Lightning TrackerGrand Rapids storms: live alerts, hail & tornado history
Live watches and warnings for Grand Rapids, MI, the 48-hour thunderstorm outlook, and every hail, damaging-wind and tornado report within 25 miles since 2016.
Live alerts for Grand Rapids, MI
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Storm outlook, next 48 hours
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Severe weather in Grand Rapids by the numbers
Severe storms reach Grand Rapids a handful of times a year: since 2016, spotters and emergency managers have filed 196 severe-weather reports within 25 miles of the city — 31 hail reports, 144 damaging-wind reports and 21 tornado reports. On average that is 6.9 days a year with at least one report.
Storm season here peaks in June, July, August, when 53% of all reports were filed.
In the last 12 months there were 5 hail reports, 30 wind reports and 2 tornado reports around Grand Rapids; the largest hail was 2.75″ (baseball) on Mar 10, 2026.
Latest storm reports near Grand Rapids
| Date | Report | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 9, 2026 | Damaging wind | 21 mi SE · Barry Co. |
| Jul 3, 2026 | Damaging wind | 11 mi S · Kent Co. |
| Jun 16, 2026 | Hail 1.00″ | 15 mi NE · Kent Co. |
| Jun 11, 2026 | Damaging wind | 6 mi N · Kent Co. |
| Jun 11, 2026 | Tornado | 16 mi SE · Kent Co. |
| Jun 10, 2026 | Damaging wind | 1 mi W · Kent Co. |
| May 18, 2026 | Damaging wind | 1 mi W · Kent Co. |
| Apr 17, 2026 | Damaging wind | 15 mi S · Allegan Co. |
| Apr 14, 2026 | Damaging wind | 5 mi N · Kent Co. |
| Mar 10, 2026 | Hail 1.00″ | 3 mi SE · Kent Co. |
One line per day and type — the closest report that day. Distance and direction from the city centre. The latest SPC reports are preliminary until NOAA finalises them.
Storm reports by year
Storm season in Grand Rapids
All hail, wind and tornado reports within 25 miles, 2016–2026, by month.
Hail in Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids averages 1.1 days a year with hail reported nearby. The biggest stone on record since 2016 was 2.75 inches — about the size of a baseball — reported 11 miles from the city centre on Mar 10, 2026. Hail of 1 inch (quarter size) or larger is what makes a thunderstorm severe; see the hail size chart.
Tornadoes near Grand Rapids
There have been 21 tornado reports within 25 miles of Grand Rapids since 2016; the strongest was rated EF1 (May 15, 2025, 20 miles from the city centre). A tornado warning means a tornado is occurring or imminent — take shelter immediately.
Storm alerts for Grand Rapids on your iPhone
Lightning Tracker shows storm risk around you, live severe-weather alerts and how close the storm is — free on the App Store.
Storm trackers near Grand Rapids
Questions about storms in Grand Rapids
Does Grand Rapids get a lot of severe storms?
Grand Rapids averages 6.9 days a year with at least one hail, damaging-wind or tornado report within 25 miles, based on NOAA Storm Prediction Center reports 2016–2025.
When is storm season in Grand Rapids?
Most severe-weather reports around Grand Rapids come in June, July, August.
What is the biggest hail recorded near Grand Rapids?
2.75 inches (baseball size) on Mar 10, 2026, 11 miles from the city centre.
Have tornadoes hit near Grand Rapids?
Yes — 21 tornado reports within 25 miles since 2016, the strongest rated EF1 on May 15, 2025.
How do I get storm alerts for Grand Rapids?
The live panel on this page shows every active National Weather Service watch and warning for Grand Rapids, MI. For alerts on your phone, Lightning Tracker for iPhone shows storm risk and warnings for your location.
How this page works: storm reports are NOAA Storm Prediction Center local storm reports (final database 2016–2025, preliminary daily reports after that) within 25 miles of Grand Rapids, MI. They are reports of hail, damaging wind and tornadoes — not lightning strike counts, which no free public dataset provides at city level. Live alerts come from the National Weather Service API, the outlook from Open-Meteo forecast models. Updated Oct 27, 2026.