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 24, 1:00 AM EST, 3 hours 45 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI 200 AM EDT MON MAY 24 2004 .DISCUSSION... MORE RAIN ON THE WAY FOR TUESDAY. THE QUESTION IS...HOW MUCH? FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN THROUGH NOON TODAY...AS RIVERS ARE STILL RESPONDING FROM YESTERDAYS HEAVY RAIN. STRONG CUTOFF LOW TRACKING NORTHEAST THROUGH THE U.P. OF MICHIGAN THIS MORNING. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY INDICATING DRY SLOT PUNCHING INTO LOWER MICHIGAN...AS THE SURFACE COLD FRONT SWINGS THROUGH SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN. PLENTY OF COOL AIR BEHIND THE FRONT...AS TEMPERATURES HAVE FALLEN INTO THE 40S BACK ACROSS WISCONSIN. TIGHT BAROCLINIC ZONE REMAINS OVER SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN...AS A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WHICH HAS PLAGUED OUR CWA DURING THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS NEVER DID MAKE IT INTO SAGINAW TODAY. AT 5Z...THERE WAS ABOUT A 20 DEGREE TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FLINT AND SAGINAW (FNT 72/MBS 53). EXPECTING TO HAVE THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH DROPPED BY ZONE ISSUANCE TIME...AS CONVECTION HAS STRUGGLED TO BECOME ORGANIZED. STILL WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR SCATTERED ACTIVITY EARLY IN THE ZONES. SHORTWAVE RIDGING LOOKS TO BE MOVING IN A LITTLE SLOWER THAN WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE YESTERDAY. ETA CU RULE SUGGESTING CLOUDY/MOSTLY CLOUDY THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON...THEN BECOMING PARTLY SUNNY. WITH CYCLONIC FLOW OVER THE REGION THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON AND A SATURATED GROUND...WILL CARRY MOSTLY CLOUDY TODAY DUE DO THE AMOUNT OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. WITH LACK OF SUN...WILL ALSO TWEAK DOWN TEMPERATURES INTO THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S. WITH THE SUBSIDENCE INVERSION LOWERING DURING THE EVENING...IT IS POSSIBLE/LIKELY LOW CLOUDS WILL REMAIN TRAPPED THROUGH THE NIGHT. ETA BUFKIT RH PROFILES CERTAINLY THINK SO...AS LOWEST 4000 FEET ARE SATURATED. WILL CARRY MOSTLY CLOUDY FOR TONIGHT. POSITIVELY TILTED LONGWAVE TROUGH OVER THE WESTERN CONUS ON MONDAY WILL GIVE WAY TO CUTOFF LOW DEVELOPING OVER CALIFORNIA. SHORTWAVE(S) TO TRACK NORTHEAST OUT OF THE CENTRAL PLAINS ON TUESDAY. SHORT TERM MODELS DIVERGE SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE LOWER GREAT LAKES BY THIS TIME DUE TO THE VARIOUS CONVECTIVE SCHEMES USED BY EACH MODEL. ALTHOUGH THE ETA/ETAXX IS USUALLY FAVORED FOR CONVECTION...WILL NOT TOTALLY DISCOUNT THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ADVERTISED BY THE GFS AND NGM FOR TUESDAY EVENING. WITH THE UKMET SIMILAR TO ETA (DRY TUESDAY EVENING)...THAT DOES SEEM LIKE THE WAY TO LEAN HOWEVER. WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES RUNNING NEAR 1.50 INCHES ONCE AGAIN...ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE. A LOT WILL DEPEND ON WHETHER OR NOT ANY MCS SURVIVES THE TRACK INTO LOWER MICHIGAN ON TUESDAY. FINALLY A PATTERN SHIFT BEYOND TUESDAY...WITH PREDOMINANT NORTHWEST FLOW OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION THROUGH FRIDAY. PRETTY GOOD SHOT OF COOL AIR WEDNESDAY/WEDNESDAY NIGHT...AS 850 MB TEMPS FALL TO NEAR 2 C. WILL CONTINUE WITH MAXES IN THE UPPER 60S TO NEAR 70...AS THE THERMAL TROUGH AXIS DOES NOT MOVE IN UNTIL WEDNESDAY EVENING. WE SHOULD BE WELL MIXED DURING THE MORNING HOURS...ALLOWING TEMPS TO CLIMB RAPIDLY. GFS INDICATING STEEP LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES...WITH LOW LEVEL CAPES NEAR 50 J/KG. THIS COULD BE GOOD ENOUGH FOR A FEW SPRINKLES. HOWEVER...GFS USUALLY IS OVERDONE WITH THE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE. COOL NIGHT SETTING UP FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT...AS SURFACE RIDGE AXIS EXPECTED TO MOVE OVER SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN BY THURSDAY MORNING. JUST ABOUT EVERYONE SHOULD SEE TEMPS FALLING INTO THE 40S. SHORTWAVE/WARM FRONT STILL EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE REGION ON THURSDAY. THUS...CURRENT EXTENDED ZONES LOOK TO BE IN DECENT SHAPE. THE ONLY CHANGE TO THE EXTENDED PART OF THE FORECAST WAS TO REMOVE THE POPS FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON...AS LATEST CANADIAN/GFS APPEAR TO BE SLOWER WITH THE NEXT SHORTWAVE COMING OUT OF THE PLAINS. && .DTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLOOD WARNING FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN THROUGH NOON. && SF EXPERIMENTAL GRAPHICAL FORECASTS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/DTX (ALL LOWER CASE)
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI 445 AM EDT MON MAY 24 2004 MIZ047>049-053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-251000- BAY-GENESEE-HURON-LAPEER-LENAWEE-LIVINGSTON-MACOMB-MIDLAND-MONROE- OAKLAND-SAGINAW-SANILAC-SHIAWASSEE-ST. CLAIR-TUSCOLA-WASHTENAW-WAYNE- 445 AM EDT MON MAY 24 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT THROUGH NOON. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST FLOOD WARNING STATEMENTS ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FOR FURTHER DETAILS. AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM OR TWO WILL MOVE THROUGH SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN EARLY THIS MORNING. NONE OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE SEVERE AS THEY TRACK EAST AT 40 MPH. HOWEVER...THEY MAY PRODUCE PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH...ALONG WITH BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL. A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE REGION BY 8 AM...THUS ENDING THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. .DAY TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ON TUESDAY. THESE STORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL...WHICH MAY AGGRAVATE EXISTING FLOODING OR PRODUCE NEW FLOODING. THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS AGAIN ON THURSDAY AND SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. SF
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT ... SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI
1205 AM EDT MON MAY 24 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1100 AM FLOOD MACOMB TOWNSHIP 42.67N 82.92W
05/23/2004 MACOMB MI TRAINED SPOTTER
FLOODING REPORTED ALONG MIDDLE BRANCH OF CLINTON RIVER.
WATER IS UP TO THE BACK PORCHES OF MANY HOMES.
1200 PM FLOOD MEMPHIS 42.90N 82.77W
05/23/2004 MACOMB MI TRAINED SPOTTER
2 FEET OF WATER FLOODING M-19 IN MEMPHIS NEAR THE BELLE
RIVER. NUMEROUS ROADS CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING.
0100 PM FLOOD STERLING HEIGHTS 42.58N 83.03W
05/23/2004 MACOMB MI TRAINED SPOTTER
APT COMPLEX ON RIVERLAND DRIVE EAST OF VAN DYKE UNDER
WATER FROM FLOODING ALONG THE CLINTON RIVER. MANY
RESIDENTS LEFT HOMELESS. VEHICLES COVERED WITH
FLOODWATERS. RIVERLAND AMUSEMENT PARK COMPLETELY
SUBMERGED. CITY OF UTICA PARK COMPLETELY SUBMERGED.
0300 PM FLOOD 2 SE PONTIAC 42.63N 83.26W
05/23/2004 OAKLAND MI TRAINED SPOTTER
NUMEROUS VEHICLES STALLED OUT WITH WATER UP AND OVER THE
ENTIRE VEHICLES AT OPDYKE RD AND AUBURN RD.
0300 PM FLOOD 2 SE ROCHESTER 42.67N 83.10W
05/23/2004 OAKLAND MI TRAINED SPOTTER
FLOODING ACROSS DEQUINDRE RD AND 23 MILE RD
0300 PM FLOOD ROCHESTER 42.69N 83.12W
05/23/2004 OAKLAND MI TRAINED SPOTTER
BUILDING UNDERWATER AND SEVERAL CARS AND SEMI-TRUCKS
UNDER WATER ALONG CLINTON RIVER IN ROCHESTER HILLS NEAR
ROCHESTER RD.
0300 PM FLOOD 4 E PONTIAC 42.65N 83.21W
05/23/2004 OAKLAND MI TRAINED SPOTTER
FLOODING OBSERVED ON RYAN RD NEAR HAMLIN RD ALONG CLINTON
RIVER. BUILDING BEING WASHED AWAY IN RAPID FLOWING WATER.
RESIDENTS REPORTING WORST FLOODING THEY HAVE SEEN IN THE
LAST 50 YEARS.
0600 PM FLOOD 4 NNW FLUSHING 43.12N 83.87W
05/23/2004 GENESEE MI TRAINED SPOTTER
REPORTS OF 12 TO 18 INCHES OF WATER OVER THE ROAD
0600 PM FLOOD 1 N MOUNT MORRIS 43.13N 83.70W
05/23/2004 GENESEE MI TRAINED SPOTTER
REPORTS OF WIDESPREAD FLOODING. 2 FOOT FLOODING THRU
PARK.
0600 PM FLOOD 1 NE GENESEE 43.12N 83.60W
05/23/2004 GENESEE MI TRAINED SPOTTER
BUTTERNUT CREEK AT FRANCIS STREET OVERFLOWING BANK BY 6
FEET.
0705 PM FLOOD ST. CLAIR SHORES 42.49N 82.89W
05/23/2004 MACOMB MI TRAINED SPOTTER
HARPER ST BETWEEN 10 AND 11 MILE IS FLOODED OVER THE
CURB.
0725 PM FLOOD ST. CLAIR SHORES 42.49N 82.89W
05/23/2004 MACOMB MI TRAINED SPOTTER
1.5 FEET OF WATER COVERING ROADWAY.
0745 PM FLOOD FLINT 43.02N 83.69W
05/23/2004 GENESEE MI TRAINED SPOTTER
FLINT RIVER 2 FEET OVER THE BANKS AT RICHFIELD PARK.
&&
SHULERSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETROIT/PONTIAC MI 217 AM EDT MON MAY 24 2004 MIZ053>055-060>063-068>070-075-076-082-083-240645- GENESEE-LAPEER-LENAWEE-LIVINGSTON-MACOMB-MONROE-OAKLAND-SAGINAW- SANILAC-SHIAWASSEE-ST. CLAIR-TUSCOLA-WASHTENAW-WAYNE- 217 AM EDT MON MAY 24 2004 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 269 HAS BEEN CANCELED. THE CANCELED COUNTIES INCLUDE... GENESEE...LAPEER...ST. CLAIR...SHIAWASSEE...SAGINAW... TUSCOLA...SANILAC...LENAWEE...LIVINGSTON...MACOMB...MONROE... OAKLAND...WASHTENAW AND WAYNE. RBP
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The Kearsley Creek near Davison went above its 10 foot flood stage at 445 am EST on the 24th. The river crested at 10.05 feet at 715 am EST on the 24th, then fell back below flood stage at 115 pm EST on the 24th.
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: 5400004.