Breaking Down Michigan’s Derecho Risks For This Summer

On May 31, 1998, West Michigan was hit by a freak storm system that remains one of Michigan's most memorable and deadly storms to date. It was a rare severe weather event called a derecho, a storm characterized by winds ranging from 60 to 90 miles per hour. During this storm, speeds hit nearly 130 mph. It killed four people and injured 146, causing $172 million in damages and leaving 850,000 customers without power.

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This was an unusually severe derecho; most aren’t nearly this destructive. Michigan typically experiences one of these storms each year. While they can be mistaken for tornadoes, which Michigan has experienced in abundance this year, derechos have a distinct characteristic that sets these storms apart.

How Derechos Differ From Tornadoes and Hurricanes

Derechos are storms with very powerful wind speeds, equivalent to those of tornadoes and hurricanes (these are sometimes referred to as land hurricanes). According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, these storms are unique because their winds follow straight lines, unlike the rotation seen in tornadoes and hurricanes.

READ MORE: Could Michigan Join Tornado Alley? Findings Show New Risks |

These straight lines lead to storms with strong shelf clouds that can be incredibly destructive and last for hours. Most derechos are not as severe as the one from 1998 or the recent deadly storm from 2020 that ravaged much of the Midwest, although Michigan was less affected than the other Midwestern states.

Derecho Risks for Michigan in 2025

Unsurprisingly, Michigan has already experienced a derecho this year, along with other severe weather events seen this summer. While tornadoes and derechos are not mutually exclusive events, storm systems that create derechos are just as capable of making a tornado.

Michigan's derecho chances are the best during the "warm" season (May, June, July, and August). Meteorologists are capable of predicting these storms, but based on radar information and atmospheric conditions. Midwest Weather, which forecasts detailed weather throughout the Midwest, is predicting that most of Michigan is poised for a derecho risk at the end of June/ early July.

Storm predictions this far in advance should be taken with a grain of salt, but this is the time of year we typically see a storm like this. It's good to have a severe weather plan in place.