Michigan high wind and dust storms

Every recorded high wind record since 1996 · 83 counties with a record

NOAA's Storm Events Database records 1,523 high wind and dust records in Michigan from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 48 a year since 2000. The deadliest was the October 9, 2007 strong wind in Marquette County: 2 deaths. Michigan ranks 31st of 52 states and territories by count and 37th of 51 per square mile.

High wind and dust storms in Michigan, 1996 to 2026

Wind records per year (NOAA Storm Events); 2026 to June 30, 2026.

recorded, no damage figure
under $1 million
$1 million or more
$10 million or more
$100 million or more, or 10 deaths
$1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
a year with a death

Records: 1,5231996 to June 30, 2026
A year since 2000: 48average
Deaths: 1012 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars: $461Mas filed
Busiest year: 2021110 records

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; deaths and damage as filed, damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.

Are high wind and dust records common in Michigan?

Michigan averages about 48 high wind and dust records a year since 2000, 31st of 52 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2021 (110). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Michigan records 269 high wind and dust records since 1996, 37th of 51 states and territories by that measure.

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1996, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.

Which counties in Michigan have the most high wind and dust records?

Per square mile, Macomb County leads Michigan: 42 days with a high wind record since 1996, 87.6 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Houghton County has the most wind records (70 since 1996); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).

Macomb County 87.6 (42)
Keweenaw County 81.5 (46)
Bay County 76.9 (34)
Wayne County 75.2 (46)
Monroe County 65.5 (36)
Washtenaw County 62.3 (44)
Midland County 59.8 (31)
St. Clair County 59.6 (43)
Houghton County 55.5 (70)
Genesee County 54.9 (35)
Livingston County 54.8 (31)
Oakland County 53.0 (47)

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1996 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.

When is the windy season in Michigan?

Michigan's high wind and dust records by month. The busiest month is November (341 records).

The values, month by month

Jan 37 · Feb 116 · Mar 196 · Apr 139 · May 64 · Jun 80 · Jul 8 · Aug 16 · Sep 95 · Oct 227 · Nov 341 · Dec 204 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1996.

What were the deadliest high wind and dust records in Michigan?

Michigan: the storms with the most deaths since 1996
Date	Record	Character	Killed	Injured	Damage
2007-10-09	Strong WindMarquette County · forecast zone Marquette Two elderly men, aged 71 and 72, drowned on the evening of the 9th after their fishing boat capsized on Lake Independence. High winds reportedly whipped up waves in the 4 to 6 feet range.	30 kt wind	2	0	–
2017-03-08	High WindClare County · forecast zone Clare One storm episode: 23 records in 23 places; the totals are the episode's. Widespread non thunderstorm wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph caused hundreds of thousands of people to lose power on March 8th. At one point slightly over one million people were without power in Michigan. The winds caused numerous trees and tree limbs to fall and downed thousands of power lines. The winds also caused ...	52 kt wind	2	0	$66M
2006-03-13	High WindOakland County · forecast zone Oakland A very deep low pressure system moved northeast across northern Lake Michigan early on the evening of the 13th. Damaging winds sustained from 30 to 40 MPH with frequent gusts over 50 MPH began during the late afternoon of the 13th and continued until 0300 EST on the 14th. The combination of the strong winds and a ...	52 kt wind	1	2	–
2018-05-04	High WindOakland County · forecast zone Oakland One storm episode: 17 records in 17 places; the totals are the episode's. A strong low pressure system tracked through northern Lower Michigan, swinging a strong cold front through southeast Michigan early in the afternoon. Sustained winds ranging between 30 - 40 mph, with frequent gusts in the 45 to 60 mph range, with scattered thunderstorms that developed leading to enhanced winds near 70 ...	52 kt wind	1	1	$29M
2012-04-16	Strong WindVan Buren County · forecast zone Van Buren A 69 year old woman was killed when a tree fell on the van she was driving in two miles northeast of Bloomingdale in Van Buren county on 38 and 1/2 street near county road 380.	48 kt wind	1	0	$13K
2011-09-30	High WindBerrien County · forecast zone Berrien Numerous reports of large trees and tree limbs being uprooted, snapped or suffering partial damage were received across Berrien County, including Benton Harbor, St, Joseph, Bridgman, and Coloma. The largest tree was found in St. Joseph where a 120 foot oak tree was uprooted, falling onto a occupied home on the 800 ...	55 kt wind	1	0	–
2007-04-16	Strong WindOakland County · forecast zone Oakland Strong winds funneled into southeastern Michigan when the area found itself located between two weather systems, a strong high pressure system to the west and a powerful Nor'easter to the east. Sustained winds of 25 to 35 MPH, with frequent gusts between 45 and 50 MPH, whipped through the area on Tuesday afternoon, ...	43 kt wind	1	0	$43K
1998-11-10	High WindMuskegon County · forecast zone Muskegon A low pressure system of historic dimension moved from the central plains across the upper midwest and Lake superior to Ontario, Canada. Winds during this event exceeded 50 mph across the entire county warning area. The highest gust reported was 87 mph in Mason County with gusts exceeding 60 mph common across the ...		1	0	–

