Hurricane History Map

Hurricanes that hit Michigan: hurricane history

8 storms have passed within 50 km of Michigan from 1879 to 2018, drawn on the map and coloured by intensity.

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Years1842 to 2026
Ocean basin

Choosing a minimum category hides storms with no wind speed in the record. To see which storms have passed near you, search a town or ZIP code, or tap the map.

Key
  • Tropical depression Winds below 34 knots (39 mph)
  • Tropical storm 34 to 63 knots (39 to 73 mph)
  • Category 1 64 to 82 knots (74 to 95 mph)
  • Category 2 83 to 95 knots (96 to 110 mph)
  • Category 3 96 to 112 knots (111 to 129 mph), major
  • Category 4 113 to 136 knots (130 to 156 mph), major
  • Category 5 137 knots (157 mph) or more, major
  • Unknown intensity No wind speed in the record
  • Post-tropical Storm has become post-tropical (dashed line)

How to read the lines. Each line is the track of one storm, drawn through its six-hourly positions and coloured by its intensity at each point (the Saffir-Simpson scale), so a line changes colour as the storm strengthens or weakens. Tap a line for its details, or tap anywhere else to see which storms have passed nearby. Weaker storms appear as you zoom in. Hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones are the same kind of storm with different names in different oceans.

Storms near Michigan

The record holds 8 tropical cyclones whose tracks passed within 50 km of Michigan between 1879 and 2018. The busiest month is June, with 2 of them. The strongest, measured where each came closest to the place, reached tropical storm strength. 1 of the storms have no wind speed in the record.

  • 8storms within 50 km
  • 0major (category 3 to 5) near here
  • 0at category 1 strength or more

A storm counts once, however many times it came close. The category is the storm's strongest point within 50 km, which can be weaker than its peak elsewhere.

How strong were the storms near Michigan?

Category near hereStormsShare
Tropical depression675%
Tropical storm113%
Category 100%
Category 200%
Category 300%
Category 400%
Category 500%
Unknown intensity113%

The agency behind most of the intensity figures here is the NOAA National Hurricane Center (HURDAT2, Atlantic).

Michigan storms over time

Storms by decade
Bar chart of storms by period. The most is 2 in 1890s.1870s11890s21910s11950s11960s12000s12010s1

The 2010s only run to 2018, so that bar is for a shorter period. This place's record starts in 1879, and records before the satellite era (about the 1960s) are far less complete.

Show the numbers
PeriodCount
1870s1
1890s2
1910s1
1950s1
1960s1
2000s1
2010s1

Earlier decades hold fewer storms partly because they were harder to see. Before weather satellites (about the 1960s) many storms that stayed at sea went unrecorded, so compare decades with care.

Storms by month
Bar chart of storms by period. The most is 2 in Jun.Jan0Feb0Mar0Apr0May1Jun2Jul1Aug1Sep2Oct1Nov0Dec0
Show the numbers
PeriodCount
Jan0
Feb0
Mar0
Apr0
May1
Jun2
Jul1
Aug1
Sep2
Oct1
Nov0
Dec0

Strongest storms near Michigan

  • Connie (1955)3 August 1955 to 15 August 1955, Tropical storm (40 kt) near here, peak Category 4 (120 kt), 944 hPa

Most recent storms near Michigan

  • Alberto (2018)25 May 2018 to 31 May 2018, Tropical depression (30 kt) near here, peak Tropical storm (55 kt), 990 hPa
  • Arlene (2005)8 June 2005 to 14 June 2005, Tropical depression (20 kt) near here, peak Tropical storm (60 kt), 990 hPa
  • Candy (1968)22 June 1968 to 26 June 1968, Tropical depression (25 kt) near here, peak Tropical storm (60 kt), 995 hPa
  • Connie (1955)3 August 1955 to 15 August 1955, Tropical storm (40 kt) near here, peak Category 4 (120 kt), 944 hPa
  • Unnamed storm of August 1915 (North Atlantic)31 August 1915 to 6 September 1915, Tropical depression (25 kt) near here, peak Category 2 (85 kt), 982 hPa

Many of these storms killed people and destroyed homes. The figures are the official record's, and this page says nothing about their human cost.

Notable storms near Michigan with their own pages

  • Connie (1955)3 August 1955 to 15 August 1955, peak Category 4 (120 kt), 944 hPa

Michigan counties

Every county that a storm has come near is listed, most storms first. 20 of them have at least 3 storms and their own page.

CountyStormsStrongest near the county
Hillsdale County5Tropical depression
Jackson County5Tropical depression
Lenawee County5Tropical depression
Branch County4Tropical depression
Monroe County4Tropical depression
Sanilac County4Tropical storm
St. Clair County4Tropical storm
Wayne County4Tropical depression
Barry County3Tropical depression
Calhoun County3Tropical depression
Eaton County3Tropical depression
Huron County3Tropical storm
Ingham County3Tropical depression
Kalamazoo County3Tropical depression
Lapeer County3Tropical depression
Livingston County3Tropical depression
Macomb County3Tropical depression
Oakland County3Tropical depression
St. Joseph County3Tropical depression
Washtenaw County3Tropical depression
Alcona County2Tropical storm
Allegan County2Tropical depression
Alpena County2Tropical storm
Arenac County2Tropical storm
Bay County2Tropical depression
Cass County2Tropical depression
Clare County2Tropical depression
Clinton County2Tropical depression
Gratiot County2Tropical depression
Ionia County2Tropical depression
Iosco County2Tropical storm
Isabella County2Tropical depression
Kent County2Tropical depression
Mecosta County2Tropical depression
Midland County2Tropical depression
Montcalm County2Tropical depression
Ogemaw County2Tropical storm
Oscoda County2Tropical storm
Presque Isle County2Tropical storm
Saginaw County2Tropical depression
Shiawassee County2Tropical depression
Tuscola County2Tropical storm
Berrien County1Tropical depression
Chippewa County1Tropical depression
Genesee County1Tropical depression
Gladwin County1Tropical depression
Lake County1Tropical depression
Montmorency County1Tropical depression
Newaygo County1Tropical depression
Osceola County1Tropical depression
Ottawa County1Tropical depression
Van Buren County1Tropical depression

Other states

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