330
Recorded events
2
Direct deaths
15
Direct injuries
$1.1M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Berrien County, Michigan: 330 recorded events between 1955 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 83. That places the county #359 nationally and #6 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Berrien County, Michigan: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Berrien County is the 2020s, when 82 of the county's 330 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Berrien County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 65.3% of all recorded severe weather across 9 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #359 for this hazard and #6 within Michigan, putting it in the 88.7 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jul is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Berrien County with 86 recorded events, while Jan is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 16, 1988 | 0 | 1 | 4 | $0 | |
| May 21, 2004 | COLOMA | 60 | 1 | 0 | $10K |
| May 21, 2004 | BERRIEN SPGS | 60 | 0 | 7 | $50K |
| Apr 6, 1988 | 0 | 0 | 2 | $0 | |
| Oct 11, 2021 | BARODA | 55 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Jul 18, 2010 | ST JOSEPH | 70 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 17, 2026 | WATERVLIET ARPT | 52 | $1K |
| Jun 18, 2025 | LIVINGSTON | 52 | $5K |
| May 17, 2025 | SHOREHAM | 61 | $5K |
| May 16, 2025 | BERRIEN SPGS | 55 | $0 |
| May 16, 2025 | BUCHANAN | 55 | $0 |
| May 16, 2025 | (BEH)ROSS ARPT BNTN | 63 | $0 |
| May 16, 2025 | ST JOSEPH | 55 | $0 |
| May 16, 2025 | LITTLE PAW PAW LAKE | 50 | $0 |
| May 16, 2025 | (BEH)ROSS ARPT BNTN | 53 | $0 |
| Mar 30, 2025 | (BEH)ROSS ARPT BNTN | 68 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Berrien County
- Hail 105
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Numerous trees were downed in the Niles area during the severe thunderstorm which produced estimated 70 mph winds across much of southeastern Berrien County. Falling trees downed power, phone, and cable lines. Minor damage was reported at several residences, including reports of patio furniture being swept away and a trampoline destroyed. Nearly 2 3/4 inches of rain fell in one hour at a Niles residence, with minor street flooding reported in the storm's aftermath.
A microburst, which likely assisted in the demise of the second tornado in Berrien County, raced east-southeast ward, causing extensive damage to trees for roughly 8 miles in the eastern part of the county, as well as the destruction of a shed and severe damage to a car. An orchard near the intersection of Hipps Hollow Road and Hochberger Road suffered extensive wind damage as well. The damage continued and crossed into Cass County near County Line Road and Frost Street.
Several trees and power lines were downed in Buchanan Township. Major tree damage was reported from 2 area golf courses, Orchard Hills and Brookwood. Orchard Hill was hit hardest and was closed through Tuesday, July 15, 1997, for clean up. The greens superintendent reported 25 trees downed by the winds. Brookwood Golf Course did not report as much damage, but had a significant number of trees downed, approximately 100, which ranged from 10 inches to 4 feet in diameter. No injuries were reported.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Berrien County, Michigan?
330 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Berrien County between 1955 and 2026, causing 2 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Berrien County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Berrien County measured 83.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Berrien County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Thunderstorm Wind in Berrien County, Michigan.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/michigan/berrien-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.