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed by the National Weather Service, summed over each storm (one episode, or one named storm filed by several offices). Storm names from the titles of FEMA declarations that name the storm's counties.

The costliest high wind and dust records in Michigan

Michigan: the most damaging storms since 1993, 2025 dollars
Date	Record	Character	Killed	Injured	Damage
2017-03-08	High WindOakland County · forecast zone Oakland One storm episode: 17 records in 17 places; the totals are the episode's.	56 kt wind	0	0	$175M
2017-03-08	High WindClare County · forecast zone Clare One storm episode: 23 records in 23 places; the totals are the episode's.	52 kt wind	2	0	$66M
2018-05-04	High WindOakland County · forecast zone Oakland One storm episode: 17 records in 17 places; the totals are the episode's.	52 kt wind	1	1	$29M
2016-02-19	High WindOakland County · forecast zone Oakland One storm episode: 6 records in 6 places; the totals are the episode's.	52 kt wind	0	0	$29M
2008-12-28	High WindMacomb County · forecast zone Macomb One storm episode: 11 records in 11 places; the totals are the episode's.	56 kt wind	0	0	$17M
1998-11-10	High WindDelta County · forecast zone Delta One storm episode: 7 records in 7 places, 1998-11-10 to 1998-11-11; the totals are the episode's.		0	0	$17M
2013-01-19	High WindWayne County · forecast zone Wayne One storm episode: 14 records in 14 places; the totals are the episode's.	53 kt wind	0	0	$12M
2003-11-12	High WindWayne County · forecast zone Wayne One storm episode: 17 records in 17 places; the totals are the episode's.	52 kt wind	0	0	$12M

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.

Are high wind and dust records becoming more frequent in Michigan?

Michigan's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. NOAA recorded every event type only from 1996, so earlier decades are not comparable; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.

High wind and dust storms: Michigan and the United States by decade (2020s to June 30, 2026)
Decade	Michigan	United States	Michigan's share
1996-99	247	14,026	1.8%
2000s	534	37,254	1.4%
2010s	468	41,748	1.1%
2020-26	274	36,300	0.8%

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

The most recent high wind and dust records in Michigan

The 12 most recent records, to June 30, 2026
Date	Record	Character	Damage
2026-05-04	High WindHoughton County · forecast zone Northern Houghton	50 kt wind	–
2026-04-27	Strong WindBranch County · forecast zone Branch	40 kt wind	$1K
2026-04-27	Strong WindSt. Joseph County · forecast zone St. Joseph	43 kt wind	$10K
2026-04-27	Strong WindCass County · forecast zone Cass	43 kt wind	$1K
2026-04-27	Strong WindBerrien County · forecast zone Southern Berrien County	43 kt wind	$10K
2026-03-13	High WindTuscola County · forecast zone Tuscola	52 kt wind	$25K
2026-03-13	High WindHuron County · forecast zone Huron	52 kt wind	$25K
2026-03-13	High WindSanilac County · forecast zone Sanilac	52 kt wind	$25K
2026-03-13	High WindBerrien County · forecast zone Northern Berrien County	52 kt wind	–
2026-03-13	High WindMonroe County · forecast zone Monroe	52 kt wind	$25K
2026-03-13	High WindSt. Clair County · forecast zone St. Clair	52 kt wind	$100K
2026-03-13	High WindLapeer County · forecast zone Lapeer	52 kt wind	$25K

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.