Houston County, Minnesota
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 27055 · population 18,807 · 552 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 422 records for Houston County, Minnesota from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 322 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (99 records). The deadliest day on its record was August 18, 2007: flash flood records filed for Houston County that day count 2 deaths across 2 records. FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1965, 19 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
- 422on 322 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 234 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $135Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 14strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 21latest 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 Houston County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 99 since 1996. 49% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 99 | 98 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $674K | 46 of 87 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 98 | 70 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 38 of 87 |
| Hail | 79 | 55 | 1967-2025 | 0 | 2 | $4.4M | 66 of 87 |
| Floods | 46 | 39 | 1997-2024 | 2 | 32 | $101M | 11 of 87 |
| Drought | 20 | 20 | 2012-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 of 87 |
| Heavy rain | 20 | 12 | 2007-2023 | 0 | 0 | $373K | 6 of 87 |
| Extreme cold | 18 | 18 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 74 of 87 |
| Tornadoes | 14 | 12 | 1960-2025 | 0 | 0 | $25M | 58 of 87 |
| Heat | 13 | 13 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | $16K | 28 of 87 |
| High wind and dust storms | 6 | 6 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | $306K | 68 of 87 |
| Lightning | 6 | 6 | 2000-2021 | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | 11 of 87 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 2010-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 62 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 Houston County had?
NOAA records 14 tornadoes in Houston County from 1960 to 2025, the strongest rated F3, 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 14 tornadoes whose track touched Houston County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 14, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Houston County (14)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-25 | Eitzen, Houston County | EF0 2.65 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2025-06-25 | Freeburg, Houston County | EF0 1.12 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-25 | Black Hammer, Houston County | EF1 4.29 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $87K |
| 2022-07-23 | Money Creek, Houston County | EF0 4.21 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $126K |
| 2021-12-15 | Perkins, Houston County | EF1 7.31 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $327K |
| 2011-05-22 | Mound Prairie, Houston County | EF2 10.44 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $315K |
| 2008-06-07 | Perkins, Houston County | EF0 0.05 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-08-23 | Caledonia, Houston County | F0 0.5 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $193K |
| 1991-04-08 | Houston County | F1 3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1978-05-29 | Houston County | F1 0.3 mi x 180 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1977-06-27 | Houston County | F1 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1965-08-25 | Houston County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1965-05-05 | Houston County | F3 18 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1960-06-10 | Houston County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $30 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 Houston County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 28, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-29 | Excessive HeatHouston County · forecast zone Houston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | Winter StormHouston County · forecast zone Houston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-28 | Winter StormHouston County · forecast zone Houston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-19 | Winter StormHouston County · forecast zone Houston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillHouston County · forecast zone Houston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-28 | Winter StormHouston County · forecast zone Houston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-28 | Winter StormHouston County · forecast zone Houston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-28 | Thunderstorm WindHouston County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindHokah, Houston County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-06-25 | TornadoEitzen, Houston County | EF0 2.65 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2025-06-25 | TornadoFreeburg, Houston County | EF0 1.12 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-25 | TornadoBlack Hammer, Houston County | EF1 4.29 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $87K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-08-18 | Flash FloodLa Crescent, Houston County A man was killed when he attempted to cross flood waters with two others in his vehicle. The car was washed away on County Road 6 near Pine Creek. His two female companions were rescued but the victim's legs were pinned under a part of the car and rescue workers could not save him. Several rescue workers also became ... | 1 | 2 | $4.6M | |
| 2007-08-18 | Flash FloodHouston County A 55-year old man was killed near Storer Creek when his mobile home was swept away by flash flooding. The man had been asked to evacuate twice before flood waters swept him and his home away. The normally tranquil trout stream was about 80 yards wide and 7 to 8 feet above nearby bridges. | 1 | 0 | $954K | |
| 2007-08-18 | Flash FloodHokah, Houston County At least 50 mudslides were reported across the county with four state highways and eight county roads closed. At one point 20 roads were closed across the county. Some homes collapsed or were carried away by mudslides. Numerous railroad tracks and bridges washed out. There were numerous reports of injuries. Hardest ... | 0 | 30 | $39M | |
| 1996-05-18 | HailEitzen, Houston County Baseball size hail damaged crops and injured farmers in the area. | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 2 | $2.8M |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-08-18 | Flash FloodHokah, Houston County | 0 | 30 | $39M | |
| 2008-06-08 | FloodBlack Hammer, Houston County | 0 | 0 | $16M | |
| 2013-06-22 | Flash FloodHouston County | 0 | 0 | $9.9M | |
| 2007-08-18 | Flash FloodMoney Creek, Houston County | 0 | 0 | $9.0M | |
| 2008-06-07 | Flash FloodNewhouse, Houston County | 0 | 0 | $5.5M | |
| 2007-08-18 | Flash FloodLa Crescent, Houston County | 1 | 2 | $4.6M | |
| 1996-05-18 | HailEitzen, Houston County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 2 | $2.8M |
| 2000-06-01 | Flash FloodCountywide, Houston County | 0 | 0 | $2.6M |
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 5, 1965 (tornado, Houston 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 Houston 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 | – | – | – | – | 10 | 35 | 34 | 20 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 22 | 17 | 33 | 14 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 22 | 34 | 4 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 19 | 21 | 4 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 8 | 12 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 18 | 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 winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 35 · Feb 28 · Mar 24 · Apr 38 · May 38 · Jun 73 · Jul 57 · Aug 46 · Sep 28 · Oct 15 · Nov 5 · Dec 35 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Houston County
FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Houston County: 18 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (9) and severe storm (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-28 | DR-4797 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2023-07-19 | DR-4722 | 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 |
| 2010-07-02 | DR-1921 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, 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 |
| 2001-05-16 | DR-1370 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2000-06-27 | DR-1333 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1998-06-23 | DR-1225 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 1997-04-08 | DR-1175 | Flood | Severe Flooding, High Winds,Severe Storms |
| 1993-06-11 | DR-993 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 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 Houston County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 46 flood or flash flood records for Houston County from 1997 to 2024, on 39 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Houston County ranks 1428th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.1 million on 78 claims filed in Houston County; the most in one year was 28 in 2001. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 2 · 1980: 2 · 1982: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1990: 1 · 1993: 10 · 1994: 1 · 1997: 5 · 2000: 3 · 2001: 28 · 2005: 1 · 2007: 7 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 3 · 2013: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2023: 5 · 2024: 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 Houston County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Houston County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $14.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $72K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $704K | 3.9 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $2.4M | 7.6 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $8.6M | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $122K | 6.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.4M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $42K | 17 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $229K | 3.2 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 Houston 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
- Winter storms in MinnesotaThe state's winter storm records, 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 Houston CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Houston County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis