Michigan, 1994

Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Michigan, July 17, 1994

July 17, 1994 · 5 events in 4 counties and zones

3 tornado, 2 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$10,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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

3 tornado, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Osceola

When
July 17, 3:33 PM EST
Where
Osceola County, Bristol
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
43.990, -85.325 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Damage to a mobile home and structural damage to a store were reported. A path was cut through some trees near Tustin by straight-line winds. A funnel cloud was sighted in this area eleven minutes later and was believed to be a tornado because of the prior damage. Numerous funnel clouds were sighted across the northern half of the county on this afternoon and evening.

Thunderstorm Wind, Osceola

When
July 17, 3:46 PM EST
Where
Osceola County, Tustin
Coordinates
43.990, -85.325 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Damage to a mobile home and structural damage to a store were reported. A path was cut through some trees near Tustin by straight-line winds. A funnel cloud was sighted in this area eleven minutes later and was believed to be a tornado because of the prior damage. Numerous funnel clouds were sighted across the northern half of the county on this afternoon and evening.

Tornado, Missaukee

When
July 17, 4:39 PM EST
Where
Missaukee County, Merritt
Rating
F0
Path length
0.3 mi
Path width
20 yd
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
44.320, -84.930

A tornado touched down at the intersection of M-55 and Merritt Road in the town of Merritt. Two pick-up trucks, in a parking lot at the intersection, were severely sandblasted on all sides by gravel that was picked up by the tornado. One truck had the rear window sucked out and thrown across the parking lot. Total time on the ground was about two minutes and no other damage was noted. Numerous other funnel clouds were sighted across the southern portion of the county on this afternoon and evening.

Tornado, Kalkaska

When
July 17, 5:08 PM EST
Where
Kalkaska County, South Boardman
Rating
F0
Path length
0.2 mi
Path width
20 yd
Coordinates
44.685, -85.090 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A fire department spotter observed a tornado as it touched down in an open field. No damage was reported. Several other funnel clouds were sighted across western and southern portions of the county between 1700 EST and 1900 EST.

Tornado, Clare

When
July 17, 5:38 PM EST
Where
Clare County to Harrison
Rating
F0
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
10 yd
Coordinates
44.030, -84.800

A Clare County Sheriff's Department detective witnessed a small tornado that touched down momentarily on the grass northwest of the runway at the Clare County Airport, sucking water, grass, and small debris into the funnel.

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Michigan in 1994Every state in 1994This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Michigan, 1994Warnings in Michigan, July 1994

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: 10331516, 10331517, 10328997, 10329449, 10329363.