Tornadoes and Hail in Michigan, July 21, 1983

Name: Tornadoes and Hail in Michigan, July 21, 1983
Start: 1983-07-21T05:00
End: 1983-07-21T19:40
Location: Michigan

July 21, 1983 · NWS T · 72 events in 40 counties and zones

57 thunderstorm wind, 11 hail, 4 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 1
Injuries: 1
Property damage: $251,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 72

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

Event by event

57 thunderstorm wind, 11 hail, 4 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Gogebic

When: July 21, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Gogebic County
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 46.470, -90.170

Tornado, Benzie

When: July 21, 8:30 AM CST
Where: Benzie County
Rating: F1
Path length: 0.1 mi
Path width: 20 yd
Property damage: $250
Coordinates: 44.650, -85.830

Thunderstorm Wind, Benzie

When: July 21, 8:45 AM CST
Where: Benzie County
Coordinates: 44.620, -86.020

Thunderstorm Wind, Grand Traverse

When: July 21, 9:05 AM CST
Where: Grand Traverse County
Coordinates: 44.670, -85.580

Tornado, Missaukee

When: July 21, 9:22 AM CST
Where: Missaukee County
Rating: F1
Path length: 9.2 mi
Path width: 30 yd
Property damage: $250
Coordinates: 44.280, -85.220

Thunderstorm Wind, Missaukee

When: July 21, 9:30 AM CST
Where: Missaukee County
Coordinates: 44.320, -85.130

Hail, Osceola

When: July 21, 9:35 AM CST
Where: Osceola County
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 43.970, -85.370

Thunderstorm Wind, Osceola

When: July 21, 9:35 AM CST
Where: Osceola County
Coordinates: 43.970, -85.370

Thunderstorm Wind, Roscommon

When: July 21, 9:40 AM CST
Where: Roscommon County
Coordinates: 44.320, -84.670

Hail, Gladwin

When: July 21, 9:45 AM CST
Where: Gladwin County
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 43.880, -84.480

Hail, Genesee

When: July 21, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Genesee County
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 43.030, -83.680

Thunderstorm Wind, Clare

When: July 21, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Clare County
Coordinates: 43.970, -84.900

Thunderstorm Wind, Saginaw

When: July 21, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Saginaw County
Coordinates: 43.330, -83.750

Hail, Gladwin

When: July 21, 10:10 AM CST
Where: Gladwin County
Measured: 2.5 in hail
Coordinates: 43.880, -84.480

Thunderstorm Wind, Gladwin

When: July 21, 10:10 AM CST
Where: Gladwin County
Coordinates: 43.970, -84.430

Thunderstorm Wind, Lapeer

When: July 21, 10:30 AM CST
Where: Lapeer County
Coordinates: 43.070, -83.270

Thunderstorm Wind, Midland

When: July 21, 10:50 AM CST
Where: Midland County
Coordinates: 43.620, -84.430

Hail, Genesee

When: July 21, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Genesee County
Measured: 2 in hail
Coordinates: 43.070, -83.830

Hail, Genesee

When: July 21, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Genesee County
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 43.030, -83.680

Thunderstorm Wind, Saginaw

When: July 21, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Saginaw County
Coordinates: 43.320, -84.120

Thunderstorm Wind, Bay

When: July 21, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Bay County
Coordinates: 43.720, -84.000

Thunderstorm Wind, Tuscola

When: July 21, 11:10 AM CST
Where: Tuscola County
Coordinates: 43.430, -83.470

Thunderstorm Wind, Oakland

When: July 21, 11:15 AM CST
Where: Oakland County
Coordinates: 42.630, -83.470

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Clair

When: July 21, 11:20 AM CST
Where: St. Clair County
Coordinates: 42.920, -82.720

Thunderstorm Wind, Macomb

When: July 21, 11:25 AM CST
Where: Macomb County
Coordinates: 42.650, -82.970

Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne

When: July 21, 11:30 AM CST
Where: Wayne County
Coordinates: 42.250, -83.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Genesee

When: July 21, 11:40 AM CST
Where: Genesee County
Coordinates: 43.000, -83.770

Hail, Genesee

When: July 21, 12:54 PM CST
Where: Genesee County
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 42.970, -83.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Genesee

When: July 21, 1:40 PM CST
Where: Genesee County
Coordinates: 43.000, -83.770

Thunderstorm Wind, Lapeer

When: July 21, 1:45 PM CST
Where: Lapeer County
Coordinates: 43.070, -83.270

Thunderstorm Wind, Oakland

When: July 21, 1:45 PM CST
Where: Oakland County
Coordinates: 42.630, -83.470

Thunderstorm Wind, Montcalm

When: July 21, 1:45 PM CST
Where: Montcalm County
Coordinates: 43.300, -85.220

Thunderstorm Wind, Macomb

When: July 21, 1:50 PM CST
Where: Macomb County
Coordinates: 42.650, -82.970

Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne

When: July 21, 2:15 PM CST
Where: Wayne County
Coordinates: 42.250, -83.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Livingston

When: July 21, 2:25 PM CST
Where: Livingston County
Coordinates: 42.570, -83.980

Thunderstorm Wind, Ingham

When: July 21, 2:30 PM CST
Where: Ingham County
Coordinates: 42.570, -84.420

Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson

When: July 21, 2:30 PM CST
Where: Jackson County
Coordinates: 42.230, -84.480

Thunderstorm Wind, Clinton

When: July 21, 2:30 PM CST
Where: Clinton County
Coordinates: 42.920, -84.680

Thunderstorm Wind, Eaton

When: July 21, 2:30 PM CST
Where: Eaton County
Coordinates: 42.570, -84.870

Thunderstorm Wind, Ionia

When: July 21, 2:30 PM CST
Where: Ionia County
Coordinates: 42.920, -85.130

Thunderstorm Wind, Washtenaw

When: July 21, 2:40 PM CST
Where: Washtenaw County
Coordinates: 42.230, -83.900

Thunderstorm Wind, Montcalm

When: July 21, 2:40 PM CST
Where: Montcalm County
Coordinates: 43.170, -85.250

Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne

When: July 21, 2:50 PM CST
Where: Wayne County
Coordinates: 42.250, -83.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When: July 21, 2:50 PM CST
Where: Monroe County
Coordinates: 41.900, -83.570

Tornado, Washtenaw

When: July 21, 3:23 PM CST
Where: Washtenaw County
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.1 mi
Path width: 10 yd
Property damage: $30
Coordinates: 42.270, -83.680

Thunderstorm Wind, Calhoun

When: July 21, 4:20 PM CST
Where: Calhoun County
Coordinates: 42.250, -84.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson

When: July 21, 4:24 PM CST
Where: Jackson County
Coordinates: 42.230, -84.480

Thunderstorm Wind, Ionia

When: July 21, 4:30 PM CST
Where: Ionia County
Coordinates: 42.870, -84.920

Thunderstorm Wind, Oceana

When: July 21, 5:15 PM CST
Where: Oceana County
Coordinates: 43.600, -86.370

Hail, Eaton

When: July 21, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Eaton County
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 42.570, -84.870

Thunderstorm Wind, Eaton

When: July 21, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Eaton County
Coordinates: 42.570, -84.870

Thunderstorm Wind, Muskegon

When: July 21, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Muskegon County
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph)
Coordinates: 43.270, -86.180

Thunderstorm Wind, Ingham

When: July 21, 5:45 PM CST
Where: Ingham County
Coordinates: 42.570, -84.420

Thunderstorm Wind, Ottawa

When: July 21, 5:50 PM CST
Where: Ottawa County
Coordinates: 42.920, -86.070

Thunderstorm Wind, Calhoun

When: July 21, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Calhoun County
Coordinates: 42.230, -85.070

Hail, Kent

When: July 21, 6:05 PM CST
Where: Kent County
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 43.000, -85.620

Thunderstorm Wind, Kent

When: July 21, 6:05 PM CST
Where: Kent County
Coordinates: 43.000, -85.620

Thunderstorm Wind, Barry

When: July 21, 6:20 PM CST
Where: Barry County
Coordinates: 42.570, -85.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Allegan

When: July 21, 6:20 PM CST
Where: Allegan County
Coordinates: 42.570, -85.930

Hail, Eaton

When: July 21, 6:27 PM CST
Where: Eaton County
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 42.630, -84.630

Thunderstorm Wind, Ionia

When: July 21, 6:30 PM CST
Where: Ionia County
Coordinates: 42.920, -85.130

Thunderstorm Wind, Hillsdale

When: July 21, 6:30 PM CST
Where: Hillsdale County
Coordinates: 41.880, -84.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Van Buren

When: July 21, 6:35 PM CST
Where: Van Buren County
Coordinates: 42.230, -86.080

Thunderstorm Wind, Kalamazoo

When: July 21, 6:35 PM CST
Where: Kalamazoo County
Coordinates: 42.230, -85.600

Thunderstorm Wind, Berrien

When: July 21, 6:45 PM CST
Where: Berrien County
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 41.930, -86.450

Thunderstorm Wind, Cass

When: July 21, 7:00 PM CST
Where: Cass County
Coordinates: 41.900, -86.070

Thunderstorm Wind, Calhoun

When: July 21, 7:00 PM CST
Where: Calhoun County
Coordinates: 42.300, -85.070

Tornado, Allegan

When: July 21, 7:05 PM CST
Where: Allegan County
Rating: F2
Path length: 13.6 mi
Path width: 200 yd
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 42.670, -86.200

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Joseph

When: July 21, 7:15 PM CST
Where: St. Joseph County
Coordinates: 41.900, -85.600

Hail, Kent

When: July 21, 7:30 PM CST
Where: Kent County
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 42.970, -85.680

Thunderstorm Wind, Berrien

When: July 21, 7:30 PM CST
Where: Berrien County
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 42.130, -86.430

Thunderstorm Wind, Van Buren

When: July 21, 7:40 PM CST
Where: Van Buren County
Coordinates: 42.220, -85.880

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

Event	Date	Age	Sex	Where	Kind
Tornado, Allegan	1983-07-21				Direct

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Michigan in 1983 Every state in 1983 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Michigan, 1983

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10039987, 10039988, 10039989, 10039990, 10039991, 10039992, 10039993, 10039994, 10039995, 10039996, 10039997, 10039998, 10039999, 10040000, 10040001, 10040002, 10040003, 10040004, 10040005, 10040006, 10040007, 10040008, 10040009, 10040010, 10040011, 10040012, 10040013, 10040014, 10040015, 10040016, 10040017, 10040018, 10040019, 10040020, 10040021, 10040022, 10040023, 10040024, 10040025, 10040026, and more.