Tornado, Genesee
- When
- June 21, 4:12 PM EST
- Where
- Genesee County, Clio
- Rating
- F0
- Path length
- 0.1 mi
- Path width
- 10 yd
- Coordinates
- 43.180, -83.720
Tornado and Flash Flooding in Michigan, June 21, 1997
Low pressure tracked across central Michigan during the afternoon of the 21st, resulting in an outbreak of severe thunderstorms. AnF0 tornado touched down near Clio in Genesee county, with no damage reported.
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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 8
- Property damage
- $6,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 13
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.
What happened
The episode as NWS DTX wrote it up.
Low pressure tracked across central Michigan during the afternoon of the 21st, resulting in an outbreak of severe thunderstorms. AnF0 tornado touched down near Clio in Genesee county, with no damage reported. Most of the damage with these storms was the result of strong winds bringing down trees and powerlines. A roof was blown off of a buisiness in Novi, in Oakland county, and windows were blown out of a house in Croswell, in Sanilac county. Localized heavy rains resulted in brief road flooding in Genesee and northern Lapeer counties. In Otisville, lightning struck a building that was housing a children's event. Eight children were taken to the hospital after complaining of numbness and tingling. None of the injuries were serious.
The radar
The Detroit radar (KDTX), 57 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:10 UTC.
Event by event
9 thunderstorm wind, 2 flash flood, 1 tornado, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Genesee
- When
- June 21, 4:45 PM EST
- Where
- Genesee County, 1 mi N of Swartz Creek
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph)
- Coordinates
- 42.970, -83.820
Flash Flood, Genesee
- When
- June 21, 5:00 PM EST to 5:30 PM EST
- Where
- Genesee County, Flint
- Coordinates
- 43.022, -83.707 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Thunderstorm Wind, Lapeer
- When
- June 21, 5:00 PM EST
- Where
- Lapeer County, Almont
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph)
- Coordinates
- 42.920, -83.030
Flash Flood, Lapeer
- When
- June 21, 5:00 PM EST to 5:30 PM EST
- Where
- Lapeer County, Clifford
- Coordinates
- 43.090, -83.222 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Thunderstorm Wind, Sanilac
- When
- June 21, 5:25 PM EST
- Where
- Sanilac County, Marlette
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph)
- Coordinates
- 43.330, -83.080
Lightning, Genesee
- When
- June 21, 5:45 PM EST
- Where
- Genesee County, Otisville
- Injuries
- 8 direct, 0 indirect
- Coordinates
- 43.022, -83.707 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Thunderstorm Wind, Oakland
- When
- June 21, 5:46 PM EST
- Where
- Oakland County, (Ptk)pontiac Arpt
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph)
- Coordinates
- 42.670, -83.420
Thunderstorm Wind, Oakland
- When
- June 21, 5:56 PM EST
- Where
- Oakland County, Novi
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph)
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Coordinates
- 42.480, -83.470
Thunderstorm Wind, Sanilac
- When
- June 21, 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Sanilac County, 3 mi S of Croswell
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph)
- Property damage
- $500
- Coordinates
- 43.220, -82.620
Thunderstorm Wind, St. Clair
- When
- June 21, 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- St. Clair County, 5 mi E of Yale
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph)
- Coordinates
- 43.130, -82.680
Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne
- When
- June 21, 6:35 PM EST
- Where
- Wayne County, Dearborn
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph)
- Coordinates
- 42.320, -83.250
Thunderstorm Wind, Macomb
- When
- June 21, 6:40 PM EST
- Where
- Macomb County, Macomb
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph)
- Coordinates
- 42.700, -82.950
What these are
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Lightning
- A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Heat in Illinois, June 21 to 30, 1997
- Flash Flooding in Texas, June 21 to 22, 1997
- Heat in Pennsylvania, June 21 to 26, 1997
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Texas, June 21 to 23, 1997
- Flash Flood in Wisconsin, June 21, 1997
- Lightning Strike in Wisconsin, June 21, 1997
- Flash Flood in Wisconsin, June 21, 1997
- Flash Flood in Wisconsin, June 21, 1997
- Flooding in Texas, June 21 to 24, 1997
- Flash Flood in Wisconsin, June 21, 1997
- Dust Storm and Lightning Strike in Oregon, June 21 to 29, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Iowa, June 21, 1997
More
Every storm in Michigan in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Michigan, 1997Warnings in Michigan, June 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: 5604021, 5604022, 5604023, 5604024, 5604025, 5604126, 5604127, 5604128, 5604129, 5604130, 5604131, 5604132, 5604133.