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.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
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, 94 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 10 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 5
- Tornadoes
- 94
- EF3 or stronger
- 10
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
7 deaths in all
What the records show for South Lyon
None of the 5 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed South Lyon; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1900, a tropical storm with 63 mph winds when its centre passed 70 miles away. The record near South Lyon begins with an unnamed storm in 1892; the most recent system was Ike in 2008, a tropical storm 17 miles away. Of the 5 systems, one has come since 2000. South Lyon has more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than 48% of the 546 Michigan cities on this site. The highest rating among the 94 tornadoes within 25 miles is F4, reached 2 times; the most recent, on March 20, 1976, came within 13 miles. The deadliest, an EF1 on June 5, 2024, killed 1 person. Of the 94, 2 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 23 have come since 2000. July has had the most tornadoes, 19. The most recent tornado was on May 15, 2025. South Lyon has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 89% of the 546 Michigan cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 79 times since 1956, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). South Lyon has more hail reports within 10 miles than 81% of the 546 Michigan cities.
Compare South Lyon's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near South Lyon
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | IkeSep 14 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 4 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormOct 19 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormSep 12 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1892 | Unnamed 1892 stormSep 14 | 40 mi | Tropical 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
- 2020s9
- 2010s6(1 EF3+)
- 2000s8
- 1990s14(1 EF3+)
- 1980s22(1 EF3+)
- 1970s17(3 EF3+)
- 1960s8(1 EF3+)
- 1950s10(3 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 20, 1976 | F4 | 13 mi | 3.8 mi | 1 / 55 |
| Jul 4, 1957 | F4 | 4 mi | 29.9 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Jun 15, 1982 | F3 | 22 mi | 13 mi | 1 / 1 |
| May 11, 1974 | F3 | 17 mi | 0.9 mi | 1 / 0 |
| Jun 8, 1953 | F3 | 15 mi | 11.3 mi | 1 / 5 |
| Mar 15, 2012 | EF3 | 14 mi | 7.57 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 14, 1990 | F3 | 10 mi | 24 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 2, 1972 | F3 | 11 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 4, 1969 | F3 | 24 mi | 13.9 mi | 0 / 54 |
| Jun 8, 1953 | F3 | 9 mi | 9.1 mi | 0 / 11 |
| Aug 14, 1988 | F2 | 21 mi | 26.6 mi | 1 / 0 |
| Jun 21, 1987 | F2 | 10 mi | 0.3 mi | 1 / 6 |
The strongest 12 of 94, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in South Lyon
The Storm Prediction Center has 79 hail reports within 10 miles of South Lyon since 1956, made on 47 separate days. Of these, 38 were 1 inch across or larger, and 2 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2 inches (hen egg size), was reported on 2 days, most recently September 4, 2017. The most recent report is from June 24, 2025. June has the most reports, 24.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in South Lyon
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Ann Arbor U Of Mich, MI, 11 miles south of South Lyon at 813 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 84°F and low of 60°F; January is the coolest, at 32°F and 16°F. June is the wettest at 3.9 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 2.5 inches; the year adds up to 38.2 inches over 84 days with at least a tenth of an inch. Highs reach 90°F on about 12 days a year, almost all from June to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 130 nights a year. Snowfall averages 61.4 inches a year, most of it in January. That 38.2 inches is more than at 112 of the 131 Michigan stations used on this site (85%). New Hudson, 4 miles northeast, has its own station (Farmington, MI): 33.2 inches a year, 5.0 less than here, and a July average high of 83°F against 84°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32 | 16 | 3.0 | 8 | 18.3 |
| Feb | 35 | 18 | 2.5 | 6 | 15.3 |
| Mar | 46 | 25 | 2.8 | 6 | 8.3 |
| Apr | 60 | 36 | 3.4 | 8 | 2.6 |
| May | 71 | 47 | 3.8 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 80 | 56 | 3.9 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 84 | 60 | 3.5 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 82 | 59 | 3.5 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 75 | 52 | 3.2 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 62 | 41 | 3.0 | 7 | 0.1 |
| Nov | 48 | 31 | 2.8 | 7 | 4.1 |
| Dec | 36 | 22 | 2.8 | 7 | 12.7 |
| Year | 59 | 38 | 38.2 | 84 | 61.4 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Ann Arbor U Of Mich, MI (813 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near South Lyon
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 192 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of South Lyon: 178 thunderstorm wind reports, 8 floods and 6 flash floods. They killed 1 person and injured 0, and the NWS estimated $151.1 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on August 24, 2023. Of the 376 Michigan cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 300 have had fewer than South Lyon.
May 18, 2000: thunderstorm wind 6 miles from the centre of South Lyon — 1 killed, $2,000 damage.
June 26, 2021: flash flood 6 miles from the centre of South Lyon — $139.0 million damage.
August 24, 2023: thunderstorm wind in South Lyon — $7.0 million damage.
NWS: “Widespread trees reported blown down. The South Lyon DPW main building was severely damaged (roof torn off, all overhead doors blown in, walls bowing out).”
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
Flood insurance policyholders in South Lyon's ZIP code 48178 have filed 10 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1989, and were paid $33,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. 10% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 160 Michigan cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 0 have fewer than South Lyon.
Livingston County, which includes South Lyon, has been named in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1975, 4 of them major disasters (by incident: 2 biological emergencies, 2 floods, 2 snowstorms, 1 hurricane). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding, on February 8, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Livingston County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for tornadoes and strong wind; Relatively Moderate for inland flooding; Relatively Low for hail, lightning and heat waves; Very Low for hurricanes. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $55.5 million a year, the 10th highest of 83 Michigan counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $26.7 million (48%), is from inland flooding.
Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.