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Tornado in Wayne County, Michigan
42 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 42 tornado events in Wayne County, Michigan, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 26 years.
August is the busiest month, with 10 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 13 events against 7 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3.3% of the 1,291 tornado events recorded in Michigan; its 6.9 per 100 square miles compares with 2.3 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 20 at (E)F0, 11 at (E)F1, 8 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 1 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Michigan
| Measure | Wayne County | Michigan | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 42 | 1,291 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.9 | 2.3 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.2 | 1.3 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 253 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | August | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
0Apr
5May
3Jun
8Jul
7Aug
10Sep
6Oct
0Nov
1Dec
1
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 42 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | $125K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF0 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | 1 | 2 | County |
| 24 Aug 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2018 | Tornado | EF0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Dec 2015 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 2008 | Tornado | EF2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F2 | $90M | — | — | 90 | County |
| 3 Sep 1993 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1992 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 4 | County |
| 6 Sep 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 1988 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 1987 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 1987 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Sep 1986 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 1986 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | 3 | County |
| 30 Aug 1984 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 4 | County |
| 16 Jul 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $25M | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1980 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 1975 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1974 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 1974 | Tornado | F2 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 1973 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 1973 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1969 | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 50 | County |
| 23 Apr 1968 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 14 Jun 1966 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Nov 1957 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | 1 | 12 | County |
| 4 Aug 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1956 | Tornado | F0 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1956 | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | — | 22 | County |
| 31 May 1954 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1953 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Wayne County had?
42 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 Wayne County?
15 Apr 2026 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Wayne County?
The tornado of 2 Jul 1997, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $90M.
How does Wayne County compare with Michigan for tornado?
6.9 events per 100 square miles against 2.3 statewide; the county holds 42 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.