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Michigan · County tornado history

Livingston County, Michigan tornadoes

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has recorded 28 tornadoes in Livingston County, Michigan from 1950 through 2024, about one every 2.7 years. That ranks it 11 of 83 counties in Michigan with a recorded tornado. The most recent was an EF2 on August 24, 2023.

By Twisters.us · Updated · How we count

Tornadoes since 1950
28
Since 2000
9
Strongest
F4, July 4, 1957
Most recent
EF2, August 24, 2023
Peak month
August (9)
Per 1,000 sq mi
48
FEMA tornado risk
Relatively High

F0/EF0 1 2 3 4 5 · Lines run from where each tornado touched down to where it lifted; dots are short paths. Neighboring counties are outlined.

When tornadoes hit Livingston County

August has brought the most, 9 of 28. About 61% touched down between 12 pm and 6 pm (Central Standard Time, as the Storm Prediction Center records it).

By decade

More tornadoes in recent decades mostly reflects better detection and reporting (Doppler radar, storm spotters, damage surveys), especially for weak EF0 tornadoes, not necessarily more storms. The 2020s bar covers only 2020 to 2024.

How strong they were

Rating Estimated 3-second gust Tornadoes
F0 / EF0 Light damage: 65 to 85 mph (EF scale) 7
F1 / EF1 Moderate: 86 to 110 mph 5
F2 / EF2 Considerable: 111 to 135 mph 13
F3 / EF3 Severe: 136 to 165 mph 2
F4 / EF4 Devastating: 166 to 200 mph 1
F5 / EF5 Incredible: over 200 mph 0

Tornadoes before February 2007 were rated on the original Fujita (F) scale; since then the National Weather Service uses the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. Wind speeds above are EF-scale estimates from damage, not measurements. See what the EF scale means.

The strongest tornadoes in Livingston County

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
July 4, 1957 F4 29.9 mi 50 yd 6
May 11, 1974 F3 0.9 mi 60 yd 1
June 8, 1953 F3 9.1 mi 200 yd 11
August 24, 2023 EF2 12 mi 500 yd 2 4
August 14, 1988 F2 26.6 mi 127 yd 1
May 12, 1956 F2 7.4 mi 100 yd 5
May 12, 1956 F2 7.8 mi 100 yd 5
May 21, 2001 F2 10.9 mi 200 yd 3
June 15, 1982 F2 3.8 mi 80 yd 2
August 21, 2003 F2 4.7 mi 880 yd 2

Deaths and injuries are for each tornado’s whole path, which can cross other counties.

The deadliest

The deadliest tornado to touch Livingston County was an EF2 on August 24, 2023. It killed 2 people and injured 4 along its 12-mile path.

Most recent tornadoes

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
August 24, 2023 EF2 12 mi 500 yd 2 4
July 26, 2023 EF0 2.4 mi 100 yd
August 27, 2013 EF0 3 mi 700 yd
August 27, 2013 EF0 1.6 mi 420 yd
August 24, 2007 EF2 23.5 mi 440 yd 1
August 21, 2003 F2 4.7 mi 880 yd 2
June 8, 2003 F1 1 mi 100 yd
October 24, 2001 F1 14 mi 100 yd

The official database ends with 2024. For storms since then, see the Storm Prediction Center’s reports and your local National Weather Service office.

FEMA’s tornado risk rating

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the tornado risk in Livingston County as relatively high, with a score of 92 out of 100 compared with every other U.S. county. It estimates about 0.28 tornadoes a year here and an expected annual loss of about $13,874,203 to buildings, people and farming. The index mixes how often tornadoes strike with what is exposed and how well a community can recover, so a busy rural county can rate lower than a less active city.

Neighboring counties

Staying safe

When a tornado warning is issued, act at once. Go to a basement, storm shelter or safe room. With none, use a small windowless room on the lowest floor, as far from outside walls as you can, and cover your head and neck. Mobile homes and cars are not safe places to ride out a tornado: leave early for a sturdy building or shelter. Read the full tornado safety guide and the National Weather Service advice linked below.

Sources

Sources last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many tornadoes has Livingston County had?

28 from 1950 through 2024 in NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center database, 9 of them since 2000.

When was the last tornado in Livingston County?

The most recent in the official record was an EF2 on August 24, 2023. Later storms are not yet in the final database.

What was the strongest tornado in Livingston County?

An F4 on July 4, 1957, with a 29.9-mile path.

When is tornado season in Livingston County?

August has had the most tornadoes here. Across the U.S. the peak runs from spring into early summer, and the South also sees tornadoes in late fall and winter.