Cheboygan County, Michigan
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 26031 · population 25,564 · 715 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 241 records for Cheboygan County, Michigan from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 211 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (118 records). 144 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 December 28, 2025 winter storm, filed for the forecast zone Cheboygan, which covers the county: 1 death and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 8 declarations naming the county since 1977, 6 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
- 241on 211 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 24 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $7.9Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 7strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 8latest 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 Cheboygan County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 118 since 1997. 49% of its winter storm records since 1997 fell in December and January. 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 | 118 | 115 | 1997-2026 | 1 | 1 | $522K | 35 of 83 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 62 | 48 | 1960-2025 | 0 | 0 | $460K | 68 of 83 |
| Hail | 22 | 18 | 1992-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 80 of 83 |
| High wind and dust storms | 11 | 11 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | $166K | 59 of 83 |
| Extreme cold | 9 | 9 | 2007-2026 | 0 | 0 | $6.4M | 40 of 83 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 7 | 1955-2014 | 0 | 0 | $183K | 61 of 83 |
| Floods | 4 | 4 | 2001-2024 | 0 | 0 | $38K | 70 of 83 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2003-2015 | 0 | 3 | $120K | 28 of 83 |
| Drought | 2 | 2 | 2007-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 of 83 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 2001-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 51 of 83 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 1 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 1 | 0 | – | 17 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 Cheboygan County had?
NOAA records 7 tornadoes in Cheboygan County from 1955 to 2014, the strongest rated EF1, 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 7 tornadoes whose track touched Cheboygan County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 7, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Michigan.
Every tornado record filed for Cheboygan County (7)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-09-01 | Wolverine, Cheboygan County | EF0 0.67 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2007-10-18 | Tower, Cheboygan County | EF1 10.21 mi x 215 yd | 0 | 0 | $43K |
| 2002-08-01 | Black Lake, Cheboygan County | F0 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-08-12 | Cheboygan County | F1 4 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1978-08-16 | Cheboygan County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1970-10-02 | Cheboygan County | F0 2.5 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1955-06-05 | Cheboygan County | F0 2 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 Cheboygan County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the December 28, 2025 winter storm (1 death and 1 injury).
Snowfall amount reached 7.5 inches in 12 hrs by 10:00 near Indian River; snowfall total estimates of 8 inches at the cooperative observing site in the city of Cheboygan, and up to 10 inches near Mullett Lake. Cheboygan Airport, KSLH, reported several hours with visibilities at or below 1/4mi, along with falling snow and wind gusts in excess of 35mph. A 55 year old woman was killed in a collision in the village of Tower during these conditions; Michigan State Police reported they did not believe she was wearing her seatbelt. Another man sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the collision.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1310186)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-15 | Winter StormCheboygan County · forecast zone Cheboygan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-13 | Winter StormCheboygan County · forecast zone Cheboygan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillCheboygan County · forecast zone Cheboygan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-06 | Cold/Wind ChillCheboygan County · forecast zone Cheboygan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-29 | Cold/Wind ChillCheboygan County · forecast zone Cheboygan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-28 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillCheboygan County · forecast zone Cheboygan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillCheboygan County · forecast zone Cheboygan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-10 | Winter StormCheboygan County · forecast zone Cheboygan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-28 | Winter StormCheboygan County · forecast zone Cheboygan | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2025-11-29 | Winter StormCheboygan County · forecast zone Cheboygan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-24 | Thunderstorm WindWeadock, Cheboygan County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-21 | HailCheboygan City Co Ar, Cheboygan County | 1.75 in hail | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-28 | Winter StormCheboygan County · forecast zone Cheboygan Snowfall amount reached 7.5 inches in 12 hrs by 10:00 near Indian River; snowfall total estimates of 8 inches at the cooperative observing site in the city of Cheboygan, and up to 10 inches near Mullett Lake. Cheboygan Airport, KSLH, reported several hours with visibilities at or below 1/4mi, along with falling snow ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2012-07-21 | Rip CurrentCheboygan County and Emmet County · forecast zone Emmet A teenaged male from Portage, Michigan, drowned off of Cross Village Beach. Dive teams were called in, and found the body about 40 feet from shore. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-08-02 | LightningAtton, Cheboygan County Two people were injured by a lightning strike at a campground. They were treated and released from a local hospital later that same day. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2007-05-14 | LightningIndian River, Cheboygan County An area of thunderstorms moved across Northern Michigan during the morning hours. A man in Cheboygan County, while standing in his garage watching the storm, was jolted and shaken up by a lightning strike in his immediate vicinity. He sought medical treatment later in the day. | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-04-27 | Frost/FreezeCheboygan County and Emmet County · forecast zone Emmet | 0 | 0 | $6.4M | |
| 2012-03-02 | Heavy SnowCheboygan County · forecast zone Cheboygan | 0 | 0 | $257K | |
| 2007-10-18 | TornadoTower, Cheboygan County | EF1 10.21 mi x 215 yd | 0 | 0 | $43K |
| 2014-09-01 | TornadoWolverine, Cheboygan County | EF0 0.67 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: August 16, 1978 (tornado, Cheboygan 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 Cheboygan 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 | – | – | – | – | 16 | 55 | 28 | 19 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 20 | 11 | 11 | 6 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 1 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
49% of its winter storm records since 1997 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 29 · Feb 28 · Mar 21 · Apr 7 · May 11 · Jun 29 · Jul 27 · Aug 21 · Sep 9 · Oct 6 · Nov 18 · Dec 35 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Cheboygan County
FEMA's register lists 8 declarations that include Cheboygan County: 4 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and flood (1).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | DR-4925 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2025-07-22 | DR-4880 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 1994-05-10 | DR-1028 | Freezing | Severe Deep Freeze |
| 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 Cheboygan County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 4 flood or flash flood records for Cheboygan County from 2001 to 2024, on 4 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Cheboygan County ranks 1823rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.7 million on 36 claims filed in Cheboygan County; the most in one year was 32 in 2026. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 2005: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2026: 32; 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 Cheboygan County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Cheboygan County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $15.3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $13M | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.5M | 2 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $3K | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $158K | 23 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $111K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $108K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | $8K | once in about 80 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $279K | once in about 11 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Cheboygan 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 Cheboygan CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Cheboygan County's FEMA declarations (CSV)8 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis