Michigan Annual Rainfall and Climate Data, see below for individual cities 

 Michigan Average Annual Precipitation

Michigan city precipitation totals

City Avg Annual Precip Avg Annual Snow Avg # days of Precip Avg # thunderstorm days Avg # hail days Avg # severe thunderstorm watches per year Avg # tornado watches per year # of tornadoes reported in county, 1960-2010
Alpena 28.40 84.3 146 30 1 1 5 14
Detroit 32.89 41.4 136 32 2 3 10 25
Flint 31.61 45.5 136 33 1 3 10 35
Grand Rapids 37.13 73.5 134 34 1 4 9 28
Houghton Lake 28.43 74.0 143 30 1 2 6 8
Lansing 31.53 49.0 140 32 1 3 11 25
Marquette 36.31 144.5 166 28 1 1 5 6
Muskegon 32.88 95.1 144 35 1 3 7 5
Sault Ste Marie 34.67 117.0 166 29 1 1 3 6
  • Michigan Annual Precipitation Average - 32.84 inches, 32nd wettest state in the U.S.
  • Michigan Tornado Average -  16.1 per year - 20th most in the U.S.
  • Largest reported Tornado in Michigan from 1950-2011, 7/2/1997 - 2,500 yards / 1.42 miles wide
  • Date with highest number of reported Tornadoes in Michigan from 1950-2011, May 21st - 24 tornadoes
  • Average time of occurrence of reported Tornadoes in Michigan from 1950-2011 - 4:34 pm
  • Michigan Annual Lightning Density - 5.2 flashes per square mile - 30th highest in U.S.
  • Record Driest year in Michigan from 1895-2012 - 1930, avg precipitation 22.31 inches 
  • Record Wettest year in Michigan from 1895-2012 - 1985, avg precipitation 39.48 inches  

Michigan Precipitation Records

  • Driest location ranked by least annual average precipitation: Mio, north central Michigan, 26.73"
  • Wettest location ranked by highest annual average precipitation: Dowagiac, southwestern Michigan, 40.06"
  • Snowiest location ranked by highest annual average snowfall: Herman, Upper Peninsula, Michigan, 235.8"
  • State precipitation record for 24 hours - Bloomingdale, southwestern Michigan, 9/1/1914, 9.78"
  • State precipitation record for 1 year - Detroit, southeastern Michigan, 1855, 71.19"
  • State snowfall record for 24 hours - Baldwin, 11/13/1960, northwestern Michigan, 11/30/1960, 33.5" 
  • State snow record for 1 season - Delaware, northern Upper Peninsula, Michigan, 1978-1979, 391.9" 
  • On March 15, 1988, more than one hundred hours of continuous snow finally came to an end at Marquette Michigan, during which time the city was buried under 43 inches of snow
  • With 144.5 inches of annual snowfall, Marquette, Michigan is considered the 2nd snowiest city in the United States

Data sources: National Climatic Data Center, severe thunderstorm / tornado watch data period is 1999 - 2008, NOAA Storm Prediction Center
Tornado climate data - NOAA Storm Prediction Center, State lightning flash density average - 1997-2011, Vaisala