Manistee County, Michigan severe weather history spans 121 recorded events between 1956 and 2026. The dominant hazard is thunderstorm wind, accounting for 47.9% of all recorded events. It ranks #2,811 nationally and #63 in Michigan.
121
Recorded events
3
Direct deaths
0
Direct injuries
$7.9M
Property damage
The record
What the Manistee County, Michigan severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Manistee County, Michigan severe weather history averages 1.7 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2000s, with 39 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 12 events fall before 1990 and 109 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Manistee County, Michigan record is thunderstorm wind, responsible for 2 direct deaths. The costliest is flash flood, with $5.0M in reported property damage. In total, 6 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Manistee County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 58 | 2 | $561K | 75 | 1964–2024 |
| Hail | 47 | 0 | $2.1M | 2 | 1973–2026 |
| Flash Flood | 9 | 0 | $5.0M | 0 | 2000–2024 |
| Flood | 3 | 0 | $1K | 0 | 2008–2024 |
| Tornado | 2 | 0 | $265K | F4 | 1956–2008 |
| Lightning | 2 | 1 | $0 | 0 | 2000–2016 |
Decade by decade
Manistee County, Michigan severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
2 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 1 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 |
| 2008-06-12 | EF0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Manistee County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 20, 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | 2 | 0 | $0 | |
| Sep 6, 2016 | Lightning | HIGH BRIDGE | 1 | 0 | $0 |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Thunderstorms moved repeatedly over Manistee County in the morning and afternoon of the 20th. Excessive rainfall produced substantial flooding across central and southern Manistee County. By late on the 20th, rainfall totals reached 8.90 in Parkdale (near Manistee), and 5.95 in Wellston. Water entered numerous homes and stores in the greater Manistee area, and in Dublin, resulting in property damage. The campground at Orchard Beach State Park was at one point under four feet of water. Many roads were flooded and closed to travel for several hours. 12th Street in the city of Manistee was washed out. Places near the Manistee River were most susceptible to flooding.
Spotters in Manistee and Wellston measured around six inches of rain in a few hours very late on the 12th into the pre-dawn hours of the 13th. Radar estimated up to ten inches of rainfall along the southern border of Manistee County. Substantial flash flooding resulted, with considerable soil erosion, thanks in part to the sandy soils of the area. At one point the majority of roads in the south half of Manistee County were under water. High water entered some homes. In the city of Manistee, asphalt, stop signs, and light posts were flushed into Lake Michigan by the raging waters. The county road commission estimated $500,000 in damages to the county road system.
A slow moving thunderstorm dumped over three inches of rain (and hail) on the southwest corner of Manistee County. A spotter in the city of Manistee reported 4.35 inches of rain in two and a half hours. Widespread urban flooding resulted in the city and its environs, with the worst damage along the River Street corridor. Erosion was severe in spots, due to the sandy soils prevalent in the area. Some gravel roads and driveways were washed out; city streets had one to two feet of flowing water in them. Numerous vehicles stalled out in the high water. Basement flooding was also widespread. A hotel had flood waters enter its ground floor, prompting the evacuation of twenty five guests. Sewage system backups contributed to flood damage in the city.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Very Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
25,350
Population (ACS)
$182K
Median home value
8
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 |
| Jul 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR |
| Sep 7, 2005 | Hurricane | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM |
| Sep 18, 1986 | Flood | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR |
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Manistee County, Michigan?
121 events are on record between 1956 and 2026, causing 3 direct deaths and $7.9M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Manistee County?
Thunderstorm Wind, with 58 recorded events — 47.9% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Manistee County?
2 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 1 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Manistee County?
8 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Manistee County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Manistee County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Manistee County as very low risk, placing it in the 37 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Manistee 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
- Macomb County 709
- Marquette County 536
- Mackinac County 59
- Mason County 117
- Luce County 84
- Mecosta County 132
Cite this page
“Manistee County, Michigan.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/michigan/manistee-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.