40
Recorded events
1
Direct deaths
5
Direct injuries
$2.3M
Property damage
Lightning in Oakland County, Michigan: 40 recorded events between 1996 and 2021. The strongest on record measured 0. That places the county #78 nationally and #1 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Lightning in Oakland County, Michigan: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for lightning in Oakland County is the 2000s, when 28 of the county's 40 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 Oakland County archive, lightning makes up 3.8% of all recorded severe weather across 7 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #78 for this hazard and #1 within Michigan, putting it in the 96.9 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for lightning in Oakland County with 8 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 29, 1996 | MILFORD TWP | 0 | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Jun 21, 2006 | TROY | 0 | 0 | 1 | $15K |
| Jun 9, 2005 | ROYAL OAK | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Aug 1, 2003 | TROY | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Jul 21, 1998 | WATERFORD | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Apr 30, 1997 | COMMERCE | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 2021 | BERKLEY | 0 | $5K |
| Jul 4, 2012 | OXBOW | 0 | $30K |
| Jun 29, 2011 | PERRY LAKE HGTS | 0 | $10K |
| Apr 6, 2010 | HIGHLAND | 0 | $150K |
| Aug 29, 2007 | OXBOW | 0 | $16K |
| Jul 18, 2006 | WHITE LAKE | 0 | $5K |
| Jun 21, 2006 | TROY | 0 | $15K |
| Jun 21, 2006 | TROY | 0 | $30K |
| Jun 21, 2006 | AUBURN HGTS | 0 | $1K |
| Apr 14, 2006 | WATERFORD | 0 | $90K |
Other hazards here
More from Oakland County
- Thunderstorm Wind 716
- Hail 238
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Lightning struck a home, sparking a full blown fire. The fire consumed the attached garage of the tri-level home and extended into the attic. Property damage was roughly estimated at $30K based on pictures included in the newspaper.
One family member suffered minor injuries related directly to a lightning strike that created flying glass when the fireplace door exploded. There was no fire but the chimney was destroyed and the family room and kitchen were also damaged. Property damage was roughly estimated at $15K.
Lightning struck a Royal Oak man when he tried to remove a fallen tree branch from a neighbor's car. The strike happened outside an apartment building at 1703 Gardenia Avenue. The victim was taken to a hospital and released the next day.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many lightning events are on record in Oakland County, Michigan?
40 lightning events are recorded in Oakland County between 1996 and 2021, causing 1 direct deaths.
What is the strongest lightning recorded in Oakland County?
The strongest lightning on record in Oakland County measured 0.
Where does the lightning data for Oakland 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
“Lightning in Oakland County, Michigan.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/michigan/oakland-county/lightning/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.