With the early start to this season's severe weather and tornado season; I'm reminded once again of the mid 1970s when I started with the NWS...
Here is a list of the February and March tornadoes. Note the earliest tornado occurred on February 28th, 1974. In addition; the notable West Bloomfield tornado occurred early in 1976 on March 20th with the Lenawee tornado occurring even earlier on March 12th, 1976. The severe weather season of 1974 was our second worse severe weather season in regards to the number of tornadoes in Southeast Lower Michigan; while 1973 was the worst with one more! I can personally relate to those years since I started with the NWS working in the office during the Summer of '73; then beginning my full-time weather career in 1974. Between the severe weather seasons and many winters that followed in the mid to late 1970s; it was the best of times to start a career in meteorology and one of the worst of times for stormy, turbulent weather in Southeast Lower Michigan. Note that 1973, '74, '75, '76 and '77 are all in the top tornado seasons! Recently; we've seen a pick up in the number of tornadoes again with 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010 also placing in the high number of tornadoes list. And; the severe weather and tornado season of 2012 is starting off with bang too.
County | Date |
Monroe | 03/26/1968 |
Wayne | 02/28/1974 |
Lenawee | 03/12/1976 |
Oakland | 03/20/1976 |
Macomb | 03/20/1976 |
Monroe | 03/27/1991 |
Monroe | 03/27/1991 |
St. Clair | 03/27/1991 |
Lenawee | 03/28/1998 |
Midland | 03/12/2012 |
| Year | Number of TORs |
| 1973 | 20 |
| 1974 | 19 |
| 2004 | 16 |
| 1997 | 14 |
| 1988 | 13 |
| 1984, 1986, 2010 | 12 |
| 1975, 1990 | 11 |
| 1976, 1977, 2001, 2007 | 10 |
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