[laurabf]

Hi,

Seattle local looking for change of pace to a small town. I didn't realize until looking at informational maps on tornados how prevalent they are in Michigan. Is this true and what areas fair better?

Thanks!
Laura

[craig11152]

I have lived in Michigan for 50 plus years. I would not worry about tornadoes. They are not that common. Their paths are limited and short lived. Deaths are very rare in Michigan from tornado's. The last fatality was in 2011 I believe.
Since 1882 (134 years) only 343 people have died and 115 of those were in one tornado in 1953.
Now days most communities have a warning system that blow sirens, TV and radio give warnings and you can get them texted to your phone.
The biggest headache for most people is the TV warnings ruining your show when the warning is 3 counties away.

[animatedmartian]

Deciding on what town to live in based on tornado risk ought to be very low on the list of deciding factors. You're better off worrying about crime, schools, housing, etc.

[michmoldman]

I lived in Southern Michigan for 46 years and never seen a tornado, maybe had a tornado warning 3-4 times. Now I live in Northern lower where tornadoes are even more rare.

[Coldjensens]

Our family has lived in Michigan for 50 years. As a teen/early 20s I used to chase tornados (stupidly) to try to get close enough to see one. No luck. I did get to see where one rip up a field once from a distance. I could not see much, but when I got to the field there was a cool ditch made by the tornado. We have seen some funnel clouds way overhead and about 30 years ago my brother was in a house when the roof was torn off by a tornado. We have a handful of warnings/watches some years. Some years nothing. A few years ago we slept in the basement one night to be safe - a tornado touched down that year in Dundee or somewhere near there.

They seem to be really good at predicting them and reporting them and calculating where they will go. Realistically you are more at risk from the C.V. strain caused by panic/worrying when there is an alert than you are at risk of one harming you.

We are actually in one of the safest locations for avoiding natural (and unnatural) disasters. We have no real earthquakes, no hurricanes, we are safe from tsunami, never heard of any wildfires endangering people here, we get occasional floods but they are rare and usually more of an annoyance than a threat. Lightening strikes are rare. Drought is almost unheard of. We do not have any significant dams to break. There really is not anything here worthwhile for a terrorist to blow up. We have not had a major blizzard since the 1970s - and we do not get anywhere near the tornadoes that the western states see. Oh and no sharks too.

[craig11152]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

Our family has lived in Michigan for 50 years. As a teen/early 20s I used to chase tornados (stupidly) to try to get close enough to see one. No luck. I did get to see where one rip up a field once from a distance. I could not see much, but when I got to the field there was a cool ditch made by the tornado. We have seen some funnel clouds way overhead and about 30 years ago my brother was in a house when the roof was torn off by a tornado. We have a handful of warnings/watches some years. Some years nothing. A few years ago we slept in the basement one night to be safe - a tornado touched down that year in Dundee or somewhere near there.

They seem to be really good at predicting them and reporting them and calculating where they will go. Realistically you are more at risk from the C.V. strain caused by panic/worrying when there is an alert than you are at risk of one harming you.

We are actually in one of the safest locations for avoiding natural (and unnatural) disasters. We have no real earthquakes, no hurricanes, we are safe from tsunami, never heard of any wildfires endangering people here, we get occasional floods but they are rare and usually more of an annoyance than a threat. Lightening strikes are rare. Drought is almost unheard of. We do not have any significant dams to break. There really is not anything here worthwhile for a terrorist to blow up. We have not had a major blizzard since the 1970s - and we do not get anywhere near the tornadoes that the western states see. Oh and no sharks too.

and to add to that really no deadly snakes, spiders, scorpions to worry about. Our black bears up north are pretty benign for the most part and Mountain Lions aka cougars are extremely rare. So rare the DNR isn't willing to suggest we have any at all on any sort of regular basis.

[SouthernTiger]

I don't think that Michigan has really seen a deadly tornado since Flint-Beecher back in 1953.

[mjlo]

Michigan tornados are common enough, but rarely severe. I would reexamine this tornado fear you have, even in the most tornado prone parts of the country they are sporadic. I think you're exhibiting a heightened level of anxiety over a media driven fascination.


Michigan is also in a small fault zone and has the occasional small earthquake. Although being from the Pac NW you'd probably scoff at a "Michigan earthquake". What do you think someone from Oklahoma does over a "Michigan tornado"? There is a reason Michigan is considered one of the most natural disaster immune places on the planet. Your decisions and fears should not be based on this.

[Coldjensens]

So it looks like we actually see about 10+ per year Statewide. However that is probably counting the ones that do not touch down. Several people are injured most years. It appears the last fatality was in 2011. My guess is the number of people who actually see a tornado in any given year is less than 1%. This is a big State.

Tornado History Project: Michigan in 2015

[craig11152]

according to the insurance industry Michigan rank #49.... last of the 48 contiguous states and Washington DC in natural disaster risk covering nine natural hazards: flood, wildfire, tornado, storm surge, earthquake, straight-line wind, hurricane wind, hail and sinkhole.
Washington rated #36. So you should pack your bags and move here as fast as you can before its too late.

States Ranked by Risk of Damage from Natural Hazards: CoreLogic