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Macomb County, Michigan severe weather history spans 709 recorded events between 1958 and 2026. The dominant hazard is thunderstorm wind, accounting for 60.9% of all recorded events. It ranks #387 nationally and #5 in Michigan.
709
Recorded events
12
Direct deaths
250
Direct injuries
$389.7M
Property damage
The record
What the Macomb County, Michigan severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Macomb County, Michigan severe weather history averages 10.4 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2000s, with 227 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 90 events fall before 1990 and 619 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Macomb County, Michigan record is tornado, responsible for 12 direct deaths. The costliest is flash flood, with $303.3M in reported property damage. In total, 7 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Macomb County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 432 | 0 | $16.1M | 95 | 1960–2026 |
| Hail | 186 | 0 | $2K | 4.5 | 1958–2026 |
| Lightning | 25 | 0 | $2.9M | 0 | 1998–2012 |
| Flash Flood | 25 | 0 | $303.3M | 0 | 1997–2025 |
| Tornado | 22 | 12 | $63.5M | F4 | 1964–2025 |
| Flood | 18 | 0 | $3.8M | 0 | 2000–2020 |
| Wildfire | 1 | 0 | $20K | 0 | 2003–2003 |
Decade by decade
Macomb County, Michigan severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
23 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 21 touched down inside it and 2 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964-05-08 | EF4 | 11 | 224 | 3.3 mi | Touched down here |
| 1976-03-20 | EF3 | 1 | 3 | 17.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 1990-09-14 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 24.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 1983-05-02 | EF3 | 0 | 3 | 23.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 1983-05-19 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 1.8 mi | Touched down here |
| 1974-06-15 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2021-07-24 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 3.5 mi | Touched down here |
| 2010-08-19 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 2.6 mi | Touched down here |
| 1986-08-02 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.7 mi | Touched down here |
| 1985-04-04 | EF1 | 0 | 6 | 2.3 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Macomb County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 8, 1964 | Tornado | 11 | 224 | $2.5M | |
| Mar 21, 1976 | Tornado | 1 | 3 | $250K | |
| Jul 2, 1997 | Tornado | ROMEO | 0 | 6 | $30.0M |
| Apr 5, 1985 | Tornado | 0 | 6 | $250K | |
| Nov 15, 2005 | Lightning | DISCO | 0 | 2 | $225K |
| Aug 1, 2003 | Lightning | ROSEVILLE | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Jul 18, 2002 | Lightning | MT CLEMENS | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Jul 18, 2002 | Lightning | NEW BALTIMORE | 0 | 1 | $0 |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Trees and power lines reported down across the county, especially in and around Clinton Township. Around 450 homes were affected, with 43 homes and businesses seeing major damage. Schools in Anchor Bay also reported flooding on the first floor, which caused damage to the flooring that needed to be replaced, along with the debris removal.
A tornado touched down near the intersection of 22 Mile and Hayes Road at 729 pm, tracking south-southeast before lifting at 735 pm just east of Hayes Road on M-59. Maximum winds were estimated to be up to 90 mph. Damage included multiple homes with roof damage, along with downed trees and power lines.
A tornado touched down on Dorchestour Court at 740 pm, just east of Romeo Plank and north of Canal Road. The tornado tracked southeast before lifting at 748 pm just west of the intersection of 14 Mile Road and Harper Avenue. Maximum winds were estimated up to 85 mph. A few homes sustained window, garage, and shingle damage. Wooden fences were blown over. Numerous trees were blown down.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Relatively High
FEMA NRI risk rating
879,853
Population (ACS)
$244K
Median home value
18
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 8, 2024 | Flood | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR |
| Jul 15, 2021 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, AND TORNADOES | DR |
| Mar 27, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| Sep 25, 2014 | Flood | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR |
| Sep 7, 2005 | Hurricane | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM |
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Macomb County, Michigan?
709 events are on record between 1958 and 2026, causing 12 direct deaths and $389.7M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Macomb County?
Thunderstorm Wind, with 432 recorded events — 60.9% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Macomb County?
23 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 21 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Macomb County?
18 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Macomb County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Macomb County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Macomb County as relatively high risk, placing it in the 97 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Macomb 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
- Mackinac County 59
- Manistee County 121
- Luce County 84
- Marquette County 536
- Mason County 117
- Livingston County 456
Cite this page
“Macomb County, Michigan.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/michigan/macomb-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.