DETROIT – Michigan is not in Tornado Alley, but the state gets damaging thunderstorms and tornadoes every year. This year is already in the top 10 for Michigan’s most active tornado years.
The Great Lakes State averaged 13 twisters annually from 2000 to 2024, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
Recommended Videos
In an unwelcome twist, Michigan has more than doubled that count this season. As of May 21, 2025, the National Weather Service had confirmed 27 tornadoes. Remarkably, just two severe weather events were responsible for 25 of them.
A tornado outbreak produced 13 tornadoes in Michigan on March 30. While most of them were in western and central parts of the state, an EF0 touched down in Monroe County. While tornadoes happen throughout the year in Michigan, March tornadoes remain rare.
Michigan’s tornado season peaks from May to August, and May 2025 has reminded us of that fact.
The nighttime severe weather of May 15-16 led to 12 tornadoes across Lower Michigan, including one each in Livingston and Genesee counties.
This pushed 2025 into the top 10 years for the most tornadoes in Michigan since 1950. The tally of 27 tornadoes ties with 1986, 1988 and 2010, but odds are that the state will get more tornadoes this year.
Michigan’s most active year for tornadoes was 1974, with 39 confirmations. That year, Michigan was part of a “super outbreak” on April 3-4. At least 148 tornadoes touched down across a total of 13 states.
Tornadoes are most likely during the afternoon and evening in Michigan, but data suggests that warming nighttime temperatures may be fueling overnight storms.
Not only are nighttime tornadoes more difficult to observe from the ground, but they may pose a greater risk to people who are asleep.
March 30, 2025 -- 13 confirmed tornadoes
- Cass County: Near Edwardsburg, EF1
- Cass County: Jefferson Township, south of Cassopolis
- St. Joseph County: Near Klinger Lake, west of Sturgis, EF0
- Kent County: Caledonia, EF0 with peak winds of 80 mph
- Ingham County: Leslie, EF0 with peak winds of 75 mph
- Newaygo County: Grant, EF0 with peak winds of 65 mph
- Ingham County: Locke Township, near Williamston, EF1
- Ionia and Montcalm Counties: Belding, EF0 with peak winds of 85 mph
- Ionia County: Muir, EF0 with peak winds of 65 mph
- Kent County: Myers Lake near Rockford, EF0 with peak winds of 85 mph
- Kent County: Vergennes and Grattan townships near Murray Lake, EF0 with peak winds of 75 mph
- Monroe County: Milan, EF0 with peak winds of 85 mph
- Shiawassee County: Henderson, EF1 with peak winds of 90 mph
April 2, 2025 -- 2 tornadoes confirmed
- Branch County: Ovid Township
- Branch County: Near Gilead
May 15-16, 2025 -- 12 tornadoes
- Ottawa County: Zeeland and Jamestown townships, EF0 with peak winds of 75 mph
- Allegan County: Near Burnips
- Allegan County: EF1 with peak winds of 95 mph
- Barry County: Near Orangeville, EF1 with peak winds of 100 mph
- Kent County: Near Caledonia, EF1 with peak winds of 90 mph
- Kalamazoo County: Galesburg to Battle Creek, EF0 with peak winds of 80 mph
- Kalamazoo County: Near St. Marys Lake, north of Battle Creek and east of Bedford, EF0
- Calhoun County: Near Bedford, EF0
- Eaton County: Near Charlotte
- Livingston County: Gregory, EF1 with peak winds of 90 mph
- Saginaw County: St. Charles, EF0 with peak winds of 85 mph
- Genesee County: Atlas and Davison townships, EF0 with peak winds of 75 mph
