178
Recorded events
1
Direct deaths
6
Direct injuries
$6.2M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Van Buren County, Michigan: 178 recorded events between 1958 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 87. That places the county #1,232 nationally and #28 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Van Buren County, Michigan: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Van Buren County is the 2000s, when 53 of the county's 178 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 Van Buren County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 63.3% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #1,232 for this hazard and #28 within Michigan, putting it in the 60.7 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Van Buren County with 40 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 18, 1984 | 0 | 1 | 2 | $0 | |
| Aug 5, 1989 | 62 | 0 | 4 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2025 | PAW PAW | 65 | $0 |
| May 16, 2025 | BANGOR | 61 | $0 |
| Mar 30, 2025 | LAWTON | 50 | $0 |
| Mar 30, 2025 | LAWTON | 61 | $0 |
| Mar 30, 2025 | LAWTON | 59 | $0 |
| Mar 30, 2025 | DECATUR | 61 | $0 |
| Mar 30, 2025 | SOUTH HAVEN | 56 | $0 |
| Aug 6, 2024 | TEAPOT DOME | 52 | $25K |
| Jul 16, 2024 | DECATUR | 52 | $20K |
| Jun 17, 2024 | LAWTON | 52 | $200K |
Other hazards here
More from Van Buren County
- Hail 69
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Trained spotters reported numerous trees and tree limbs and power lines down across mainly southern Van Buren county. Hail up to one inch in diameter was also reported. Two miles west of Lawrence there was a higher concentration of several dozen large healthy tree trunks snapped, uprooted, or large limbs snapped. Damage occurred to at least 3 residences due to fallen trees, one probably a total loss, another with significant roof damage. Cleanup was still ongoing 12 days after the storms struck. Just east of Hartford, hundreds of trees were scattered within approximately a 6 square-mile area with large limbs snapped, trunks snapped, or uprooted. Damage was centered in and near the Van Buren County Youth Fair. The Van Buren Historical Society Museum had damage to the back of the building due to fallen tree limbs.
An NWS storm survey indicated that microburst straight line wind damage with maximum winds of 75 mph caused part of the roof of Mattawan high school to be torn off. Several trees were blown down and awning and roof damage was also incurred at an apartment.
A trained spotter three miles south southwest of Lawton reported that several trees and power lines were blown down onto county road 669 just north of 79th street. Several trees and limbs were blown down onto homes and outbuildings in the area.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Van Buren County, Michigan?
178 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Van Buren County between 1958 and 2025, causing 1 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Van Buren County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Van Buren County measured 87.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Van Buren 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 Van Buren County, Michigan.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/michigan/van-buren-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.