Sparta, MI Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
Hot Rankings
The chance of earthquake damage in Sparta is about the same as Michigan average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Sparta is about the same as Michigan average and is about the same as the national average.
Earthquake Index, #663
| Sparta, MI | 0.00 |
| Michigan | 0.04 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #1
| Sparta, MI | 0.0000 |
| Michigan | 0.0000 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #467
| Sparta, MI | 145.84 |
| Michigan | 140.33 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 2,167 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Sparta, MI were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 14 | Cold: | 2 | Dense Fog: | 2 | Drought: | 1 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 102 | Hail: | 526 | Heat: | 3 | Heavy Snow: | 147 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 0 | Ice Storm: | 14 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 30 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 1,144 | Tropical Storm: | 0 | Wildfire: | 0 | Winter Storm: | 102 | Winter Weather: | 5 |
| Other: | 75 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Sparta, MI.
Historical Earthquake Events
No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Sparta, MI.
No historical earthquake events found in or near Sparta, MI.
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 49 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Sparta, MI.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 5.2 | 1961-09-22 | 2 | 43°05'N / 85°47'W | 43°07'N / 85°46'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Kent | ||
| 8.0 | 1965-04-11 | 4 | 43°02'N / 85°47'W | 43°03'N / 85°39'W | 6.20 Miles | 300 Yards | 5 | 142 | 2.5M | 0 | Kent |
| 8.1 | 1956-04-03 | 5 | 42°56'N / 85°47'W | 43°18'N / 85°20'W | 33.80 Miles | 400 Yards | 4 | 130 | 25K | 0 | Kent |
| 8.3 | 1961-09-22 | 2 | 43°02'N / 85°49'W | 43°05'N / 85°47'W | 2.70 Miles | 2000 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Ottawa |
| 8.3 | 1965-04-11 | 4 | 43°03'N / 85°39'W | 43°12'N / 85°27'W | 14.20 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Kent |
| 9.0 | 1968-09-09 | 2 | 43°13'N / 85°33'W | 1.00 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Kent | |
| 11.6 | 1965-04-11 | 4 | 43°01'N / 85°55'W | 43°02'N / 85°47'W | 6.20 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Ottawa |
| 13.7 | 1966-07-12 | 2 | 43°04'N / 85°57'W | 2.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Ottawa | |
| 16.4 | 1965-09-04 | 2 | 43°11'N / 86°02'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Muskegon | |||
| 16.5 | 1967-04-21 | 3 | 42°54'N / 85°46'W | 42°57'N / 85°30'W | 13.60 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 32 | 25.0M | 0 | Kent |
| 19.2 | 1975-06-17 | 2 | 43°26'N / 85°46'W | 1.50 Miles | 60 Yards | 1 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Newaygo | |
| 19.7 | 1967-04-21 | 2 | 42°55'N / 85°30'W | 0.30 Mile | 27 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Kent | |
| 20.3 | 1965-09-04 | 2 | 43°01'N / 86°06'W | 43°05'N / 86°04'W | 4.10 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Ottawa |
| 21.4 | 1956-03-06 | 2 | 42°57'N / 86°07'W | 42°58'N / 85°57'W | 8.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Ottawa |
| 21.6 | 1957-06-22 | 2 | 42°52'N / 85°52'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Ottawa | |||
| 23.0 | 1956-04-03 | 5 | 43°18'N / 85°20'W | 43°20'N / 85°17'W | 1.90 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Montcalm |
| 23.0 | 1975-05-20 | 2 | 42°49'N / 85°44'W | 42°50'N / 85°40'W | 2.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Kent |
| 23.0 | 1956-04-03 | 5 | 42°46'N / 85°59'W | 42°56'N / 85°47'W | 15.10 Miles | 400 Yards | 14 | 200 | 250K | 0 | Ottawa |
| 26.0 | 1966-04-20 | 2 | 43°29'N / 85°27'W | 0.10 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Mecosta | |
| 27.5 | 1963-06-09 | 2 | 42°46'N / 85°49'W | 2.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Allegan | |
| 27.9 | 1956-04-03 | 3 | 42°45'N / 85°32'W | 42°52'N / 85°20'W | 12.60 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Barry |
| 31.8 | 1994-07-04 | 2 | 43°06'N / 85°05'W | 0.30 Mile | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 500K | 0 | Montcalm | |
| Brief Description: A brick, ranch style home in Fairplain Township was totally destroyed by an apparent tornado. No one actually saw a tornado, but the debris pattern and localization of the damage strongly suggested a tornado rather than straight-line thunderstorm winds. Seven people were in the home at the time, but no one was injured. A small shed was also torn up. The path length and width were estimated from the debris pattern. Trees up to 10 inches in diameter were broken off at the ground in a counter-clockwise pattern. | |||||||||||
| 32.0 | 1968-04-23 | 3 | 43°49'N / 85°22'W | 43°06'N / 85°05'W | 51.40 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 3 | 2.5M | 0 | Osceola |
| 32.3 | 1974-06-20 | 2 | 42°44'N / 85°59'W | 42°42'N / 85°52'W | 5.70 Miles | 20 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Allegan |
| 34.0 | 1967-04-21 | 2 | 42°43'N / 85°27'W | 42°48'N / 85°11'W | 14.50 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Barry |
| 35.7 | 1956-04-03 | 3 | 42°32'N / 85°50'W | 42°45'N / 85°32'W | 21.20 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Ottawa |
| 36.3 | 1956-04-03 | 5 | 42°40'N / 86°13'W | 42°46'N / 85°59'W | 13.50 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 10 | 25K | 0 | Allegan |
| 36.6 | 1967-10-24 | 2 | 42°38'N / 85°49'W | 0 | 4 | 25K | 0 | Allegan | |||
| 39.1 | 1976-03-20 | 2 | 42°53'N / 85°06'W | 42°57'N / 84°55'W | 9.90 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Ionia |
| 39.1 | 1974-06-09 | 2 | 43°42'N / 85°29'W | 1.50 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 2 | 250K | 0 | Mecosta | |
| 40.1 | 1956-05-12 | 2 | 43°26'N / 85°07'W | 43°31'N / 84°58'W | 9.10 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Montcalm |
| 40.5 | 1968-08-05 | 2 | 42°56'N / 85°33'W | 42°43'N / 84°33'W | 52.70 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Kent |
| 40.9 | 1965-04-11 | 3 | 42°39'N / 85°18'W | 42°46'N / 85°04'W | 14.10 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 5 | 250K | 0 | Barry |
| 41.1 | 1955-08-06 | 2 | 42°39'N / 85°17'W | 0.50 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Barry | |
| 41.4 | 1967-04-21 | 2 | 42°30'N / 86°08'W | 42°42'N / 85°53'W | 18.60 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 4 | 250K | 0 | Allegan |
| 42.3 | 1965-04-11 | 2 | 43°15'N / 84°56'W | 43°18'N / 84°50'W | 5.40 Miles | 440 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Montcalm |
| 42.6 | 1986-08-26 | 2 | 42°35'N / 85°24'W | 0.60 Mile | 13 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Barry | |
| 43.2 | 1954-05-31 | 2 | 42°32'N / 85°46'W | 0.30 Mile | 110 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Allegan | |
| 43.2 | 1983-07-21 | 2 | 42°40'N / 86°12'W | 42°35'N / 86°07'W | 13.60 Miles | 200 Yards | 1 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Allegan |
| 43.6 | 1951-09-26 | 2 | 43°47'N / 85°52'W | 43°47'N / 85°48'W | 2.30 Miles | 440 Yards | 1 | 3 | 0K | 0 | Newaygo |
| 43.8 | 1968-04-23 | 3 | 43°42'N / 85°29'W | 43°49'N / 85°22'W | 9.50 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 8 | 2.5M | 0 | Mecosta |
| 45.3 | 1967-04-21 | 2 | 42°52'N / 84°55'W | 42°53'N / 84°53'W | 0 | 6 | 250K | 0 | Ionia | ||
| 45.3 | 1989-11-27 | 2 | 42°50'N / 84°55'W | 42°55'N / 84°53'W | 6.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Ionia |
| 47.2 | 1966-06-09 | 2 | 42°31'N / 85°23'W | 2.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Barry | |
| 47.4 | 1956-04-03 | 3 | 42°26'N / 85°56'W | 42°32'N / 85°50'W | 8.30 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 3 | 2.5M | 0 | Allegan |
| 48.6 | 1985-06-08 | 2 | 43°58'N / 85°32'W | 43°41'N / 85°16'W | 24.00 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Mecosta |
| 49.1 | 2009-06-19 | 2 | 42°28'N / 86°00'W | 42°28'N / 85°53'W | 6.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0K | Allegan |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: Damage to both trees and structures were found along the tornado path. A Circa 1940 pole barn was destroyed and numerous trees were snapped or uprooted just over a half a mile west of Chicora north of 108th Avenue. Further down the tornado's path, garage doors were blown out and carried 300 yards while two boats were blown out of the garage. The house suffered 80% shingle loss with one 2-foot diameter hole in the roof on the home's west side. This was approximately 0.35 miles north of Chicora. The most extensive damage occurred approximately one mile northeast of Chicora along 42nd Street. A roof was partially torn off of a house. A barn was blown about 20-feet off of its foundation. There were several telephone poles snapped with wires wrapped around a tree. A roof was ripped off a small unoccupied house with one wall collapsed. Debris was lofted up to one-half mile across a field. More shingle loss was found on the west side of a home located two-miles northeast of Chicora. Nearly 80% shingle loss was witnessed. Several utility poles were snapped with widespread tree damage through the area. More damage to a home was observed about a quarter-mile west of Schermerhorn Lake. The damage happened when numerous falling trees crushed it. One-quarter mile of 39th street was blocked by fallen trees. The trees were piled up to 15-feet deep on the road. As the tornado was weakening, a 30-foot metal tower was bent over half way up. This was located near the intersection of 37th Street and 109th Avenue. Minor roof damage was also noted to a home in this area. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Thunderstorms developed and moved across Lake Michigan during the evening hours on June 19th. Several hours of intense rainfall occurred starting around 7:00 PM EST. The ground was already saturated from early morning thunderstorms that produced very heavy rainfall. In addition to the heavy rain, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes accompanied the thunderstorms. | |||||||||||
| 49.5 | 1978-08-15 | 2 | 43°33'N / 86°32'W | 0.80 Mile | 333 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Oceana | |
| 50.0 | 1986-07-15 | 2 | 42°33'N / 85°31'W | 42°25'N / 85°11'W | 20.00 Miles | 440 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Barry |
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.