Cass County, Michigan
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 26027 · population 51,549 · 490 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 477 records for Cass County, Michigan from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 371 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (221 records). The deadliest single record is the March 6, 2026 tornado: 1 death. FEMA has issued 9 declarations naming the county since 1977, 7 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
- 477on 371 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 341 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $27Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 21strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 9latest 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 Cass County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 221 since 1960. 51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 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 | 221 | 163 | 1960-2026 | 1 | 9 | $2.3M | 8 of 83 |
| Winter storms | 141 | 140 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 7 | $43K | 15 of 83 |
| Hail | 57 | 46 | 1970-2026 | 0 | 0 | $23K | 16 of 83 |
| Tornadoes | 21 | 18 | 1959-2026 | 1 | 25 | $18M | 19 of 83 |
| Floods | 15 | 14 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 18 of 83 |
| High wind and dust storms | 14 | 13 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 31 of 83 |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 6 | 2012-2024 | 0 | 0 | $5.1M | 42 of 83 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2024-2024 | 0 | 0 | $470K | 45 of 83 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2021-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 37 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 Cass County had?
NOAA records 21 tornadoes in Cass County from 1959 to 2026, the strongest rated EF2, with 1 death and 25 injuries recorded in the county. That is 19th 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 20 tornadoes whose track touched Cass County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 21: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-10-24 14:50, as SPC files it | VandaliaCrossed IN, MI | F3 | 47 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Michigan.
Every tornado record filed for Cass County (21)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-06 | Edwardsburg, Cass County | EF1 13.35 mi x 350 yd | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-30 | Dailey, Cass County | EF0 2.01 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2025-03-30 | Edwardsburg, Cass County | EF1 2.59 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 2024-05-07 | Dowagiac Cass Airport, Cass County | EF1 11.71 mi x 950 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-02-28 | Brownsville, Cass County | EF1 2.7 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-02-28 | Sumnerville, Cass County | EF1 4.99 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-03-24 | Edwardsburg, Cass County | EF0 1.34 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $123K |
| 2013-11-17 | Park Shr Resort, Cass County | EF1 0.38 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-06-05 | Dowagiac, Cass County | EF2 2.73 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $135K |
| 2004-07-21 | Edwardsburg, Cass County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-10-24 | Edwardsburg, Cass County | F1 24 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $8.3M |
| 1998-08-25 | Adamsville, Cass County | F1 6 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $543K |
| 1998-08-25 | Edwardsburg, Cass County | F2 9 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $905K |
| 1992-07-13 | Cass County | F2 4 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 25 | $250K step |
| 1990-07-16 | Cass County | F1 12 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1986-06-19 | Cass County | F2 1.3 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1980-06-07 | Cass County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1978-08-27 | Cass County | F1 1 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-06-20 | Cass County | F1 2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1968-08-16 | Cass County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1959-10-08 | Cass County | F1 12.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 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 Cass County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 16, 2026 hail ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-16 | HailVandalia, Cass County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-16 | HailPokagon, Cass County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindWilliamsville, Cass County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindMarcellus, Cass County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindJones, Cass County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindVandalia, Cass County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindAdamsville, Cass County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindEdwardsburg, Cass County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindAdamsville, Cass County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindEdwardsburg, Cass County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $80K |
| 2026-04-27 | Strong WindCass County · forecast zone Cass | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Winter StormCass County · forecast zone Cass | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-06 | TornadoEdwardsburg, Cass County A disorganized circulation touched down northwest of the intersection of Runkle St and Conrad Rd, destroying an attached garage, and destroying the center part of the home (back windows failed and resulted in front of house blowing out). One fatality, a 12 year old boy, was confirmed at the home as he was located in ... | EF1 13.35 mi x 350 yd | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2022-08-03 | Thunderstorm WindPokagon, Cass County Local law enforcement reported a large tree limb fell onto the cab of a vehicle, spun the limb into the road way while the vehicle continued westbound, striking another tree on the side of the road. A 17 year old male was pronounced dead at the scene. | 55 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2019-01-22 | Winter WeatherCass County · forecast zone Cass Freezing rain and drizzle developed mid-afternoon on January 22nd and continued into the evening. Temperatures did warm above freezing into the morning of January 23rd while the rain continued, though sub-freezing road temperatures kept most secondary roads and sidewalks slick into January 23rd. Many schools and ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1992-07-13 | TornadoCass County | F2 4 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 25 | $250K step |
| 2008-12-12 | Winter WeatherCass County · forecast zone Cass Six people were treated for injuries in two separate accidents as a result of icy roads. A 32 year old male from Dowagiac was traveling south on Wilbur Hill Road in LaGrange Township, when he lost control of his vehicle at 1:45 p.m. His vehicle ran off the road and struck a tree. He was treated and released. Five ... | 0 | 6 | – | |
| 2003-06-28 | Thunderstorm WindCassopolis, Cass County Law enforcement reported a large tree fell on a church tent injuring 4 people, one seriously. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 4 | – |
| 1988-05-15 | Thunderstorm WindCass County | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 2014-09-05 | Thunderstorm WindDailey, Cass County Local law enforcement reported a tree was blown down onto a vehicle traveling on M-60, near Liberty Road. One of the two occupants in the vehicle was transported to the hospital with minor injuries. | 55 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-10-24 | TornadoEdwardsburg, Cass County | F1 24 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $8.3M |
| 2012-04-12 | Frost/FreezeCass County · forecast zone Cass | 0 | 0 | $5.1M | |
| 1998-08-25 | TornadoEdwardsburg, Cass County | F2 9 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $905K |
| 2018-02-20 | FloodBarron Lake, Cass County | 0 | 0 | $646K | |
| 1997-07-02 | Thunderstorm WindEdwardsburg, Cass County | 0 | 0 | $552K | |
| 1998-08-25 | TornadoAdamsville, Cass County | F1 6 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $543K |
| 2010-04-05 | Thunderstorm WindDowagiac Cass Airport, Cass County | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $541K |
| 2024-05-07 | LightningSandy Shores, Cass County | 0 | 0 | $470K |
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: June 19, 1986 (tornado, Cass 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 Cass 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 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 21 | 42 | 57 | 45 | 42 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 44 | 49 | 31 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 12 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 7 | 3 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 55 · Feb 41 · Mar 34 · Apr 18 · May 40 · Jun 84 · Jul 67 · Aug 52 · Sep 17 · Oct 10 · Nov 21 · Dec 38 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Cass County
FEMA's register lists 9 declarations that include Cass County: 3 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for snowstorm (4) and biological (2).
| 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 |
| 2004-06-30 | DR-1527 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2001-01-10 | EM-3160 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1999-01-27 | EM-3137 | Snowstorm | Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 |
| 1980-09-08 | DR-631 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-01-27 | EM-3057 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1977-02-05 | EM-3030 | Snowstorm | Snowstorms |
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 Cass County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 15 flood or flash flood records for Cass County from 1996 to 2024, on 14 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Cass County ranks 2212th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $112,000 on 15 claims filed in Cass County; the most in one year was 2 in 2015. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1982: 1 · 1985: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 2; 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 Cass County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Cass County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $13.7 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 | $1.4M | 4.3 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $762K | 2.4 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.7M | 2.4 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $4K | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.9M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $7.1M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $60K | 21 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $54K | 1.3 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 Cass 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 Cass CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Cass County's FEMA declarations (CSV)9 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis