50
Recorded events
120
Direct deaths
911
Direct injuries
$80.6M
Property damage
Tornado in Genesee County, Michigan: 50 recorded events between 1953 and 2025. The strongest on record measured F5. That places the county #372 nationally and #1 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Genesee County, Michigan: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Genesee County is the 1990s, when 10 of the county's 50 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 Genesee County archive, tornado makes up 6.6% of all recorded severe weather across 6 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #372 for this hazard and #1 within Michigan, putting it in the 86.9 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
May is the peak month for tornado in Genesee County with 11 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.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
| Date | Scale | Path length | Max width | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953-06-08 | EF5 | 18.9 mi | 833 yd | Touched down here |
| 1956-05-12 | EF4 | 6.6 mi | 100 yd | Touched down here |
| 1997-07-02 | EF3 | 1.7 mi | 1,500 yd | Touched down here |
| 1997-07-02 | EF3 | 2.0 mi | 1,000 yd | Touched down here |
| 1984-08-08 | EF3 | 0.8 mi | 67 yd | Touched down here |
| 1974-07-14 | EF3 | 1.0 mi | 33 yd | Touched down here |
| 2024-02-28 | EF2 | 5.7 mi | 450 yd | Touched down here |
| 2013-05-28 | EF2 | 4.6 mi | 300 yd | Touched down here |
| 2013-05-28 | EF2 | 5.1 mi | 500 yd | Touched down here |
| 2007-08-24 | EF2 | 23.5 mi | 440 yd | Crossed in |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 9, 1953 | F5 | 116 | 785 | $25.0M | |
| May 12, 1956 | F4 | 3 | 116 | $2.5M | |
| Jul 2, 1997 | CLIO | F3 | 1 | 1 | $3.8M |
| Apr 8, 1954 | F2 | 0 | 2 | $25K | |
| Aug 24, 2007 | FENTON | EF2 | 0 | 1 | $13.0M |
| Oct 4, 1990 | F2 | 0 | 1 | $2.5M | |
| Jul 25, 1986 | F1 | 0 | 1 | $25K | |
| Sep 18, 1977 | F2 | 0 | 1 | $250K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2025 | ATLAS | EF0 | $0 |
| Feb 28, 2024 | GRAND BLANC | EF2 | $1.0M |
| Jul 12, 2022 | BAYPORT PARK | EF0 | $35K |
| Jul 24, 2021 | FLUSHING | EF1 | $1.0M |
| Mar 14, 2019 | GENESEE DUFORD ARPT | EF0 | $100K |
| Mar 14, 2019 | LENNON | EF0 | $75K |
| May 29, 2013 | GRAND BLANC | EF2 | $350K |
| May 29, 2013 | LAKE FENTON | EF2 | $225K |
| May 29, 2013 | GAINES | EF0 | $10K |
| May 29, 2013 | BEECHER | EF1 | $100K |
Other hazards here
More from Genesee County
- Thunderstorm Wind 455
- Hail 215
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
This is the same tornado that began in Livingston County's Cohoctah Township. The tornado crossed into Genesee County approximately 3 miles west southwest of Fenton at 1649EST. The City of Fenton sustained the greatest amount of damage where the tornado path widened to approximately one-quarter mile, including the snapping and uprooting of hundreds of trees, de-roofing of both residential and municipal structures, and the partial collapse of a large retail structure near the intersection of Owen Road and U.S. 23. Of the approximately 250 homes/buildings damaged in Fenton, two were destroyed and five sustained major damage. The tornado was rated as EF2 in Fenton with wind speeds estimated at approximately 130 MPH. The average path width in Genesee County was 350 yards. One person in Fenton received minor injuries after being struck by flying glass. The tornado exited Genesee County one mile east of Fenton at 1700EST and then continued in Oakland County for another 5.5 miles.
The tornado path extended from just northeast of Calkins and North McKinley Rd, just west of Elms Rd between Corunna and Calkins Rd. The most significant damage, consistent with EF1 damage, was along Calkins Rd, west of Morrish Road; and along Morrish Road, south of Calkins Rd. Peak winds were estimated at 100 mph. Notable damage included three garages that were either partially or completely destroyed. Additional damage included minor structural damage to adjacent homes, including the loss of roofing materials and siding. There was sporadic tree and crop damage along the path.
The tornado was rated EF2 with a maximum wind speed of 130 mph. The maximum path width was 300 yards with a total path length of 4.6 miles. The tornado started near the intersection of Vassar Road and Pointe North Drive and continued to State Road near Perry Road. The greatest damage occurred near the intersection of Hegel Gale Roads. A house was nearly destroyed, along with a garage and external storage facilities wrecked.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Genesee County, Michigan?
50 tornado events are recorded in Genesee County between 1953 and 2025, causing 120 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Genesee County?
The strongest tornado on record in Genesee County measured F5.
Where does the tornado data for Genesee 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
“Tornado in Genesee County, Michigan.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/michigan/genesee-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.