.24N 83.62W
05/21/2004 0.75 INCH WASHTENAW MI TRAINED SPOTTER
CROSS STREET AND SUMMIT - EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
0208 PM HAIL ADRIAN 41.90N 84.04W
05/21/2004 1.00 INCH LENAWEE MI TRAINED SPOTTER
0210 PM TSTM WND GST ANN ARBOR 42.28N 83.73W
05/21/2004 60 MPH WASHTENAW MI TRAINED SPOTTER
ALSO MARBLE SIZED HAIL
0215 PM TSTM WND GST ANN ARBOR 42.28N 83.73W
05/21/2004 95 MPH WASHTENAW MI TRAINED SPOTTER
ESTIMATED WIND GUST DOWNTOWN ANN ARBOR ON UNIVERSITY OF
MICHIGAN CAMPUS
0220 PM HAIL 2 W CARLETON 42.06N 83.43W
05/21/2004 0.75 INCH MONROE MI TRAINED SPOTTER
0228 PM TSTM WND GST ROMULUS 42.22N 83.37W
05/21/2004 70 MPH WAYNE MI PUBLIC
NEAR DETROIT METRO AIRPORT
0230 PM HAIL ROMULUS 42.22N 83.37W
05/21/2004 1.75 INCH WAYNE MI PUBLIC
0233 PM HAIL 3 E CARLETON 42.06N 83.33W
05/21/2004 0.75 INCH MONROE MI PUBLIC
0220 PM HAIL SALINE 42.18N 83.78W
05/21/2004 1.00 INCH WASHTENAW MI TRAINED SPOTTER
0228 PM HAIL CANTON 42.31N 83.48W
05/21/2004 1.00 INCH WAYNE MI TRAINED SPOTTER
0220 PM TSTM WND GST YPSILANTI 42.24N 83.62W
05/21/2004 70 MPH WASHTENAW MI AWOS
MEASURED BY YIP ASOS
0230 PM HAIL WESTLAND 42.32N 83.38W
05/21/2004 0.75 INCH WAYNE MI TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
RBWPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
302 PM EDT FRI MAY 21 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0200 PM HAIL ADRIAN 41.90N 84.04W
05/21/2004 0.75 INCH LENAWEE MI TRAINED SPOTTER
0225 PM TSTM WND GST CLARKSTON 42.74N 83.42W
05/21/2004 60 MPH OAKLAND MI PUBLIC
5 INCH DIAMETER TREE LIMBS DOWN
0225 PM HAIL DEARBORN 42.31N 83.21W
05/21/2004 0.88 INCH WAYNE MI TRAINED SPOTTER
ALSO 60 TO 70 MPH WIND GUSTS ESTIMATED
0235 PM HAIL REDFORD 42.39N 83.29W
05/21/2004 0.75 INCH WAYNE MI TRAINED SPOTTER
0235 PM TSTM WND GST TAYLOR 42.23N 83.27W
05/21/2004 65 MPH WAYNE MI TRAINED SPOTTER
0250 PM HAIL DOWNTOWN DETROIT 42.33N 83.05W
05/21/2004 0.75 INCH WAYNE MI TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
RBWPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
329 PM EDT FRI MAY 21 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0250 PM TSTM WND GST TROY 42.58N 83.14W
05/21/2004 65 MPH OAKLAND MI TRAINED SPOTTER
TREES DOWN ON LONG LAKE ROAD WEST OF ADAMS
0256 PM TSTM WND GST 1 E WARREN 42.49N 83.01W
05/21/2004 75 MPH MACOMB MI TRAINED SPOTTER
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN IN ROSEVILLE
0228 PM HAIL CANTON 42.31N 83.48W
05/21/2004 1.00 INCH WAYNE MI TRAINED SPOTTER
0230 PM TSTM WND GST 2 W BLOOMFIELD HILLS 42.58N 83.29W
05/21/2004 60 MPH OAKLAND MI TRAINED SPOTTER
WEST BLOOMFIELD
&&
RBWThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The Ecorse Creek at Dearborn Heights went above its 8 foot flood stage at 250 pm EST on the 21st. The river crested at 8.15 feet at 4 pm EST on the 21st, then fell back below flood stage at 510 pm EST on the 21st.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Michigan in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings in Michigan, May 2004
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: 5400252.