Skip to content

NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit South Lyon, MI

Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.

5 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of South Lyon, Michigan since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Ike in 2008. Since 1950, 93 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 10 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
0

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
5

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
93

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
10

7 deaths in all

Tropical storms and hurricanes near South Lyon

Tropical systems that passed within 75 miles of South Lyon, Michigan, newest first
YearStormClosestStrength when closestPeak
2008IkeSep 1417 miTropical storm (58 mph)Category 4
1932Unnamed 1932 stormSep 429 miTropical storm (48 mph)Category 1
1923Unnamed 1923 stormOct 1955 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm
1900Unnamed 1900 stormSep 1270 miTropical storm (63 mph)Category 4
1892Unnamed 1892 stormSep 1440 miTropical storm (58 mph)Tropical storm

Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in South Lyon: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.

Tornadoes within 25 miles of South Lyon

By decade

  • 2020s8
  • 2010s6(1 EF3+)
  • 2000s8
  • 1990s14(1 EF3+)
  • 1980s22(1 EF3+)
  • 1970s17(3 EF3+)
  • 1960s8(1 EF3+)
  • 1950s10(3 EF3+)
Strongest tornadoes near South Lyon, Michigan
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
Mar 20, 1976F413 mi3.8 mi1 / 55
Jul 4, 1957F44 mi29.9 mi0 / 6
Jun 15, 1982F322 mi13 mi1 / 1
May 11, 1974F317 mi0.9 mi1 / 0
Jun 8, 1953F315 mi11.3 mi1 / 5
Mar 15, 2012EF314 mi7.57 mi0 / 0
Sep 14, 1990F310 mi24 mi0 / 0
Aug 2, 1972F311 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
Jul 4, 1969F324 mi13.9 mi0 / 54
Jun 8, 1953F39 mi9.1 mi0 / 11
Aug 14, 1988F221 mi26.6 mi1 / 0
Jun 21, 1987F210 mi0.3 mi1 / 6

The strongest 12 of 93, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

How to read this page

A storm is listed when the centre of its track passed within 75 miles of South Lyon while it was at least a tropical storm, which is the reach of damaging wind and rain for a typical hurricane. Being on the list does not mean the city took a direct hit; the "closest" column says how near the centre came. Tornadoes are counted when any part of the path came within 25 miles.

Tornado records before the 1990s are thinner, because weak tornadoes in open country often went unreported before Doppler radar and mobile phones. A rise in the decade counts is mostly better reporting, not a change in the weather.

Tracks come from the National Hurricane Center's HURDAT2 database, tornadoes from the Storm Prediction Center's database. Both are the official federal records and both are revised as old storms are re-analysed.

Other cities in Michigan