Delta County, Michigan
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 26041 · population 36,797 · 1,171 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 575 records for Delta County, Michigan from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 445 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (233 records). 303 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 November 9, 2011 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Delta, which covers the county: 2 deaths, 1 injury and $46,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 6 declarations naming the county since 1977, 4 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
- 575on 445 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 513 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $20Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 12strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 6latest 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 Delta County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 233 since 1996. 44% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. 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 | 233 | 232 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 6 | $128K | 26 of 83 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 126 | 72 | 1957-2025 | 0 | 2 | $5.9M | 71 of 83 |
| Hail | 89 | 53 | 1981-2020 | 0 | 0 | $25K | 68 of 83 |
| Extreme cold | 43 | 43 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | – | 8 of 83 |
| Heavy rain | 23 | 19 | 2005-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 83 |
| Floods | 15 | 13 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.3M | 58 of 83 |
| High wind and dust storms | 13 | 12 | 1998-2022 | 0 | 1 | $4.0M | 74 of 83 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 12 | 11 | 1998-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 of 83 |
| Tornadoes | 12 | 12 | 1968-2026 | 0 | 3 | $7.7M | 60 of 83 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2022-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 48 of 83 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2020-2025 | 0 | 1 | $243K | 42 of 83 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 1 | 1 | 2013-2013 | 1 | 0 | – | 20 of 83 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2016-2016 | 0 | 0 | $25K | 15 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 Delta County had?
NOAA records 12 tornadoes in Delta County from 1968 to 2026, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 3 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 12 tornadoes whose track touched Delta County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 12, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987-07-11 13:05, as SPC files it | Norway to Gladstone | F3 | 71 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Michigan.
Every tornado record filed for Delta County (12)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | Osier, Delta County | EF0 0.09 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-08-31 | Pine Ridge, Delta County | EF1 0.61 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $171K |
| 2008-07-25 | Masonville, Delta County | EF0 0.09 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2002-05-30 | Rapid River, Delta County | F0 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-06-25 | Escanaba, Delta County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $45K |
| 1997-10-05 | Garden Corners, Delta County | F1 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 1992-07-19 | Delta County | F2 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 2 | $2.5M step |
| 1987-07-11 | Delta County | F3 42 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-07-14 | Delta County | F1 5.2 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-07-27 | Delta County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1972-07-20 | Delta County | F2 0.8 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1968-08-16 | Delta County | F1 0.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K 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 Delta County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 12, 2026 flood ($550,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
County emergency management reported Delta County Airport closed on the 13th due to water over the runways. Power was cut to the VOR facility and water was at least 3 feet deep. At least 4 roads in the city of Escanaba were closed on the 13th. In Rapid River, water over the road closed the US-41 and US-2 intersection. A culvert washout closed County Road 503 in Bay De Noc Township from the 16th to the 17th. Water over the road on County Road 497/GG in Nahma caused the road to be closed from the 17th to the 27th. Drone footage along the Ford River provided by the emergency manager highlighted multiple structures threated, surrounded, or inundated by high water. County emergency manager estimates private property damages around 300 Thousand $USD and the public damages at approximately 250 Thousand $USD.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1334704)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | Excessive HeatDelta County · forecast zone Delta | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-30 | TornadoOsier, Delta County | EF0 0.09 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-12 | FloodFord River, Delta County | 0 | 0 | $550K | |
| 2026-04-02 | Ice StormDelta County · forecast zone Delta | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | BlizzardDelta County · forecast zone Delta | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Winter StormDelta County · forecast zone Delta | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-17 | Winter StormDelta County · forecast zone Delta | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillDelta County · forecast zone Delta | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-19 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillDelta County · forecast zone Delta | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-06 | Winter WeatherDelta County · forecast zone Delta | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-04 | Winter WeatherDelta County · forecast zone Delta | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-29 | BlizzardDelta County · forecast zone Delta | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-11-09 | Winter WeatherDelta County · forecast zone Delta Two inches of wet slushy snow contributed to a fatal car crash near Rapid River at shortly before 430 pm on the afternoon of the 9th as reported by the Michigan State Police post in Gladstone. Two elderly women from Rapid River were pronounced dead at the scene when the car they were driving slid out of control and ... | 2 | 1 | $46K | |
| 2020-03-16 | Cold/Wind ChillDelta County · forecast zone Delta A 36-male from Wisconsin who was visiting relatives in Escanaba went missing late on the 16th. Law enforcement found his body in the woods near the northern fence line of the Delta County Airport late on the 18th. The cause of death was determined to be hypothermia as temperatures were near or below freezing ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2017-02-22 | Winter WeatherDelta County · forecast zone Delta There was a report of around two inches of slushy snow on the highways in Delta County when a one vehicle fatal accident occurred at approximately 8 am on the 23rd. The driver and lone occupant of the vehicle lost control of his vehicle on County Road 416 in Cornell due to the slippery roads. The vehicle left the ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2013-07-17 | Rip CurrentDelta County · forecast zone Delta The Coast Guard confirmed that a teenage boy drowned on the afternoon of the 17th in a structural rip current at Aronson Island in Escanaba. He was carried offshore by the rip current and then was overcome by the crashing of 3-4 foot waves. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2012-01-23 | Winter WeatherDelta County · forecast zone Delta Observers near Gladstone and Bark River measured around .15 of an inch of ice accumulation from freezing rain. The ice on roadways caused numerous accidents, three of which resulted in minor injuries. Area schools were cancelled on the 23rd due to the storm. | 0 | 3 | $19K | |
| 2011-01-28 | Winter WeatherDelta County · forecast zone Delta The observer near Gladstone measured 3.1 inches of snow in nine hours. The snow-covered and slippery highways contributed to a head-on collision on Highway US-2 in Ensign in the early morning hours of the 29th. The Gladstone State Police reported that two elderly men suffered minor injuries in the crash. | 0 | 2 | $13K | |
| 1998-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindCornell, Delta County Microburst with wind gusts over 75 mph downed dozens of trees and damaged buildings at Cornell and Gladstone. At Cornell, strong winds destroyed a barn. In Gladstone, trees up 30 inches in diameter were blown down. Three storage sheds were destroyed, 15 homes suffered significant damage, and many other homes and ... | 0 | 2 | $724K | |
| 1992-07-19 | TornadoDelta County | F2 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 2 | $2.5M 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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-10-05 | Thunderstorm WindRock, Delta County | 0 | 0 | $4.7M | |
| 1998-11-10 | High WindDelta County · forecast zone Delta | 0 | 0 | $3.8M | |
| 1996-04-20 | FloodDelta County · forecast zone Delta | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | |
| 1998-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindCornell, Delta County | 0 | 2 | $724K | |
| 2026-04-12 | FloodFord River, Delta County | 0 | 0 | $550K | |
| 2020-08-31 | TornadoPine Ridge, Delta County | EF1 0.61 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $171K |
| 2015-07-25 | Thunderstorm WindRock, Delta County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $125K |
| 2021-07-05 | LightningEscanaba, Delta County | 0 | 1 | $109K |
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: July 19, 1992 (tornado, Delta 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 Delta 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 | – | – | – | – | 8 | 62 | 115 | 48 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 15 | 38 | 26 | 27 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 17 | 44 | 20 | 1 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 12 | 17 | 12 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 4 | 17 | 2 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
44% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 71 · Feb 66 · Mar 44 · Apr 32 · May 34 · Jun 60 · Jul 113 · Aug 50 · Sep 15 · Oct 12 · Nov 25 · Dec 53 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Delta County
FEMA's register lists 6 declarations that include Delta County: 2 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and hurricane (1).
| 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 |
| 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 Delta County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 15 flood or flash flood records for Delta County from 1996 to 2026, on 13 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Delta County ranks 1944th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $313,000 on 28 claims filed in Delta County; the most in one year was 13 in 1986. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1986: 13 · 1987: 1 · 1996: 3 · 1997: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2021: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2026: 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 Delta County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Delta County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $14.7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.0M | 3.6 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $885K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $339K | 25 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $7.7M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $340K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $22K | 19 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $1K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $39K | once in about 6,132 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Delta 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 Delta CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Delta County's FEMA declarations (CSV)6 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis