Michigan nears tornado record as heat wave looms
- A tornado touched down in Fraser on Wednesday, the latest severe weather event in Michigan this year
- The tornado was the state’s 29th of the year — the most in more than two decades
- Crews are responding to tornado damage in southeast Michigan as a heatwave approaches.
A tornado that touched down in Macomb County on Wednesday afternoon was the 29th in Michigan this year, the highest number since 2001.
The National Weather Service confirmed the tornado struck Fraser just after 1 pm Wednesday near Kelly Road between 14 Mile and 15 Mile.
The 29 tornadoes recorded so far this year in Michigan are the state’s sixth highest total on record, trailing the record 39 recorded in 1974, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
But the season is not over: Michigan tornadoes are relatively common in July, August and even September. So far, 2025 is outpacing 1974, when there had been 21 tornadoes through June, with another 18 over the next three months.
Storm recovery
By Thursday afternoon, power had already been restored to most customers who lost service during the Wednesday storms, which also included high winds in other parts of the state.
As of 3 p.m., 574 customers were without power in Macomb County and 7,731 statewide, according to an online tracking system that includes data from most Michigan utilities.
“We know how challenging summer weather can be, from heatwaves to sudden storms,” David Hicks, a spokesperson for Consumers Energy, said in a statement. “Our crews are ready, and our systems are being monitored around the clock.”
In Fraser, where the tornado touched down Wednesday, the city’s Department of Public Safety had reported “a significant number of downed trees and branches, downed power and communication lines, and moderate flooding.”
But there were no known injuries, the department said.
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Hot temps coming
The severe weather conditions that struck southeast Michigan arrived just ahead of an expected heatwave. Temperatures across much of the state will reach the mid- to upper 90s over the weekend and into early next week, possibly reaching record-breaking temperatures.
The National Weather Service outpost in Detroit is forecasting high humidity levels on Sunday and Monday that could make it feel even hotter.
That’s also the case in West Michigan, where there is a possibility of storms Friday night followed by weekend temperatures that could feel like 100 degrees or more because of humidity.
Even parts of the Upper Peninsula may see a heat index near 100 on Sunday, according to NWS Marquette. "Those sensitive to heat, especially those without effective cooling and/or hydration, may be impacted,” the agency said.
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