Allegan County, Michigan

County storm and disaster record · FIPS 26005 · population 120,243 · 825 sq mi

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 559 records for Allegan County, Michigan from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 423 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (243 records). The deadliest single record is the June 7, 2008 flash flood: 2 deaths and $5.5 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 17 declarations naming the county since 1965, 15 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on June 30, 2026.

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
559on 423 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
Deaths recorded
445 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$108Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Tornadoes
37strongest F5
FEMA declarations
17latest 2026

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 Allegan County most?

The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 243 since 1955. 50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 fell in June and July. 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.

Allegan County: records by hazard, 1950 to June 30, 2026
HazardRecordsDaysFirst, lastKilledInjuredDamageRank in state
Severe thunderstorm wind 243 171 1955-2026 0 7 $4.8M 29 of 83
Winter storms 164 163 1996-2026 0 0 $2.9M 28 of 83
Hail 77 53 1955-2023 0 0 $3.9M 40 of 83
Tornadoes 37 31 1954-2026 2 34 $44M 17 of 83
Floods 20 17 1996-2013 2 4 $34M 33 of 83
High wind and dust storms 15 15 1997-2024 0 0 $18M 44 of 83
Rip currents and high surf 1 1 2007-2007 0 0 – 18 of 83
Lightning 1 1 2014-2014 0 0 $6K 63 of 83
Fog, smoke and funnel clouds 1 1 1999-1999 0 0 – 49 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 Allegan County had?

NOAA records 37 tornadoes in Allegan County from 1954 to 2026, the strongest rated F5, with 2 deaths and 34 injuries recorded in the county. That is 17th of 83 Michigan counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 36 tornadoes whose track touched Allegan County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 37: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 19 people, 2 of them in Allegan County.

The deadliest and strongest tornadoes that touched Allegan County, whole tracks
DateTornadoRatingPathKilled
1956-04-03 16:40, as SPC files itGrand RapidsF558.8 mi17
1983-07-21 19:05, as SPC files itDouglas to FennvilleF213.6 mi1
1965-04-11 18:05, as SPC files itMiddlevilleF119.5 mi1
1956-04-03 18:15, as SPC files itAllegan to LowellF360.6 mi0

Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Michigan.

Every tornado record filed for Allegan County (37)
Every tornado recorded in Allegan County, newest first
DatePlaceCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-04-14 Otsego, Allegan County EF0 7.14 mi x 175 yd 0 0 –
2026-04-14 Cheshire Center, Allegan County EF0 6.5 mi x 100 yd 0 0 –
2025-05-15 Watson Corners, Allegan County EF1 8.3 mi x 200 yd 0 0 –
2025-05-15 Burnips, Allegan County EF1 5.4 mi x 175 yd 0 0 –
2021-08-11 Burnips, Allegan County EF0 2.82 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $327K
2017-06-30 Lee, Allegan County EF0 0.2 mi x 25 yd 0 0 –
2016-08-20 Bravo, Allegan County EF1 12.76 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $1.8M
2016-08-20 Kibbie, Allegan County EF1 10.59 mi x 150 yd 0 0 $2.5M
2016-08-12 Douglas, Allegan County EF0 1.08 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $92K
2011-04-26 Burnips, Allegan County EF0 3.32 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $1.3M
2010-07-22 Chicora, Allegan County EF0 0.16 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
2010-07-18 Green Lake, Allegan County EF0 0.34 mi x 75 yd 0 0 $203K
2009-06-19 Chicora, Allegan County EF2 5.88 mi x 400 yd 0 0 $344K
2008-04-09 Plainwell, Allegan County EF1 2.92 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $206K
2001-05-21 Green Lake, Allegan County F0 1.5 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $83K
1998-08-06 Hamilton, Allegan County F0 0.1 mi x 3 yd 0 0 $4K
1991-07-07 Allegan County F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1989-09-06 Allegan County F1 1 mi x 30 yd 0 0 $3K step
1989-05-30 Allegan County F1 4 mi x 60 yd 0 0 $250 step
1989-05-30 Allegan County F2 9.2 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $250K step
1989-05-30 Allegan County F1 6 mi x 60 yd 0 0 $3K step
1986-05-17 Allegan County F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
1983-07-21 Allegan County F2 13.6 mi x 200 yd 1 1 $250K step
1980-05-30 Allegan County F1 1 mi x 20 yd 0 3 $25K step
1979-07-24 Allegan County F0 0.2 mi x 7 yd 0 0 $30 step
1978-05-20 Allegan County F1 1.9 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $25K step
1976-06-15 Allegan County F1 11.3 mi x 67 yd 0 0 $250K step
1975-11-10 Allegan County F1 0.1 mi x 33 yd 0 0 $25K step
1974-06-20 Allegan County F2 5.7 mi x 20 yd 0 0 $250K step
1967-10-24 Allegan County F2 0 4 $25K step
1967-04-21 Allegan County F2 18.6 mi x 50 yd 0 4 $250K step
1965-04-11 Allegan County F1 15.9 mi x 200 yd 1 9 $250K step
1963-06-09 Allegan County F2 2 mi x 33 yd 0 0 $25K step
1957-06-22 Allegan County F0 1 mi x 33 yd 0 0 $30 step
1956-04-03 Allegan County F3 8.3 mi x 200 yd 0 3 $2.5M step
1956-04-03 Allegan County F5 13.5 mi x 400 yd 0 10 $25K step
1954-05-31 Allegan County F2 0.3 mi x 110 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 Allegan County?

