Dodge County, Minnesota
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 27039 · population 20,867 · 439 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 573 records for Dodge County, Minnesota from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 399 days; the most frequent are hail reports (145 records). The deadliest single record is the February 7, 2020 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Dodge, which covers the county: 1 death, 1 injury and $10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1965, 14 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding” on June 12, 2019.
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
- 573on 399 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 110 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $34Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 22strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 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 Dodge County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 145 since 1961. 57% of its hail reports since 1961 fell in May and June. The rank column places the county among Minnesota'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 145 | 85 | 1961-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | 12 of 87 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 125 | 82 | 1961-2025 | 0 | 0 | $18M | 13 of 87 |
| Winter storms | 124 | 122 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 6 | $1.0M | 16 of 87 |
| Extreme cold | 35 | 35 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 87 |
| Floods | 29 | 23 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | $9.1M | 18 of 87 |
| Tornadoes | 22 | 17 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.0M | 22 of 87 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 21 | 16 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 3 | $14K | 1 of 87 |
| Drought | 18 | 18 | 2011-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 87 |
| Heavy rain | 18 | 9 | 2010-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 87 |
| High wind and dust storms | 17 | 17 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $206K | 18 of 87 |
| Heat | 13 | 13 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | $33K | 13 of 87 |
| Lightning | 5 | 5 | 2005-2019 | 0 | 1 | $1.3M | 8 of 87 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2009-2009 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 of 87 |
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 Dodge County had?
NOAA records 22 tornadoes in Dodge County from 1957 to 2026, the strongest rated EF1, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 22nd of 87 Minnesota 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 Dodge County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 22: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Minnesota.
Every tornado record filed for Dodge County (22)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-17 | Oslo, Dodge County | EF0 2.51 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-04-17 | Oslo, Dodge County | EF0 2.6 mi x 110 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2024-05-20 | Hayfield, Dodge County | EF0 1.39 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-05-20 | Hayfield, Dodge County | EF0 1.16 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-12-15 | West Concord, Dodge County | EF1 0.6 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $11K |
| 2013-06-05 | West Concord, Dodge County | EF0 0.01 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-08-13 | Hayfield, Dodge County | EF1 4.87 mi x 140 yd | 0 | 0 | $181K |
| 2010-06-17 | Hayfield, Dodge County | EF0 4.85 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2010-06-17 | Hayfield, Dodge County | EF1 4.12 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $41K |
| 1999-08-09 | Rice Lake, Dodge County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-07-20 | Dodge Center, Dodge County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-07-20 | Byron, Dodge County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-07-02 | Dodge County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1982-05-17 | Dodge County | F0 0.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1980-06-05 | Dodge County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1973-10-09 | Dodge County | F1 19.5 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1969-05-31 | Dodge County | F0 0.1 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1968-05-15 | Dodge County | F1 1.3 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-05-15 | Dodge County | F1 7.8 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1967-08-01 | Dodge County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1961-06-10 | Dodge County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1957-05-14 | Dodge County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Dodge County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 17, 2026 tornado ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
This weak tornado began in rural areas of southeast Dodge County and moved northeast before crossing into Olmsted County. This tornado mainly resulted in minor damage to trees and farm outbuildings along its path.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1328854)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-29 | Excessive HeatDodge County · forecast zone Dodge | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-17 | HailKasson, Dodge County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | HailHayfield, Dodge County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | HailHayfield, Dodge County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | TornadoOslo, Dodge County | EF0 2.51 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-04-17 | TornadoOslo, Dodge County | EF0 2.6 mi x 110 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-04-13 | HailClaremont, Dodge County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-13 | HailRice Lake, Dodge County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-14 | Winter StormDodge County · forecast zone Dodge | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-13 | High WindDodge County · forecast zone Dodge | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-28 | Winter StormDodge County · forecast zone Dodge | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillDodge County · forecast zone Dodge | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-02-07 | Winter WeatherDodge County · forecast zone Dodge One person was killed in a two vehicle accident south of Blooming Prairie on the morning of February 7th. After the collision, one of the vehicles caught on fire. The roads were reported to be snow and ice covered at the time of the accident and the automated weather observing equipment at the Austin and Dodge Center ... | 1 | 1 | $10K | |
| 2024-12-14 | Winter WeatherDodge County · forecast zone Dodge A vehicle slid and eventually rolled off the road on Highway 57 in Dodge County resulting in two non-life threatening injuries. Minnesota State Patrol observed snow and ice covered roads at the time of the incident. A mix of snow and freezing rain had been reported at the ASOS and AWOS in Rochester and Dodge Center ... | 0 | 2 | $19K | |
| 2024-01-28 | Dense FogDodge County · forecast zone Dodge Dodge County Sheriff's Office reported a collision between a Freightliner semi-truck and Chevrolet Traverse on Minnesota State Highway 56 near Hayfield on the morning of January 29th near 11:00 AM. Nearby automated weather observations reported fog with visibility below 1 statue mile. | 0 | 2 | $14K | |
| 2023-04-16 | Winter WeatherDodge County · forecast zone Dodge Observers reported 1 to 3 inches of snow fell in parts of Dodge County. The slippery conditions resulted in a motor vehicle losing control and having an accident just after midnight Monday April 17th. The driver and the passenger were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2025-02-08 | Winter WeatherDodge County · forecast zone Dodge A vehicle accident occurred on highway 14 near Kasson during the morning hours of February 8th. Between 1 to 2 inches of snow had fallen across the county on the 8th and snow covered roads were reported by Minnesota State Patrol at the time of the incident. | 0 | 1 | $30K | |
| 2023-12-16 | Dense FogDodge County · forecast zone Dodge Minnesota State Patrol reported an automobile accident along Minnesota State Highway 14 in Claremont Township on the afternoon of December 16th. Nearby automated weather observation stations reported rain, mist, and dense fog through much of the day. The accident report filed by the Minnesota State Patrol on December ... | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2006-06-06 | LightningClaremont, Dodge County Lightning struck the steeple of a church building, causing a fire, which eventually burned the entire structure to the ground. A firefighter was seriously injured when a wall collapsed on him. | 0 | 1 | $586K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-05-19 | Thunderstorm WindDodge Center, Dodge County | 0 | 0 | $16M | |
| 2010-09-23 | FloodRice Lake, Dodge County | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | |
| 2019-06-28 | Flash FloodRice Lake, Dodge County | 0 | 0 | $2.2M | |
| 2007-08-19 | FloodDodge Center, Dodge County | 0 | 0 | $932K | |
| 2010-09-23 | Flash FloodRice Lake, Dodge County | 0 | 0 | $677K | |
| 2006-06-06 | LightningClaremont, Dodge County | 0 | 1 | $586K | |
| 2014-06-16 | Flash FloodRice Lake, Dodge County | 0 | 0 | $515K | |
| 2009-07-24 | HailDodge Center, Dodge County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $484K |
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: May 15, 1968 (tornado, Dodge 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 Dodge 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 0 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 49 | 40 | 21 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 19 | 19 | 41 | 23 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 16 | 39 | 42 | 27 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 3 | 7 | 11 | 14 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 16 | 11 | 1 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
57% of its hail reports since 1961 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 57 · Feb 42 · Mar 38 · Apr 33 · May 74 · Jun 103 · Jul 82 · Aug 47 · Sep 36 · Oct 9 · Nov 8 · Dec 44 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Dodge County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Dodge County: 13 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (6) and flood (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-07 | DR-4531 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3453 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-06-12 | DR-4442 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2014-07-21 | DR-4182 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2010-10-13 | DR-1941 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2007-08-23 | DR-1717 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3242 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-10-07 | DR-1569 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2001-05-16 | DR-1370 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2000-06-27 | DR-1333 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1993-06-11 | DR-993 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1991-12-26 | DR-929 | Severe Ice Storm | Ice Storm |
| 1978-07-08 | DR-560 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Hail & Tornadoes |
| 1976-06-17 | EM-3013 | Drought | Drought |
| 1974-07-13 | DR-446 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1965-04-11 | DR-188 | Flood | 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 Dodge County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 29 flood or flash flood records for Dodge County from 1998 to 2024, on 23 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Dodge County ranks 1874th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $476,000 on 32 claims filed in Dodge County; the most in one year was 6 in 2010. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1983: 5 · 1986: 1 · 1990: 1 · 1999: 1 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2004: 3 · 2007: 2 · 2008: 2 · 2010: 6 · 2014: 2 · 2019: 6; 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 Dodge County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Dodge County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $9.8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Low | $526K | 7.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $622K | 5 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $766K | 3.9 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.7M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.1M | 10 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $50K | 20 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $767 | once in about 21 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $157K | 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 Dodge 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 MinnesotaEvery Minnesota tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Hail in MinnesotaThe state's hail reports, by county, year and month
- The Minnesota recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Dodge CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Dodge County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis