Gladwin County, Michigan
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 26051 · population 25,371 · 502 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 208 records for Gladwin County, Michigan from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 177 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (80 records). The deadliest single record is the July 18, 1996 lightning: 1 death and 6 injuries. FEMA has issued 12 declarations naming the county since 1976, 8 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms and Flooding” on August 2, 2017.
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
- 208on 177 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 16 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $22Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 10strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 12latest 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 Gladwin County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 80 since 1958. 49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 fell in July and August. 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 | 80 | 65 | 1958-2025 | 0 | 0 | $701K | 40 of 83 |
| Winter storms | 50 | 49 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $105K | 72 of 83 |
| Hail | 41 | 35 | 1983-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 37 of 83 |
| Floods | 14 | 11 | 1996-2020 | 0 | 0 | $20M | 30 of 83 |
| Tornadoes | 10 | 10 | 1955-2024 | 0 | 0 | $914K | 41 of 83 |
| High wind and dust storms | 6 | 6 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | $65K | 70 of 83 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 4 | 2007-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 57 of 83 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 2001-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 34 of 83 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 1996-1996 | 1 | 6 | – | 46 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 Gladwin County had?
NOAA records 10 tornadoes in Gladwin County from 1955 to 2024, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 41st 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 10 tornadoes whose track touched Gladwin County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 10, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976-03-30 13:10, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 11.4 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Michigan.
Every tornado record filed for Gladwin County (10)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-22 | Butman, Gladwin County | EF1 10.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 2001-06-09 | Gladwin County | F1 3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $150K |
| 2000-05-12 | Gladwin County | F0 1.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-07-23 | Gladwin County | F0 0.2 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-06-18 | Gladwin County | F1 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-03-30 | Gladwin County | F3 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1975-05-21 | Gladwin County | F2 1.6 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1974-09-12 | Gladwin County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-06-07 | Gladwin County | F1 0.2 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1955-06-07 | Gladwin County | F2 3.8 mi x 100 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 Gladwin County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 24, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($12,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-31 | HailBuckeye, Gladwin County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-11-29 | Winter StormGladwin County · forecast zone Gladwin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-24 | Thunderstorm WindSkeels, Gladwin County | 44 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2025-07-02 | Thunderstorm WindButman, Gladwin County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-06-22 | TornadoButman, Gladwin County | EF1 10.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 2020-05-18 | Flash FloodDale, Gladwin County | 0 | 0 | $7.4M | |
| 2020-05-18 | FloodGladwin Fortier Airport, Gladwin County | 0 | 0 | $13M | |
| 2012-05-03 | HailRhodes, Gladwin County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-06-09 | TornadoGladwin County | F1 3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $150K |
| 2000-05-12 | TornadoGladwin County | F0 1.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindBeaverton, Gladwin County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1998-09-26 | HailGladwin County | 2.50 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-07-18 | LightningGladwin County No rain fell in Gladwin on this date; however a single bolt of lightning from a distant thunderstorm, struck and killed the pitcher in a mens league softball game. Several in the infield were knocked to the ground by the lightning and three were taken to the hospital that day. The ages of the softball players who were ... | 1 | 6 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-05-18 | FloodGladwin Fortier Airport, Gladwin County | 0 | 0 | $13M | |
| 2020-05-18 | Flash FloodDale, Gladwin County | 0 | 0 | $7.4M | |
| 2001-06-09 | TornadoGladwin County | F1 3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $150K |
| 2024-06-22 | TornadoButman, Gladwin County | EF1 10.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 2025-07-24 | Thunderstorm WindSkeels, Gladwin County | 44 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $12K |
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: June 7, 1955 (tornado, Gladwin County); September 12, 1974 (tornado, Gladwin County); June 18, 1976 (tornado, Gladwin 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 Gladwin 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 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 13 | 20 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 25 | 15 | 3 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 12 | 8 | 6 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
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 severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 fell in July and August. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 15 · Feb 18 · Mar 12 · Apr 12 · May 24 · Jun 43 · Jul 27 · Aug 29 · Sep 9 · Oct 3 · Nov 5 · Dec 11 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Gladwin County
FEMA's register lists 12 declarations that include Gladwin County: 6 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (3) and dam/levee break (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-07-09 | DR-4547 | Dam/Levee Break | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2020-05-21 | EM-3525 | Dam/Levee Break | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2020-03-27 | DR-4494 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3455 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-08-02 | DR-4326 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 1986-09-18 | DR-774 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-01-27 | EM-3057 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1977-03-02 | EM-3035 | Drought | Drought |
| 1976-03-19 | DR-495 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Icing & 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 Gladwin County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 14 flood or flash flood records for Gladwin County from 1996 to 2020, on 11 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Gladwin County ranks 1887th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.7 million on 31 claims filed in Gladwin County; the most in one year was 10 in 2020. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2004: 8 · 2006: 4 · 2007: 2 · 2014: 6 · 2018: 1 · 2020: 10; 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 Gladwin County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Gladwin County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $9.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $170K | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $680K | 2.2 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.4M | 2.2 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $312K | 29 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $232K | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $5.5M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $883K | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $31K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Gladwin 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 Gladwin CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Gladwin County's FEMA declarations (CSV)12 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis