Benzie County, Michigan severe weather history spans 62 recorded events between 1955 and 2025. The dominant hazard is thunderstorm wind, accounting for 58.1% of all recorded events. It ranks #3,013 nationally and #81 in Michigan.
62
Recorded events
2
Direct deaths
30
Direct injuries
$471K
Property damage
The record
What the Benzie County, Michigan severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Benzie County, Michigan severe weather history averages 0.9 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2000s, with 27 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 12 events fall before 1990 and 50 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Benzie County, Michigan record is tornado, responsible for 2 direct deaths. The costliest is tornado, with $278K in reported property damage. In total, 5 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Benzie County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 36 | 0 | $193K | 61 | 1975–2025 |
| Hail | 20 | 0 | $0 | 3.25 | 1955–2024 |
| Tornado | 4 | 2 | $278K | F4 | 1956–1989 |
| Lightning | 1 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2000–2000 |
| Flash Flood | 1 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2000–2000 |
Decade by decade
Benzie County, Michigan severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
4 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 3 touched down inside it and 1 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956-04-03 | EF4 | 1 | 25 | 50.3 mi | Crossed in |
| 1989-10-15 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 12.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1986-06-26 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.7 mi | Touched down here |
| 1983-07-21 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Benzie County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3, 1956 | Tornado | 2 | 24 | $250K | |
| Jul 20, 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 | 6 | $0 |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Four funnel clouds were sighted by a Coast Guard Vessel, over water, along the shoreline between Frankfort and the Point Betsie Lighthouse. Trees and power lines were reported downed by the wind along two miles of M22 east of the Point Betsie Lighthouse.
A strong upper level disturbance contributed to widespread thunderstorms. A large number of these produced small hail, though only one report of severe-criteria hail was received. Some waterspouts also occurred over nearby waters of the Great Lakes.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Very Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
18,310
Population (ACS)
$286K
Median home value
6
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 30, 2026 | Flood | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR |
| Mar 27, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| Sep 7, 2005 | Hurricane | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM |
| Jan 27, 1978 | Snowstorm | BLIZZARDS & SNOWSTORMS | EM |
| Mar 2, 1977 | Drought | DROUGHT | EM |
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Benzie County, Michigan?
62 events are on record between 1955 and 2025, causing 2 direct deaths and $471K in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Benzie County?
Thunderstorm Wind, with 36 recorded events — 58.1% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Benzie County?
4 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 3 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Benzie County?
6 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Benzie County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Benzie County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Benzie County as very low risk, placing it in the 23 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Benzie County, Michigan severe weather history data come from?
Every figure is drawn from United States federal public-domain records: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events for the event archive, NOAA SPC SVRGIS for mapped tornado paths, FEMA for disaster declarations and risk ratings, and the U.S. Census for population context. Dates are shown in UTC and recent entries may still be revised by NOAA.
Nearby
Neighbouring counties
- Bay County 290
- Berrien County 505
- Barry County 251
- Branch County 329
- Baraga County 154
- Calhoun County 390
Cite this page
“Benzie County, Michigan.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/michigan/benzie-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.