Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Michigan, July 4, 1994

Name: Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Michigan, July 4, 1994
Start: 1994-07-04T19:30
End: 1994-07-04T23:45
Location: Michigan

July 4, 1994 · 22 events in 12 counties and zones

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

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 20 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $1.6 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 22

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

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

Thunderstorm Wind, Grand Traverse

When: July 4, 7:30 PM EST
Where: Grand Traverse County, Grand Traverse to Traverse City
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 44.716, -85.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Large tree limbs and power lines were downed by the wind. At the Cherry Festival, a beer tent that was supported by steel poles and large stakes, was lifted completely off the ground and carried about 100 feet.

Thunderstorm Wind, Missaukee

When: July 4, 7:40 PM EST
Where: Missaukee County, Lake City
Coordinates: 44.337, -85.095 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A huge tree was uprooted by the wind causing some power outages to the area.

Tornado, Osceola

When: July 4, 9:24 PM EST
Where: Osceola County, Leroy
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.2 mi
Path width: 30 yd
Property damage: $500,000
Coordinates: 44.070, -85.400

A touchdown occurred at Rose Lake Youth Park causing structural damage to several permanent buildings. Many trees were downed by the wind causing damage to several cars and camper trailers. Trees were blown over near Dighton.

Thunderstorm Wind, Crawford

When: July 4, 9:30 PM EST
Where: Crawford County, Grayling
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 44.684, -84.610 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Damaging thunderstorm winds uprooted numerous trees and tore down power lines along the southeast shore of Lake Margrethe. Four buildings, mostly garages, sustained roof damage on Poplar Avenue and Margrethe Boulevard. An antique car was also damaged in this area.

Thunderstorm Wind, Crawford

When: July 4, 9:35 PM EST
Where: Crawford County, Grayling
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 44.684, -84.610 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds uprooted, tore down or snapped off several trees along highway M-72, 0.4 mile west of Au Sable Trail.

Thunderstorm Wind, Crawford

When: July 4, 9:36 PM EST
Where: Crawford County, Grayling
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 44.684, -84.610 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several trees uprooted, torn down or snapped off by strong thunderstorm winds along Au Sable Trail.

Thunderstorm Wind, Crawford

When: July 4, 9:37 PM EST
Where: Crawford County, Grayling
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 44.684, -84.610 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several trees uprooted, torn down or snapped off by strong thunderstorm winds near intersection of Tomahawk Court and Yorke Trail.

Thunderstorm Wind, Crawford

When: July 4, 9:40 PM EST
Where: Crawford County, Grayling
Property damage: $50
Coordinates: 44.684, -84.610 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several trees uprooted, torn down or snapped off by strong thunderstorm winds along the north portion of the Interstate 75 Business Loop in the community of Grayling.

Thunderstorm Wind, Osceola

When: July 4, 9:40 PM EST
Where: Osceola County, Dighton
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 43.990, -85.325 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Oscoda

When: July 4, 9:40 PM EST
Where: Oscoda County, Comins
Coordinates: 44.682, -84.130 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong thunderstorm winds uprooted trees and blew down power lines near the town of Comins.

Thunderstorm Wind, Muskegon

When: July 4, 10:06 PM EST
Where: Muskegon County, Montague
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph)
Coordinates: 43.219, -86.212 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Reported by the City Police.

Thunderstorm Wind, Oceana

When: July 4, 10:30 PM EST
Where: Oceana County, Hart
Coordinates: 43.682, -86.317 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several power outages were reported in the western portion of the county. Several large trees were downed by the wind.

Thunderstorm Wind, Montcalm

When: July 4, 11:01 PM EST
Where: Montcalm County, Kent City
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 43.311, -85.152 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Many trees and power lines were blown down by thunderstorm winds in the northwest part of the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, Roscommon

When: July 4, 11:01 PM EST
Where: Roscommon County to Htl
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 44.336, -84.612 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two large trees, 10 to 12 inches in diameter, blown down by thunderstorm winds near the intersection of Tower Hill Road and County Route 400, 1.8 miles south of the community of Houghton Lake.

Thunderstorm Wind, Montcalm

When: July 4, 11:10 PM EST
Where: Montcalm County
Coordinates: 43.311, -85.152 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Many trees and power lines were blown down by thunderstorm winds in the northwest part of the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, Newaygo

When: July 4, 11:14 PM EST
Where: Newaygo County, White Cloud
Coordinates: 43.554, -85.801 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several trees were reported down in the White Cloud area causing power outages.

Thunderstorm Wind, Mecosta

When: July 4, 11:18 PM EST
Where: Mecosta County, Mecosta
Property damage: $50,000
Coordinates: 43.641, -85.325 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Major damage to many boats was caused by nearby falling trees. Structural damage to the marina buildings was also observed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Missaukee

When: July 4, 11:28 PM EST
Where: Missaukee County, Merritt
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 44.337, -85.095 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Windows were blown out and roof damage occurred to a home near Merritt.

Thunderstorm Wind, Kent

When: July 4, 11:30 PM EST
Where: Kent County, Byron Center
Property damage: $500,000
Coordinates: 43.032, -85.549 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong thunderstorm winds twisted and overturned the aluminum bleachers at the high school football field. The bleachers were not anchored to the ground.

Thunderstorm Wind, Kent

When: July 4, 11:30 PM EST
Where: Kent County, Grr
Coordinates: 43.032, -85.549 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous trees were blown down near Bostwick Lake. Trees and power lines were also blown down in several other areas of Kent County.

Thunderstorm Wind, Roscommon

When: July 4, 11:35 PM EST
Where: Roscommon County, Sw Portion
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 44.336, -84.612 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous large trees reported blown down or snapped off by thunderstorm winds through the Houghton Lake State Forest.

Tornado, Montcalm

When: July 4, 11:45 PM EST
Where: Montcalm County, Stanton
Rating: F2
Path length: 0.3 mi
Path width: 150 yd
Property damage: $500,000
Coordinates: 43.100, -85.080

A brick, ranch style home in Fairplain Township was totally destroyed by an apparent tornado. No one actually saw a tornado, but the debris pattern and localization of the damage strongly suggested a tornado rather than straight-line thunderstorm winds. Seven people were in the home at the time, but no one was injured. A small shed was also torn up. The path length and width were estimated from the debris pattern. Trees up to 10 inches in diameter were broken off at the ground in a counter-clockwise pattern.

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

Every storm in Michigan in 1994 Every state in 1994 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Michigan, 1994 Warnings 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: 10329032, 10328995, 10331513, 10329445, 10329446, 10329447, 10329448, 10329502, 10331514, 10331541, 10331684, 10331469, 10331639, 10331644, 10331640, 10331176, 10328968, 10328996, 10329521, 10329522, 10331645, 10331641.