The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 25, 2024 thunderstorm wind ($470,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).

Allegan county emergency management reported that trees and wires were blown down across the county.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1189960)
The 12 most recent records kept for Allegan County
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-06-11 Thunderstorm WindAllegan County 52 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-10 Thunderstorm WindCorning, Allegan County 52 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-10 Thunderstorm WindWayland, Allegan County 56 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-10 Thunderstorm WindAllegan County 52 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-10 Thunderstorm WindOtsego, Allegan County 52 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-10 Thunderstorm WindAllegan County 61 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-10 Thunderstorm WindDouglas, Allegan County 56 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-05-18 Thunderstorm WindDorr, Allegan County 56 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-05-18 Thunderstorm WindAllegan County 65 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-04-18 Thunderstorm WindNeeley, Allegan County 61 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-04-18 Thunderstorm WindMoline, Allegan County 70 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-04-14 Thunderstorm WindPlainwell, Allegan County 61 kt wind 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

Records with deaths or injuries in Allegan County, most deaths first
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2008-06-07 Flash FloodCastle Park, Allegan County At 3 a.m. EST June 8th, two people drowned when they were delivering newspapers and their car plunged into a fifty foot ravine created by a washed out road. A presidential disaster declaration was issued for Allegan county due to extensive flash flooding. 2 0 $5.5M
1965-04-11 TornadoAllegan County F1 15.9 mi x 200 yd 1 9 $250K step
1983-07-21 TornadoAllegan County F2 13.6 mi x 200 yd 1 1 $250K step
1956-04-03 TornadoAllegan County F5 13.5 mi x 400 yd 0 10 $25K step
1997-06-20 Flash FloodCounty-Wide, Allegan County Allegan County, which borders Ottawa County to the south, was impacted by the same slow-moving thunderstorms which trained across the area throughout the day of Friday, June 20th. The line of severe thunderstorms which moved across Allegan County Friday evening resulted in widespread flash flooding, with the worst of ... 0 4 $13M
1967-10-24 TornadoAllegan County F2 0 4 $25K step
1967-04-21 TornadoAllegan County F2 18.6 mi x 50 yd 0 4 $250K step
1988-07-10 Thunderstorm WindAllegan County 0 3 –

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.

