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Tornado in Kent County, Michigan
45 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
NCEI records 45 tornado events in Kent County, Michigan, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 29 years.
April is the busiest month, with 9 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 15 events against 14 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3.5% of the 1,291 tornado events recorded in Michigan; its 5.3 per 100 square miles compares with 2.3 statewide.
NCEI attributes 9 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 17 at (E)F0, 18 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 2 at (E)F4, 1 at (E)F5 and 1 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Michigan
| Measure | Kent County | Michigan | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 45 | 1,291 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.3 | 2.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 9 | 253 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
4Apr
9May
6Jun
5Jul
7Aug
6Sep
8Oct
0Nov
0Dec
0
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 45 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Jun 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | $10M | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Sep 2019 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2014 | Tornado | EF1 | $4.5M | — | — | 6 | County |
| 23 Sep 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $100K | $20K | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2002 | Tornado | F0 | $40K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2001 | Tornado | F1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2001 | Tornado | F0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1992 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1991 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Sep 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 9 Jul 1987 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 24 Jul 1979 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 15 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1975 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 25 Jun 1969 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 1968 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 5 Aug 1968 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F3 | $25M | — | — | 32 | County |
| 21 Apr 1967 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1966 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 1965 | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | 5 | 142 | County |
| 11 Apr 1965 | Tornado | F4 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1960 | Tornado | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1956 | Tornado | F5 | $25K | — | 4 | 130 | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Kent County had?
45 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Kent County?
11 Jun 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Kent County?
The tornado of 21 Apr 1967, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $25M.
How does Kent County compare with Michigan for tornado?
5.3 events per 100 square miles against 2.3 statewide; the county holds 45 of the state's 1,291 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.