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Bay City, MI Tornado History — 43 Tornadoes Since 1950

Michigan · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Bay City, MI had?

Bay City has had 43 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 2 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Bay City?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Bay City was an EF0 on May 15, 2025.

When is tornado season in Bay City?

June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Bay City, with 18 on record. April through June account for 29 of the 43 tornadoes on record near Bay City.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
43
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
2
4.7% of total
Peak Month
June
18 on record
Per Year Avg
0.6
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Bay City

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 6 total, averaging 0.3 per year over this window.

2026 0+2 prelim
2025 1
2024 0
2023 0
2022 1
2021 0
2020 0
2019 0
2018 0
2017 0
2016 1
2015 1
2014 1
2013 0
2012 0
2011 1
2010 0
2009 0
2008 0
2007 0

Striped bars mark preliminary reports not yet confirmed by NWS survey — excluded from the confirmed counts.

Preliminary tornado reports near Bay City since December 29, 2025

These are 2 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are not counted in the confirmed totals above.

Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.

Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.

Preliminary June 9, 2026
1 N Freeland, Saginaw County, MI
Reports of 30 to 40 homes with damage- roof and siding damage as well as a number of campers overturned in the Freeland area. (DTX)
Preliminary EF0° April 15, 2026
4 SE Bridgeport, Saginaw County, MI
NWS Storm Survey team confirms an EF-0 tornado occurred in Bridgeport on April 15. The tornado started northwest of Roedel Rd and S Reimer Rd... continued southeast bef (DTX)

Within 25 miles of Bay City. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

What storm spotters reported near Bay City

One local storm report has been filed within 25 miles of Bay City and since confirmed into the NOAA archive, the earliest on May 15, 2025 and the most recent on May 15, 2025. It is already counted in the Bay City totals above; quoted below is the narrative the reporting office filed at the time.

EF0° May 16, 2025
1 W St. Charles, Saginaw County, MI
NWS damage survey confirmed an EF-0 tornado touched down just west of St Charles and was on the ground for 5 minutes before lifting in St Charles. (DTX)

Source: National Weather Service and trained-spotter local storm reports, relayed by the NOAA Storm Prediction Center.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 4
1960s 3
1970s 11
1980s 5
1990s 4
2000s 10
2010s 4
2020s 2

Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating

F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.

EF0 16
EF1 15
EF2 10
EF3 2

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 0
Mar 0
Apr 4
May 7
Jun 18
Jul 5
Aug 5
Sep 1
Oct 2
Nov 1
Dec 0

Have any tornadoes near Bay City been fatal?

No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Bay City from any of the 43 tornadoes since 1950, though 9 injuries have been reported, according to NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.

Notable Tornadoes Near Bay City

Costliest Tornado
F3 on June 12, 1984 — est. ~$2.8M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
F3 on June 12, 1984 — 500 yards wide.
Longest Path
F3 on June 12, 1984 — 48.0 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on May 15, 2025.

What the record shows near Bay City

The 1970s were the busiest decade near Bay City, with 11 of the 43 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 2 so far. The Bay City record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Bay City, 31 reached EF0 or EF1 and 12 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Bay City is rated EF3, of which 2 are logged.

Across the last 20 years Bay City has averaged 0.3 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 6 in total. 2011 was the busiest of them with 1, and 14 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Bay City, MI had?
Since 1950, 43 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Bay City. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
When is tornado season in Bay City?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Bay City, with 18 tornadoes on record. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring months (April–June) generally see the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
When was the most recent tornado near Bay City?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Bay City was an EF0 on May 15, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Bay City?
Vortex delivers real-time tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm alerts, and SPC outlook updates for any US location via push notification and phone call. Alerts are sourced directly from the National Weather Service and updated within seconds of issuance.

Official Resources

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