VORTEX
TORNADO HISTORY
← All Cities

Grosse Pointe Woods, MI Tornado History — 46 Tornadoes Since 1950

Michigan · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Grosse Pointe Woods, MI had?

Grosse Pointe Woods has had 46 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 8 violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Grosse Pointe Woods?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Grosse Pointe Woods was an EF0 on June 18, 2025.

When is tornado season in Grosse Pointe Woods?

July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Grosse Pointe Woods, with 11 on record. Spring through early summer (April–June) generally sees the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
46
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
8
17.4% of total
Peak Month
July
11 on record
Per Year Avg
0.6
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Grosse Pointe Woods

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 7 total, averaging 0.3 per year over this window.

2026 0+1 prelim
2025 1
2024 1
2023 0
2022 0
2021 0
2020 0
2019 0
2018 1
2017 0
2016 0
2015 0
2014 2
2013 0
2012 0
2011 0
2010 2
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 Grosse Pointe Woods since December 29, 2025

These is a preliminary report, not confirmed tornadoes. It has not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and is 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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 EF1° April 15, 2026
1 SW Melvindale, Wayne County, MI

Within 25 miles of Grosse Pointe Woods. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 5
1960s 1
1970s 15
1980s 12
1990s 5
2000s 1
2010s 5
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 17
EF1 15
EF2 6
EF3 4
EF4 4

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 0
Feb 0
Mar 2
Apr 1
May 6
Jun 10
Jul 11
Aug 9
Sep 5
Oct 1
Nov 1
Dec 0

Casualties on Record Near Grosse Pointe Woods

15 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Grosse Pointe Woods since 1950, across 5 events. 437 injuries have been reported across all events. 1964 was the deadliest year on record.

The deadliest single event was a F4 on May 8, 1964, which caused 11 fatalities along a 3.3-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Grosse Pointe Woods

Deadliest Tornado
F4 on May 8, 1964 — 11 fatalities, 3.3 mi path, 833 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F3 on May 2, 1983 — est. ~$27.5M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
F2 on July 2, 1997 — 2,500 yards wide.
Longest Path
F4 on July 4, 1957 — 29.9 mile track.
Most Recent
EF0 on June 18, 2025.

About Tornadoes in Grosse Pointe Woods

This overview was written April 23, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.

Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan, sits in a region where tornadoes occur with moderate frequency despite the city's location along the Great Lakes. According to the NOAA Storm Prediction Center, 40 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of the city since 1950, with activity varying considerably across the decades. The 1970s saw the highest concentration with 14 events, followed by 11 in the 1980s, while recent decades have experienced notably fewer tornadoes.

The majority of tornadoes in this area have been relatively weak, with 16 rated EF0 and 14 rated EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which measures tornado intensity based on damage. However, the region has also experienced significant events, including two F4 tornadoes and three F3 tornadoes since records began. June stands out as the peak month for tornado activity, accounting for 10 of the 40 recorded events, consistent with the late spring and early summer pattern typical of tornado formation when warm, moist air masses interact with cooler systems.

The deadliest tornado on record occurred on May 8, 1964, when an F4 tornado claimed 11 lives and caused $2.75 million in property damage along a 3.3-mile path with a maximum width of 833 yards. The costliest event took place on May 2, 1983, when an F3 tornado carved a 23-mile path and generated $27.5 million in damage, though fortunately resulted in no fatalities. The widest tornado recorded in the area was an F2 on July 2, 1997, which reached an extraordinary maximum width of 2,500 yards across its five-mile path.

Recent tornado activity has been relatively quiet, with only one event in the 2020s as of this writing. On June 18, 2025, an EF0 tornado touched down with a path length of 2.4 miles and a maximum width of 400 yards, causing no injuries or property damage. This recent event continues the pattern of sporadic but persistent tornado occurrence in the Grosse Pointe Woods area.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Grosse Pointe Woods, MI had?
Since 1950, 46 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Grosse Pointe Woods. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Grosse Pointe Woods?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Grosse Pointe Woods was a F4 on May 8, 1964, which caused 11 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Grosse Pointe Woods?
July is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Grosse Pointe Woods, with 11 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.
Has Grosse Pointe Woods been hit by an EF4 or EF5 tornado?
Within 25 miles of Grosse Pointe Woods, there have been 0 EF5 and 4 EF4 tornadoes recorded since 1950. EF4 and EF5 tornadoes are the most destructive ratings on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with winds above 166 mph.
When was the most recent tornado near Grosse Pointe Woods?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Grosse Pointe Woods was an EF0 on June 18, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Grosse Pointe Woods?
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

More Cities in Michigan