2022: More Michiganders Hurt in Tornadoes Than Any Year Since '97

Two people were killed and another 44 were injured in tornadoes in Michigan in 2022, the highest numbers in a quarter-century.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a total of six tornadoes were recorded in Michigan in 2022, including the devastating EF-3 twister that struck Gaylord in May.

While the overall number of tornadoes in Michigan in 2022 was lower than average, the number of people hurt by them in the state this year was higher than it's been since 1997, when an early July outbreak in southeast Michigan killed two people and injured another 98.

The Michigan Tornadoes of May 20, 2022

Photo via Pat Petricca, Up North Live via Facebook

The two tornadoes that struck Antrim and Otsego Counties on the afternoon of May 20, 2022, were the worst to strike Michigan this year. In Otsego County, the EF-3 twister stayed on the ground for almost 16 miles as it tore a path of destruction through Gaylord. This tornado was responsible for all the deaths and injuries caused by tornadoes in Michigan in 2022, and is estimated to have caused around $50,000,000 in property damage.

This video from Storm Watchers depicts the moments as the EF-3 bore down on Gaylord, as well as its aftermath. (A few profanities fly, consider yourself warned.)

The Michigan Tornadoes of July 11, 2022

Severe thunderstorms late in the evening on July 11 resulted in the formation of a weak EF-0 tornado near Lake Fenton in Oakland County. The tornado was on the ground for about 7 miles before lifting as it approached I-75. Minutes later, another weak EF-0 tornado caused some tree damage and minor structural damage as it trekked 6 miles across northwestern Oakland County near Holly. No one was killed or injured in either of these tornadoes.

The Michigan Tornadoes of August 1, 2022

A pair of weak EF-0 tornadoes were reported northeast of Flint in Tuscola County shortly after lunchtime on August 1. The first one uprooted and sheared several trees along a 2-mile path to the northeast of Vassar. Shortly after that, the other downed trees near the junction of M-24 and M-46 south of Caro. Again, no injuries or deaths were reported with either of these small tornadoes.

See Pictures From the Tornado That Devastated Gaylord, Michigan

A rare tornado ripped through the small Northern Michigan town of Gaylord on Friday. The twister left at least one person dead, more than 40 injured, and a trail of destruction to property.