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.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank 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.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956-04-03 16:40, as SPC files it | Grand Rapids | F5 | 58.8 mi | 17 |
| 1983-07-21 19:05, as SPC files it | Douglas to Fennville | F2 | 13.6 mi | 1 |
| 1965-04-11 18:05, as SPC files it | Middleville | F1 | 19.5 mi | 1 |
| 1956-04-03 18:15, as SPC files it | Allegan to Lowell | F3 | 60.6 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Michigan.
Every tornado record filed for Allegan County (37)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 5 | 24 | 24 | 58 | 68 | 26 | 37 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 39 | 74 | 41 | 10 |
| Hail | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 32 | 16 | 6 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 10 | 3 | 0 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
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).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | DR-4925 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2020-03-27 | DR-4494 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3455 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013-06-18 | DR-4121 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2008-07-14 | DR-1777 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3225 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001-01-10 | EM-3160 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1999-01-27 | EM-3137 | Snowstorm | Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 |
| 1986-09-18 | DR-774 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1980-09-08 | DR-631 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-01-27 | EM-3057 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1977-02-05 | EM-3030 | Snowstorm | Snowstorms |
| 1976-03-19 | DR-495 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Icing & Flooding |
| 1975-09-30 | DR-486 | Flood | Severe Storms, High Winds & Flooding |
| 1975-04-26 | DR-465 | Flood | Severe Storms, High Winds & Flooding |
| 1972-04-05 | DR-330 | Snowstorm | Severe Storm & Freezing |
| 1965-04-14 | DR-190 | Tornado | Tornadoes & 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.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $2.0M | 2.9 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.3M | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $22M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $3.8M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $214K | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $124K | 30 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.5M | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $326K | 34 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
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
- Severe thunderstorm wind in MichiganThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, 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 Allegan CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Allegan County's FEMA declarations (CSV)17 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis