At least seven tornadoes have led to 10 Michigan deaths since 2000 before Friday’s storms left four dead in southwest Michigan, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information database on storms across the United States.
Gaylord EF3 tornado – May 20, 2022 (Otsego County)
On the afternoon of May 20, 2022, a powerful EF3 tornado moved through Gaylord, producing Michigan’s deadliest tornado in decades.
The storm struck a mobile home community and nearby commercial corridor, destroying homes, overturning vehicles, and leveling several businesses in minutes.
Two people — a 70‑year‑old man and a 51‑year‑old woman — were killed, and dozens more were injured as debris and collapsed structures turned the area into a disaster zone.
National Weather Service surveys noted a long, continuous damage path consistent with an EF3 tornado, with winds strong enough to obliterate manufactured homes and heavily damage well‑built structures.
I‑96 / Williamston–Webberville EF2 tornado – Aug. 24, 2023 (Ingham County)
On the evening of August 24, 2023, a fast‑moving EF2 tornado tracked along and near Interstate 96 in Ingham County, catching drivers and residents with little time to react. NOAA’s Storm Events database lists two direct fatalities tied to this tornado, both recorded in Ingham County.
One victim, a 40‑year‑old woman, was killed when her vehicle was thrown from the freeway and badly damaged by flying debris; a second person died in a separate vehicle impact along the same corridor.
The tornado damaged or destroyed numerous homes, downed large trees, and tossed vehicles along and near I‑96, with NWS surveys documenting a well‑defined EF2 damage path and widespread power outages.
For many in the Williamston–Webberville area, the chaotic scene on the interstate — overturned vehicles, twisted guardrails, and shredded trees — became a stark reminder of how quickly severe weather can turn deadly.
Kalkaska mobile home fatality – Oct. 18, 2007 (Kalkaska County, EF2)
Late on October 18, 2007, an EF2 tornado struck near the community of Crofton in Kalkaska County, becoming northern Lower Michigan’s first killer tornado in more than 30 years. The NOAA Storm Events entry notes that the fatality and a related injury occurred inside a mobile home that was hit directly by the tornado’s strongest winds.
Survey reports describe a classic pattern of EF2 damage: mobile homes destroyed or displaced from their foundations, significant structural damage to nearby buildings, and extensive tree loss along the track. While the tornado’s overall path was relatively short compared with larger outbreaks, its impact on that one vulnerable residence was catastrophic.
Needmore EF1 tornado −June 8, 2008 (Eaton County)
On a June afternoon in 2008, an EF1 tornado developed near Needmore in Eaton County, packing enough punch to add another fatality to Michigan’s modern tornado history.
Despite being on the lower end of the Enhanced Fujita scale, the storm’s winds were strong enough to cause serious damage where they struck, including the circumstances that led to one person’s death.
Neighbors described a brief but violent burst of wind, with trees and debris suddenly airborne before the storm moved on. The Needmore fatality became a quiet reminder that even “weak” tornadoes can be deadly when they intersect directly with homes, vehicles, or people caught outdoors.
Thornton EF1 tornado − June 27, 2010 (St. Clair County)
On June 27, 2010, evening storms in St. Clair County spun up an EF1 tornado near the Thornton area, turning what many expected to be a routine summer squall into a deadly event. The tornado touched down after 6 p.m., damaging structures and trees along its track and killing one person in its path.
Local reports described twisted sheet metal, broken windows, and scattered debris across yards and fields.
For the Thornton community and emergency managers, the single fatality highlighted how quickly a short‑lived tornado embedded in a larger storm complex can claim a life before some residents even realize what has hit them.
Plymouth EF1 tornado −June 5, 2024 (Wayne County)
On June 5, 2024, an EF1 tornado swept through the Plymouth area of Wayne County during a volatile afternoon of severe storms.
The tornado, which formed around 2:30 p.m., cut across neighborhoods and commercial areas, toppling trees, damaging roofs, and scattering debris through streets and parking lots.
One person was killed, making this one of Michigan’s most recent tornado fatalities and a particularly sobering event in a densely populated suburban corridor.
In the days after, residents walked past blue‑tarped roofs and piles of branches at the curb, many expressing surprise that a tornado considered “moderate” on the scale could be powerful enough to take a life so close to metro Detroit.
Cleanup‑related death, Fenton–Holly Tornado – May 31, 2013 (Genesee and Oakland Counties, EF2/EF1)
On May 31, 2013, a long‑track tornado moved from the Fenton/Goodrich area of Genesee County into the Holly area of Oakland County, producing a swath of EF1 to EF2 damage but — at first glance — no direct tornado fatalities.
However, the Storm Events file records one indirect death linked to this tornado: a man who suffered a fatal heart attack during post‑storm cleanup operations.
NWS narratives describe damaged roofs, downed trees, and scattered structural damage consistent with an EF2 at peak intensity, but the human toll extended beyond the immediate impact zone as residents worked to clear debris and repair their properties.
Tornado‑related deaths can occur not only during the storm, but also in the physically and emotionally demanding hours that follow.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan’s deadliest tornadoes since 2000
Reporting by Gary Miles, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