The costliest records in Allegan County since 1993, damage in 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2017-03-08 High WindAllegan County · forecast zone Allegan 61 kt wind 0 0 $14M
1997-06-20 Flash FloodCounty-Wide, Allegan County 0 4 $13M
2013-04-17 FloodGlenn, Allegan County 0 0 $6.3M
2009-06-19 Flash FloodHolland, Allegan County 0 0 $5.5M
2008-06-07 Flash FloodCastle Park, Allegan County 2 0 $5.5M
2016-08-20 TornadoKibbie, Allegan County EF1 10.59 mi x 150 yd 0 0 $2.5M
2016-08-20 TornadoBravo, Allegan County EF1 12.76 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $1.8M
2011-04-26 TornadoBurnips, Allegan County EF0 3.32 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $1.3M

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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 3, 1956 (tornado, Allegan 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 Allegan 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).

Allegan County: records per decade (the 2020s to June 30, 2026)
Hazard1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020-26
Severe thunderstorm wind15242458682637
Winter storms––––39744110
Hail12351232166
Tornadoes44572375
Floods––––71030
High wind and dust storms––––3642

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).

What time of year?

50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.

The values, month by month

Jan 57 · Feb 36 · Mar 31 · Apr 38 · May 57 · Jun 79 · Jul 82 · Aug 47 · Sep 34 · Oct 22 · Nov 22 · Dec 54 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.

Federal disaster declarations for Allegan County

FEMA's register lists 17 declarations that include Allegan County: 11 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (6) and snowstorm (5).

Declarations including Allegan County, newest first
DeclaredNumberTypeTitle
2026-06-30DR-4925FloodSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
2020-03-27DR-4494BiologicalCovid-19 Pandemic
2020-03-13EM-3455BiologicalCovid-19
2013-06-18DR-4121FloodFlooding
2008-07-14DR-1777Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
2005-09-07EM-3225HurricaneHurricane Katrina Evacuation
2001-01-10EM-3160SnowstormSnow
1999-01-27EM-3137SnowstormMi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99
1986-09-18DR-774FloodSevere Storms & Flooding
1980-09-08DR-631FloodSevere Storms & Flooding
1978-01-27EM-3057SnowstormBlizzards & Snowstorms
1977-02-05EM-3030SnowstormSnowstorms
1976-03-19DR-495Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Icing & Flooding
1975-09-30DR-486FloodSevere Storms, High Winds & Flooding
1975-04-26DR-465FloodSevere Storms, High Winds & Flooding
1972-04-05DR-330SnowstormSevere Storm & Freezing
1965-04-14DR-190TornadoTornadoes & Severe Storms

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 Allegan County had?

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 20 flood or flash flood records for Allegan County from 1996 to 2013, on 17 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Allegan County ranks 1497th of 2,942 U.S. counties.

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.3 million on 69 claims filed in Allegan County; the most in one year was 7 in 1985. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.

The values, year by year

1978: 4 · 1979: 3 · 1980: 2 · 1981: 2 · 1982: 2 · 1983: 1 · 1985: 7 · 1986: 4 · 1987: 1 · 1988: 1 · 1989: 1 · 1993: 1 · 1994: 1 · 1997: 7 · 2004: 1 · 2008: 7 · 2009: 6 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 5 · 2020: 4 · 2023: 1 · 2025: 1; 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 Allegan County

FEMA's National Risk Index rates Allegan County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $32.0 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.

National Risk Index ratings for Allegan County (December 2025 release), by FEMA's rating, then score
HazardRisk ratingExpected annual lossModeled frequency
Strong WindRelatively High$2.0M2.9 a year (modeled)
HailRelatively Moderate$1.3M1.5 a year (modeled)
Riverine FloodingRelatively Moderate$22Monce in about 2 years (modeled)
TornadoRelatively Moderate$3.8Monce in about 2 years (modeled)
Ice StormRelatively Moderate$214K1.4 a year (modeled)
Winter WeatherRelatively Moderate$124K30 a year (modeled)
Cold WaveRelatively Low$1.5M1.1 a year (modeled)
LightningRelatively Low$326K34 a year (modeled)

Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.

Counties that share a border with Allegan County

  1. Racine County, WI 917
  2. Lake County, IL 869
  3. Kenosha County, WI 830
  4. Kent County 654
  5. Allegan County 559
  6. Ottawa County 530
  7. Kalamazoo County 487
  8. Van Buren County 452
  9. Barry County 358

Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.

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