Alger County, Michigan
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 26003 · population 8,834 · 915 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 697 records for Alger County, Michigan from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 607 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (452 records). 532 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the August 5, 2010 rip current, filed for the forecast zone Alger, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 5 declarations naming the county since 1977, 3 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Katrina Evacuation” on September 7, 2005.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 697on 607 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 45 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $6.7Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 7strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 5latest 2020
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Alger County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 452 since 1996. 48% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The rank column places the county among Michigan's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 452 | 439 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $585K | 3 of 83 |
| Hail | 84 | 48 | 1968-2026 | 0 | 0 | $9K | 59 of 83 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 53 | 42 | 1968-2026 | 0 | 2 | $397K | 77 of 83 |
| High wind and dust storms | 33 | 31 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | 22 of 83 |
| Extreme cold | 28 | 28 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 83 |
| Heavy rain | 11 | 10 | 2006-2024 | 0 | 0 | $5K | 5 of 83 |
| Floods | 8 | 6 | 2005-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | 66 of 83 |
| Heat | 7 | 7 | 2006-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 83 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 7 | 1953-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.4M | 69 of 83 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 5 | 5 | 2010-2017 | 3 | 0 | $2K | 4 of 83 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 5 | 5 | 2002-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 83 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 1998-2019 | 1 | 3 | $23K | 39 of 83 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2022-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 of 83 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Alger County had?
NOAA records 7 tornadoes in Alger County from 1953 to 2026, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 6 tornadoes whose track touched Alger County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 7: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Michigan.
Every tornado record filed for Alger County (7)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | Winters, Alger County | EF0 0.48 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-07-28 | Christmas, Alger County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-07-19 | Alger County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-07-09 | Alger County | F1 2.7 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1964-05-06 | Alger County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1958-06-29 | Alger County | F0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1953-07-06 | Alger County | F0 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Alger County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 28, 2025 flash flood ($3,500 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | HailAu Train, Alger County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindTrenary, Alger County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-30 | HailTrenary, Alger County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-30 | HailTrenary, Alger County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-30 | Excessive HeatAlger County · forecast zone Alger | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-30 | TornadoWinters, Alger County | EF0 0.48 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-02 | Ice StormAlger County · forecast zone Alger | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | BlizzardAlger County · forecast zone Alger | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Winter StormAlger County · forecast zone Alger | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-10 | Winter WeatherAlger County · forecast zone Alger | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-20 | Winter WeatherAlger County · forecast zone Alger | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-18 | Winter StormAlger County · forecast zone Alger | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-08-05 | Rip CurrentAlger County · forecast zone Alger A father and his son both drowned in high waves and strong rip currents in Grand Marais Harbor on the afternoon of the 5th. Northwest winds gusting over 30 mph at times contributed to the high waves and strong rip currents. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2017-08-02 | Rip CurrentAlger County · forecast zone Alger At least two individuals were swimming in Lake Superior at a beach in Alger County, east of the Laughing Whitefish River outlet, when they were both swept out towards the open waters by a rip current. Both individuals were in water that was waist deep when the first individual was pulled out by the rip current. Upon ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1998-06-29 | LightningShingleton, Alger County Lightning strike killed a fork lift operator at a lumber mill in Shingleton. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2006-07-14 | LightningMunising, Alger County Lightning struck a tour boat for shipwreck cruises in Munising Bay. Three people were treated and released at a local hospital for minor injuries. | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 1999-07-05 | Thunderstorm WindMunising, Alger County Downed trees blocking roads. A hiker was injured by a falling tree. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1988-08-16 | Thunderstorm WindAlger County | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-11-10 | High WindAlger County · forecast zone Alger | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 2023-05-05 | FloodAu Train, Alger County | 0 | 0 | $969K | |
| 2023-05-01 | Winter StormAlger County · forecast zone Alger | 0 | 0 | $484K | |
| 2017-08-01 | Thunderstorm WindOnola, Alger County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $84K |
| 2025-04-28 | Flash FloodMunising, Alger County | 0 | 0 | $75K | |
| 2023-07-10 | Thunderstorm WindMunising Hanley Airport, Alger County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $29K |
| 2012-07-29 | Thunderstorm WindKiva, Alger County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 2023-07-10 | Thunderstorm WindWinters, Alger County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 6, 1964 (tornado, Alger County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Alger County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 26 | 117 | 205 | 104 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 24 | 26 | 21 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 17 | 7 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | 13 | 14 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 6 | 13 | 7 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 9 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
48% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 135 · Feb 104 · Mar 62 · Apr 34 · May 22 · Jun 63 · Jul 56 · Aug 27 · Sep 18 · Oct 18 · Nov 68 · Dec 90 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Alger County
FEMA's register lists 5 declarations that include Alger County: one major disaster, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and hurricane (1).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-27 | DR-4494 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3455 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3225 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1978-01-27 | EM-3057 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1977-03-02 | EM-3035 | Drought | Drought |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Alger County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 8 flood or flash flood records for Alger County from 2005 to 2025, on 6 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Alger County ranks 2477th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $52,000 on 7 claims filed in Alger County; the most in one year was 3 in 2022. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1992: 1 · 1993: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 1 · 2022: 3; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Alger County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Alger County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $3.6 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | $639K | 22 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $4K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $302K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $464K | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $10K | once in about 6,417 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | $2.1M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | $14K | 43 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $9K | once in about 14 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Alger County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in MichiganEvery Michigan tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Winter storms in MichiganThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The Michigan recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Alger CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Alger County's FEMA declarations (CSV)5 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis