Fillmore County, Minnesota
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 27045 · population 21,197 · 861 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 688 records for Fillmore County, Minnesota from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 438 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (194 records). The deadliest single record is the May 10, 1953 tornado: 1 death and 6 injuries. FEMA has issued 18 declarations naming the county since 1965, 16 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms and Flooding” on June 28, 2024.
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
- 688on 438 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 634 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $166Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 25strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 18latest 2024
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 Fillmore County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 194 since 1969. 54% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1969 fell in June and July. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 194 | 104 | 1969-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | 42 of 87 |
| Hail | 175 | 107 | 1964-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | 45 of 87 |
| Winter storms | 119 | 118 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 6 | $193K | 65 of 87 |
| Floods | 48 | 40 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 0 | $94M | 23 of 87 |
| Extreme cold | 33 | 33 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 69 of 87 |
| Heavy rain | 27 | 13 | 2010-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 87 |
| Tornadoes | 25 | 18 | 1953-2025 | 1 | 23 | $66M | 60 of 87 |
| Drought | 23 | 23 | 2012-2024 | 0 | 0 | $207K | 23 of 87 |
| High wind and dust storms | 18 | 18 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 4 | $1.0M | 46 of 87 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 13 | 13 | 1997-2024 | 3 | 1 | $21K | 28 of 87 |
| Heat | 12 | 12 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | $58K | 50 of 87 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2000-2000 | 0 | 0 | $31K | 64 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 Fillmore County had?
NOAA records 25 tornadoes in Fillmore County from 1953 to 2025, the strongest rated F4, with 1 death and 23 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 28 tornadoes whose track touched Fillmore County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 25: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people, 1 of them in Fillmore County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953-05-10 17:30, as SPC files it | StanleyCrossed IA, MN, WI | F4 | 162 mi | 2 |
| 1965-05-05 19:00, as SPC files it | Canton to HoustonCrossed MN, WI | F3 | 65.2 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Minnesota.
Every tornado record filed for Fillmore County (25)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-25 | Choice, Fillmore County | EF1 2.24 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2022-04-12 | Ostrander, Fillmore County | EF1 2.3 mi x 180 yd | 0 | 0 | $655K |
| 2021-12-15 | Bratsberg, Fillmore County | EF1 2.35 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $103K |
| 2021-12-15 | Arendahl, Fillmore County | EF1 1.19 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $44K |
| 2021-12-15 | Preston, Fillmore County | EF1 1.77 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K |
| 2021-12-15 | Preston, Fillmore County | EF0 0.51 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $300K |
| 2021-12-15 | Washington, Fillmore County | EF0 4.6 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $289K |
| 2019-05-27 | Wykoff, Fillmore County | EF0 0.19 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $23K |
| 2019-05-27 | Etna, Fillmore County | EF0 0.21 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2019-05-27 | Etna, Fillmore County | EF0 0.18 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 2019-05-27 | York, Fillmore County | EF0 6.01 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $231K |
| 2018-09-04 | Rushford Vlg, Fillmore County | EF1 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2018-05-30 | Bristol, Fillmore County | EF0 0.46 mi x 8 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 2017-07-19 | Preston Fllmr Airport, Fillmore County | EF1 2.03 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $36K |
| 2011-05-22 | York, Fillmore County | EF2 14.8 mi x 225 yd | 0 | 1 | $328K |
| 2004-06-16 | Harmony, Fillmore County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-06-11 | Spring Vly, Fillmore County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-06-19 | Harmony, Fillmore County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1982-05-17 | Fillmore County | F0 8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1977-07-14 | Fillmore County | F2 9.2 mi x 1,500 yd | 0 | 10 | $2.5M step |
| 1973-07-23 | Fillmore County | F0 0.8 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1968-05-15 | Fillmore County | F1 8.4 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-04-20 | Fillmore County | F1 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1965-05-05 | Fillmore County | F3 18.8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 6 | $2.5M step |
| 1953-05-10 | Fillmore County | F4 26.2 mi x 33 yd | 1 | 6 | $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.
