Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Michigan, July 2 to 4, 1997

Name: Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Michigan, July 2 to 4, 1997
Start: 1997-07-02T14:21
End: 1997-07-04T01:00
Location: Michigan

July 2 to 4, 1997 · NWS DTX · 41 events in 11 counties and zones

19 thunderstorm wind, 13 tornado, 4 hail, 3 flood, 2 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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: 7
Injuries: 105
Property damage: $141 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 41

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.

The radar

The NCL Michigan radar (KAPX), 126 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:20 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

19 thunderstorm wind, 13 tornado, 4 hail, 3 flood, 2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Midland

When: July 2, 2:21 PM EST
Where: Midland County, Edenville
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 43.800, -84.380

Hail, Saginaw

When: July 2, 2:31 PM EST
Where: Saginaw County, Marion Spgs
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 43.230, -84.330

Thunderstorm Wind, Saginaw

When: July 2, 2:40 PM EST
Where: Saginaw County, Brant
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 43.250, -84.230

Tornado, Saginaw

When: July 2, 2:41 PM EST
Where: Saginaw County, 2 mi W of Chesaning
Rating: F1
Path length: 2 mi
Path width: 60 yd
Property damage: $400,000
Coordinates: 43.180, -84.150

Tornado, Saginaw

When: July 2, 2:50 PM EST
Where: Saginaw County, 2 mi SW of Chesaning
Rating: F1
Path length: 0.3 mi
Path width: 45 yd
Property damage: $400,000
Coordinates: 43.170, -84.150

Tornado, Saginaw

When: July 2, 3:10 PM EST
Where: Saginaw County, Layton Corners
Rating: F1
Path length: 2 mi
Path width: 60 yd
Property damage: $200,000
Coordinates: 43.180, -83.980

Thunderstorm Wind, Bay

When: July 2, 3:13 PM EST
Where: Bay County, 10 mi SE of Bay City
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Coordinates: 43.500, -83.750

Tornado, Saginaw

When: July 2, 3:20 PM EST
Where: Saginaw County, 1 mi NE of Burt
Rating: F1
Path length: 0.3 mi
Path width: 45 yd
Property damage: $50,000
Coordinates: 43.250, -83.900

Tornado, Genesee

When: July 2, 3:20 PM EST
Where: Genesee County, Montrose
Rating: F1
Path length: 2 mi
Path width: 60 yd
Coordinates: 43.180, -83.870

Tornado, Genesee

When: July 2, 3:20 PM EST
Where: Genesee County, 3 mi S of Montrose
Rating: F1
Path length: 1.5 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Coordinates: 43.150, -83.870

Tornado, Genesee

When: July 2, 3:30 PM EST
Where: Genesee County, 1 mi S of Clio
Rating: F3
Path length: 2 mi
Path width: 1,000 yd
Property damage: $600,000
Coordinates: 43.170, -83.720

Tornado, Livingston

When: July 2, 3:41 PM EST to 3:50 PM EST
Where: Livingston County, Fowlerville to 4 mi NW of Hartland
Rating: F1
Path length: 10 mi
Path width: 30 yd
Property damage: $200,000
Coordinates: 42.700, -84.120

Tornado, Genesee

When: July 2, 3:45 PM EST
Where: Genesee County, 5 mi E of Clio
Rating: F3
Path length: 1.7 mi
Path width: 1,500 yd
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $3.8 million
Coordinates: 43.180, -83.620

Thunderstorm Wind, Genesee

When: July 2, 3:50 PM EST
Where: Genesee County, Otisville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 43.170, -83.520

Thunderstorm Wind, Tuscola

When: July 2, 3:50 PM EST
Where: Tuscola County, Akron
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Coordinates: 43.570, -83.520

Tornado, Lapeer

When: July 2, 4:15 PM EST
Where: Lapeer County, 4 mi NE of Columbiaville
Rating: F1
Path length: 1 mi
Path width: 1,000 yd
Property damage: $200,000
Coordinates: 43.180, -83.370

Thunderstorm Wind, Lapeer

When: July 2, 4:15 PM EST to 4:30 PM EST
Where: Lapeer County, Columbiaville
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Coordinates: 43.150, -83.420

Hail, Livingston

When: July 2, 4:25 PM EST
Where: Livingston County, Brighton
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 42.530, -83.770

Tornado, Oakland

When: July 2, 4:32 PM EST
Where: Oakland County, 3 mi NE of Holly
Rating: F1
Path length: 0.3 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $2.0 million
Coordinates: 42.830, -83.570

Thunderstorm Wind, Washtenaw

When: July 2, 4:35 PM EST
Where: Washtenaw County, Whitmore Lake
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 42.420, -83.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Washtenaw

When: July 2, 4:35 PM EST
Where: Washtenaw County, Dexter
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Coordinates: 42.330, -83.870

Thunderstorm Wind, Livingston

When: July 2, 4:36 PM EST
Where: Livingston County, Green Oak
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Coordinates: 42.480, -83.680

Thunderstorm Wind, Oakland

When: July 2, 4:40 PM EST
Where: Oakland County, Milford
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Coordinates: 42.580, -83.580

Tornado, Wayne

When: July 2, 5:00 PM EST to 5:10 PM EST
Where: Wayne County, Highland Park to 4 mi of Hamtramck
Rating: F2
Path length: 5 mi
Path width: 2,500 yd
Injuries: 90 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $90 million
Coordinates: 42.400, -83.250

Thunderstorm Wind, Macomb

When: July 2, 5:00 PM EST to 5:30 PM EST
Where: Macomb County, Sterling Hgts to Mt Clemens
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Property damage: $1.0 million
Coordinates: 42.570, -83.030

Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne

When: July 2, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Wayne County, Livonia
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Property damage: $2.0 million
Coordinates: 42.380, -83.370

Thunderstorm Wind, Oakland

When: July 2, 5:05 PM EST
Where: Oakland County, Oak Park
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Coordinates: 42.470, -83.230

Thunderstorm Wind, Oakland

When: July 2, 5:05 PM EST
Where: Oakland County, Royal Oak
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Coordinates: 42.480, -83.130

Thunderstorm Wind, Oakland

When: July 2, 5:05 PM EST
Where: Oakland County, Troy
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Coordinates: 42.600, -83.150

Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne

When: July 2, 5:08 PM EST
Where: Wayne County, Dearborn
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 42.320, -83.250

Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne

When: July 2, 5:10 PM EST
Where: Wayne County, Garden City
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Coordinates: 42.320, -83.330

Hail, Wayne

When: July 2, 5:12 PM EST
Where: Wayne County, Garden City
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 42.320, -83.330

Tornado, Macomb

When: July 2, 5:13 PM EST
Where: Macomb County, 4 mi SE of Romeo
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.7 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Injuries: 6 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $30 million
Coordinates: 42.770, -82.970

Hail, Wayne

When: July 2, 5:13 PM EST
Where: Wayne County, Westland
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 42.320, -83.300

Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne

When: July 2, 5:25 PM EST to 5:35 PM EST
Where: Wayne County, Grosse Pt Farms
Measured: 80 kt (92 mph)
Deaths: 5 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 8 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $10 million
Coordinates: 42.400, -82.880

Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne

When: July 2, 5:25 PM EST
Where: Wayne County, 2 mi NW of Taylor
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Coordinates: 42.220, -83.330

Flash Flood, Wayne

When: July 2, 5:45 PM EST to 8:45 PM EST
Where: Wayne County, Livonia
Coordinates: 42.285, -83.261 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Macomb

When: July 2, 6:00 PM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where: Macomb County, Sterling Hgts
Coordinates: 42.673, -82.910 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Wayne

When: July 2, 9:00 PM EST to July 4, 1:00 AM EST
Where: Wayne forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.285, -83.261 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Macomb

When: July 2, 10:30 PM EST to July 3, 3:00 AM EST
Where: Macomb forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.673, -82.910 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Wayne

When: July 3, 2:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where: Wayne forecast zone
Coordinates: 42.285, -83.261 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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, Genesee	1997-07-02	38	Female	Outside/Open Areas	Direct
Tornado, Oakland	1997-07-02	36	Female	Mobile/Trailer Home	Direct
Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne	1997-07-02	42	Female	In Water	Direct
Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne	1997-07-02	26	Female	In Water	Direct
Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne	1997-07-02	10	Male	In Water	Direct
Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne	1997-07-02	1	Male	In Water	Direct
Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne	1997-07-02	0	Female	In Water	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.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Michigan in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Michigan, 1997 Warnings in Michigan, July 1997

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: 5607604, 5607605, 5607606, 5607591, 5607592, 5607593, 5607607, 5607594, 5607595, 5607596, 5607597, 5607600, 5607598, 5607608, 5607609, 5607599, 5607611, 5607610, 5607601, 5607612, 5607613, 5607614, 5607615, 5607602, 5607616, 5607617, 5607618, 5607619, 5607620, 5607621, 5607702, 5607703, 5607603, 5607704, 5607705, 5607706, 5607708, 5607707, 5607710, 5607709, and more.