Severe Weather History


State archive · every county

Michigan Severe Weather History

36,128

Recorded events

83

Counties covered

440

Direct deaths

$6.7B

Property damage

Michigan severe weather history covers 36,128 recorded events across 83 counties between 1951 and 2026.

Michigan severe weather history: recorded events by hazard type
Michigan severe weather history: recorded events by hazard type

The Michigan severe weather history record is dominated by thunderstorm wind, which accounts for 35.9% of everything logged statewide across 83 counties. Statewide, recorded events have caused 440 direct deaths since 1950.

By hazard type

Michigan severe weather history by hazard

HazardEventsCountiesDeathsDamageSpan
Thunderstorm Wind12,9758360$557.6M1955–2026
Hail5,993830$420.7M1955–2026
Winter Storm4,10401$50.8M1996–2026
Heavy Snow2,50801$10.1M1996–2026
Winter Weather2,46500$3.0M1997–2026
High Wind1,32606$786.5M1996–2026
Tornado1,28483253$1.3B1951–2026
Lake-Effect Snow85600$50K1997–2026
Flood638704$536.8M1996–2026
Cold/Wind Chill608021$2.3M1996–2026
Flash Flood541786$2.6B1996–2026
Blizzard43800$1.4M1996–2026
Ice Storm43002$316.8M1997–2026
Lightning3276818$19.1M1996–2025
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill31009$475K2000–2026
Heat26205$01999–2025
Strong Wind19404$12.2M1999–2026
Heavy Rain164190$1.0M2000–2024
Frost/Freeze15700$02006–2013
Lakeshore Flood12502$13.6M2014–2025
Dense Fog9701$01999–2023
Excessive Heat8503$02000–2023
Drought5400$02001–2010
Rip Current45143$02001–2025
Funnel Cloud43230$01996–2023
Sleet3500$02005–2015
Wildfire2930$21.7M1999–2024
Seiche1710$31K1998–2025
Waterspout1290$200K1997–2001
Freezing Fog300$02006–2006
Dust Devil220$302001–2008
High Surf101$02011–2011
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events · dates UTC

County index

Most active counties

CountyEventsDeaths
Oakland County1,0647
Wayne County92014
Washtenaw County8286
Genesee County756121
Macomb County70912
Marquette County5361
Lenawee County51410
Berrien County5055
Kent County49716
Monroe County48917
Saginaw County4690
Livingston County4563
St. Clair County4145
Lapeer County3901
Calhoun County3901
Kalamazoo County3676
Allegan County3654
St. Joseph County3635
Ottawa County34021
Tuscola County3380
Branch County32922
Hillsdale County3289
Ingham County3117
Cass County3062
Jackson County3061
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events · ranked by recorded event count

Full index

Every county in Michigan

Quick answers

Frequently asked

How many severe weather events are recorded in Michigan?

36,128 events are on record across Michigan, covering 83 counties between 1951 and 2026.

Which county in Michigan has the most severe weather on record?

Oakland County leads Michigan with 1,064 recorded events. Ranking reflects reported events, so densely populated counties tend to report more than sparsely populated ones.

Where does the Michigan severe weather history data come from?

Totals are aggregated from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of United States severe weather reports, with FEMA and U.S. Census records providing risk and population context. Dates are UTC and recent entries may still be revised.

Cite this page

“Michigan Severe Weather History.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/state/michigan/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.


Historical reference only — for official alerts visit weather.gov