Ashland County, Wisconsin
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 55003 · population 16,024 · 1,045 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 492 records for Ashland County, Wisconsin from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 401 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (201 records). 283 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 7, 2022 high surf, filed for the forecast zone Ashland, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 14 declarations naming the county since 1965, 12 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding” on August 10, 2018.
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
- 492on 401 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 53 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $3.4Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 11strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 14latest 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 Ashland County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 201 since 1996. 43% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The rank column places the county among Wisconsin'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 | 201 | 197 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 72 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 102 | 69 | 1969-2026 | 0 | 0 | $352K | 67 of 72 |
| Hail | 73 | 50 | 1962-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2K | 67 of 72 |
| Drought | 48 | 48 | 2006-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 of 72 |
| Floods | 27 | 21 | 1996-2023 | 2 | 0 | $315K | 45 of 72 |
| Extreme cold | 19 | 18 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 62 of 72 |
| Tornadoes | 11 | 10 | 1961-2020 | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | 66 of 72 |
| High wind and dust storms | 4 | 4 | 2004-2017 | 0 | 0 | $11K | 64 of 72 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 2 | 2 | 2016-2022 | 3 | 0 | – | 7 of 72 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 2011-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 64 of 72 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2011-2018 | 0 | 3 | $105K | 60 of 72 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 67 of 72 |
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 Ashland County had?
NOAA records 11 tornadoes in Ashland County from 1961 to 2020, the strongest rated EF2, 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 11 tornadoes whose track touched Ashland County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 11, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Wisconsin.
Every tornado record filed for Ashland County (11)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-07-18 | Sandborn, Ashland County | EF1 0.6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-08-11 | Ashland County | EF0 0.05 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-07-27 | Peeksville, Ashland County | EF0 1.92 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-07-27 | Morse, Ashland County | EF2 0.93 mi x 650 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-05-12 | Clam Lake, Ashland County | F0 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-09-16 | Ashland County | F0 6.5 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1988-08-03 | Ashland County | F0 4 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1983-07-03 | Ashland County | F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1983-06-30 | Ashland County | F0 0.1 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1980-07-19 | Ashland County | F1 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1961-08-14 | Ashland County | F2 4.5 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K 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 Ashland County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the August 7, 2022 high surf (2 deaths).
At approximately 2:38PM CDT on the afternoon of the 7th, La Pointe Police, La Pointe Fire and Madeline Island EMS were dispatched to Big Bay State Park at the southeast corner of the island for a man that was cliff jumping at the Eagle's Nest cliffs and did not resurface. The man had completed one jump and on the second, succumbed to the rough surf conditions in place (41, M). He was alone in the water at the time. Winds were from the NNE at around 10 mph with gusts to around 20 mph at the time with waves around 2 to 4 feet. A Small Craft Advisory was in effect at the time. The man's body was not recovered until the early afternoon on the 8th. …
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1053827)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-29 | HailWhite River, Ashland County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindAshland County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-29 | HailWhite River, Ashland County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-15 | HailLa Pointe Madeline I, Ashland County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | Thunderstorm WindLa Pointe Madeline I, Ashland County | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | Heavy SnowAshland County · forecast zone Ashland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Heavy SnowAshland County · forecast zone Ashland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-17 | Heavy SnowAshland County · forecast zone Ashland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillAshland County · forecast zone Ashland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-28 | Heavy SnowAshland County · forecast zone Ashland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-25 | Heavy SnowAshland County · forecast zone Ashland | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-08 | Heavy SnowAshland County · forecast zone Ashland | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-08-07 | High SurfAshland County · forecast zone Ashland At approximately 2:38PM CDT on the afternoon of the 7th, La Pointe Police, La Pointe Fire and Madeline Island EMS were dispatched to Big Bay State Park at the southeast corner of the island for a man that was cliff jumping at the Eagle's Nest cliffs and did not resurface. The man had completed one jump and on the ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-06-17 | Flash FloodSandborn, Ashland County A truck went into a ditch on County Truck E just south of County Trunk C in the Township of White River. The roadway was completely underwater and the water in the ditch was 6 to 8 feet in depth. The truck was found unoccupied with the driver side door open. The 75 year old male driver was found deceased 60 feet from ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-08-10 | Rip CurrentAshland County · forecast zone Ashland Strong currents pulled a swimmer into deep water off Stockton Island at Julian Bay, about 15 miles northeast of Bayfield. The victim was found after a 5 hour search. Sea conditions were rough with 8 foot waves and heavy, breaking surf on the beach. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-07-14 | FloodMarengo, Ashland County An 82-year-old man from Marengo was found dead in his pickup truck in the flooded waters along the Marengo River near the Riemer Road Bridge west of Marengo. The exact circumstances of how, when, and where he died are not known, only that he was found a few days after the heavy rains some time early Thursday. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-06-30 | LightningLa Pointe Madeline I, Ashland County Lightning struck a tree in Big Bay Town Park. The current then traveled through the root system and struck a woman getting into her vehicle, throwing her to the ground. Two men in a tent next to the tree were also struck. The woman and one of the men had minor injuries, but the other man sustained serious burns and ... | 0 | 3 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-04-14 | FloodAshland County · forecast zone Ashland | 0 | 0 | $310K | |
| 1999-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindMarengo, Ashland County | 0 | 0 | $266K | |
| 2011-07-01 | Thunderstorm WindMarengo, Ashland County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $66K |
| 2011-04-10 | HailOdanah, Ashland County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $2K |
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: August 14, 1961 (tornado, Ashland 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 Ashland 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 | – | – | – | – | 30 | 66 | 64 | 41 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 19 | 18 | 23 | 26 |
| Hail | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 34 | 9 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 21 | 6 | 21 z |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 4 | 2 | 20 | 1 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 5 | 7 | 5 |
Drought in the 2020-26: 21 records against 6 in the decade before, 21 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Ashland County days with a record above.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
43% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 51 · Feb 54 · Mar 33 · Apr 38 · May 34 · Jun 55 · Jul 95 · Aug 26 · Sep 13 · Oct 13 · Nov 25 · Dec 55 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Ashland County
FEMA's register lists 14 declarations that include Ashland County: 11 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (5) and severe storm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4520 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3454 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-08-10 | DR-4383 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2016-08-09 | DR-4276 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2013-08-08 | DR-4141 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2012-08-02 | DR-4076 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3249 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001-05-11 | DR-1369 | Flood | Flooding, Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 2000-06-24 | DR-1332 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1999-08-16 | DR-1284 | Flood | Wi-Flood-07/20/99 |
| 1976-06-17 | EM-3014 | Drought | Drought |
| 1972-09-10 | DR-352 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1969-05-01 | DR-260 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1965-04-21 | DR-192 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Severe Storms & Flooding |
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 Ashland County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 27 flood or flash flood records for Ashland County from 1996 to 2023, on 21 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Ashland County ranks 2321st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $489,000 on 11 claims filed in Ashland County; the most in one year was 3 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1994: 1 · 1996: 3 · 2001: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2024: 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 Ashland County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Ashland County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $8.6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.1M | 9 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $158K | 31 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $242K | 28 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $125K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | $2.8M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Very Low | $72K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $70K | 1.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Drought | Very Low | $2K | 3.5 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Ashland 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 WisconsinEvery Wisconsin tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Winter storms in WisconsinThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The Wisconsin recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Ashland CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Ashland County's FEMA declarations (CSV)14 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis