Impacts from Tropical/Post-Tropical Systems in SE Michigan

Southeast Michigan is over 1,000 miles north of the tropics, but from time to time the remnants of hurricanes and tropical storms can make their way into the local area - normally as tropical depressions or post-tropical systems. A glossary of these terms and the differences between them can be found on the National Hurricane Center website here. This article presents a list of recent systems that had effects in the local area since 2004. An interactive map of all tropical system tracks through Michigan can be found here here.

Most recently, the remnants of Hurricane Beryl impacted the local area from July 9 to July 10, 2024. The system made landfall as a category 1 hurricane near Houston on July 8, then tracked northeast up the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys before reaching the southern Great Lakes. The system, post-tropical by this point, brought widespread rain northward across lower Michigan on the evening of July 9 which continued through the day July 10. Widespread rainfall totals of 2 to 6 inches were reported across lower Michigan with localized totals in excess of 7 inches. Gusty northeast wind accompanied the system as well with gusts of 35 to 40 mph recorded. The center passed across far southeastern Michigan before tracking across Lake Erie into southwest Ontario late on July 10.
In 2020, the remnants of Tropical Storm Cristobal (which developed in the Gulf of Mexico from the remnants of Pacific Tropical Storm Amanda) made landfall in Louisiana and tracked north into the western Great Lakes by June 9, 2020. This system pushed a warm front across lower Michigan with showers and sub-severe storms that evening. An outbreak of severe weather followed on June 10 due to the warm, humid, and unstable air mass the system ushered in. The center of the remnant tropical system tracked across the Upper Peninsula on June 10.
Olga, October 26-27, 2019
Alberto, May 30-31, 2018
Ike, September 14, 2008
Gustav, September 5, 2008
Dennis, July 16-17, 2005
Arlene, June 13, 2005

An article from our web archives highlights tropical activity in the area from 1921 to 2004: Hurricanes in Michigan???

Page last updated: 7/11/2024