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 Fillmore County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 13, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-29 | Excessive HeatFillmore County · forecast zone Fillmore | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-14 | HailBratsberg, Fillmore County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-14 | HailHarmony, Fillmore County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-13 | Thunderstorm WindOstrander, Fillmore County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-04-13 | Thunderstorm WindCarinona, Fillmore County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-13 | Thunderstorm WindSpring Vly, Fillmore County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | Winter StormFillmore County · forecast zone Fillmore | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-13 | High WindFillmore County · forecast zone Fillmore | 56 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $15K |
| 2026-02-28 | Winter StormFillmore County · forecast zone Fillmore | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-19 | Winter StormFillmore County · forecast zone Fillmore | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillFillmore County · forecast zone Fillmore | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-21 | Winter WeatherFillmore County · forecast zone Fillmore | 0 | 4 | $50K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953-05-10 | TornadoFillmore County | F4 26.2 mi x 33 yd | 1 | 6 | $2.5M step |
| 2011-02-11 | Winter WeatherFillmore County · forecast zone Fillmore An icy roadway caused a four vehicle accident on Highway 63 two miles south of Spring Valley. Two people were injured and a female passenger died in the crash. | 1 | 2 | $10K | |
| 2014-12-20 | Freezing FogFillmore County · forecast zone Fillmore A woman was killed in a one car accident that occurred near Pilot Mound during the evening of December 20th. Icy conditions developed from moisture deposited on the roads from fog with temperatures below freezing. The vehicle the woman was riding in went off the road because of the icy conditions and rolled into a ... | 1 | 1 | $6K | |
| 2023-12-21 | Dense FogFillmore County · forecast zone Fillmore A fatal automobile accident from a vehicle leaving the roadway occurred in Sumner Township along Fillmore County Road 4 near the intersection with Fillmore County Road 38 late on Thursday, December 21st. Nearby weather observation stations reported visibilities as low as 3/4 statute miles and several hours of mist. | 1 | 0 | $2K | |
| 2022-11-05 | Winter WeatherFillmore County · forecast zone Fillmore One person was killed in a two vehicle accident that occurred on U.S. Highway 52 southeast of Canton on November 5th. Roads were snow covered and slippery at the time of the accident. Light snow had been falling for several hours before the accident and continued into the early morning of the 6th. | 1 | 0 | $18K | |
| 2012-02-02 | Dense FogFillmore County · forecast zone Fillmore A person died after being involved in a two vehicle accident near Spring Valley that occurred in dense fog. The automated weather observing equipment at the Preston airport reported a visibility of a quarter mile or less from 7 p.m. February 2nd until 10 a.m. | 1 | 0 | $13K | |
| 1977-07-14 | TornadoFillmore County | F2 9.2 mi x 1,500 yd | 0 | 10 | $2.5M step |
| 1965-05-05 | TornadoFillmore County | F3 18.8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 6 | $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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-08-18 | Flash FloodRushford, Fillmore County | 0 | 0 | $55M | |
| 2007-08-19 | FloodRushford, Fillmore County | 0 | 0 | $17M | |
| 2008-06-08 | FloodSpring Vly, Fillmore County | 0 | 0 | $5.3M | |
| 2013-06-23 | Flash FloodFillmore County | 0 | 0 | $4.4M | |
| 2000-06-01 | Flash FloodCountywide, Fillmore County | 0 | 0 | $3.9M | |
| 2008-06-08 | FloodLanesboro, Fillmore County | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | |
| 2016-09-21 | Flash FloodRushford, Fillmore County | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 2008-06-07 | Flash FloodMabel, Fillmore County | 0 | 0 | $1.7M |
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: May 10, 1953 (tornado, Fillmore County, 1 killed); July 14, 1977 (tornado, Fillmore County); May 5, 1965 (tornado, Fillmore 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 Fillmore 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 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 35 | 41 | 44 | 54 |
| Hail | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 26 | 66 | 47 | 19 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 14 | 38 | 43 | 24 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 5 | 23 | 16 | 4 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 3 | 7 | 10 | 13 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 25 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
54% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1969 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 56 · Feb 39 · Mar 31 · Apr 55 · May 77 · Jun 155 · Jul 99 · Aug 52 · Sep 43 · Oct 10 · Nov 11 · Dec 60 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Fillmore County
FEMA's register lists 18 declarations that include Fillmore County: 15 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (6) and severe storm (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-28 | DR-4797 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2016-11-02 | DR-4290 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2013-07-25 | DR-4131 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2008-06-25 | DR-1772 | 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 |
| 2000-06-27 | DR-1333 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1998-06-23 | DR-1225 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 1969-04-18 | DR-255 | Flood | 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 Fillmore County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 48 flood or flash flood records for Fillmore County from 1997 to 2024, on 40 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Fillmore County ranks 1311th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $753,000 on 99 claims filed in Fillmore County; the most in one year was 23 in 2000. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1980: 4 · 1981: 9 · 1998: 1 · 2000: 23 · 2001: 12 · 2004: 2 · 2007: 7 · 2008: 16 · 2013: 16 · 2016: 3 · 2017: 1 · 2019: 2 · 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 Fillmore County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Fillmore County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $17.0 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 | $1.9M | 9.9 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $29K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $12M | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $2.0M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $383K | 4.4 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $125K | 11 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $52K | 19 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $40K | about once 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 Fillmore 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
- Severe thunderstorm wind in MinnesotaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, 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 Fillmore CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Fillmore County's FEMA declarations (CSV)18 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis