Kanabec County, Minnesota
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 27065 · population 16,014 · 522 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 314 records for Kanabec County, Minnesota from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 233 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (89 records). The deadliest single record is the June 10, 1968 tornado: 1 death and 2 injuries. FEMA has issued 11 declarations naming the county since 1965, 9 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on August 9, 2022.
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
- 314on 233 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 15 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $3.7Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 11strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 11latest 2022
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 Kanabec County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 89 since 1996. 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 | 89 | 88 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 51 of 87 |
| Hail | 82 | 52 | 1971-2026 | 0 | 0 | $78K | 65 of 87 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 71 | 51 | 1983-2023 | 0 | 1 | $131K | 57 of 87 |
| Extreme cold | 26 | 25 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $26K | 50 of 87 |
| Floods | 11 | 9 | 1997-2018 | 0 | 0 | $371K | 65 of 87 |
| Tornadoes | 11 | 11 | 1955-2019 | 1 | 2 | $3.1M | 59 of 87 |
| Heavy rain | 10 | 5 | 2004-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 30 of 87 |
| Heat | 7 | 7 | 1999-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 51 of 87 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 3 | 1996-2004 | 0 | 0 | $156 | 77 of 87 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2004-2008 | 0 | 2 | – | 31 of 87 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 1999-2001 | 0 | 0 | – | 69 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 Kanabec County had?
NOAA records 11 tornadoes in Kanabec County from 1955 to 2019, the strongest rated F2, with 1 death and 2 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 10 tornadoes whose track touched Kanabec County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 11: 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 Kanabec County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968-06-10 15:30, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F1 | 0.3 mi | 1 |
| 1955-09-16 14:30, as SPC files it | Mora | F1 | 10.4 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Minnesota.
Every tornado record filed for Kanabec County (11)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-09-21 | Coin, Kanabec County | EF0 1.23 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2001-06-18 | Grasston, Kanabec County | F1 0.3 mi x 0 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-05-09 | Quamba, Kanabec County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-08-14 | Warman, Kanabec County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-09-18 | Woodland, Kanabec County | F2 17 mi x 450 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-06-14 | Hinckley, Kanabec County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-07-05 | Kanabec County | F1 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1985-07-03 | Kanabec County | F2 8 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1981-06-28 | Kanabec County | F1 0.3 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-06-10 | Kanabec County | F1 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 1 | 2 | $25K step |
| 1955-09-16 | Kanabec County | F1 10.4 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K 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 Kanabec County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 21, 2019 tornado ($12,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Two storm chasers documented a tornado that mostly crossed open fields. A NWS storm survey revealed damage to some bean fields as well as about two dozen trees uprooted or broken. No structural damage was noted.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 848778)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-19 | HailCoin, Kanabec County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-19 | HailGrasston, Kanabec County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-19 | HailOgilvie, Kanabec County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-02 | Winter WeatherKanabec County · forecast zone Kanabec | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-14 | Winter WeatherKanabec County · forecast zone Kanabec | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-24 | Winter WeatherKanabec County · forecast zone Kanabec | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillKanabec County · forecast zone Kanabec | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-28 | Winter StormKanabec County · forecast zone Kanabec | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-25 | Winter WeatherKanabec County · forecast zone Kanabec | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-09 | Winter StormKanabec County · forecast zone Kanabec | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-25 | Winter StormKanabec County · forecast zone Kanabec | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-01 | Winter WeatherKanabec County · forecast zone Kanabec | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968-06-10 | TornadoKanabec County | F1 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 1 | 2 | $25K step |
| 2008-06-27 | LightningMora, Kanabec County A 47 year old male was struck by lightning in his back yard. The victim was unconscious for several hours and admitted to Hennepin County Medical Center. Luckily, he suffered no serious injuries. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2004-09-13 | LightningMora, Kanabec County Lightning struck a pickup truck on Highway 65. The driver, a 22-year-old man, was stunned by the bolt. He was found shaking and somewhat incoherent but quickly recovered. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1999-05-06 | Thunderstorm WindBrunswick, Kanabec County Mobile home blown over. One person injured. | 0 | 1 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-07-12 | Flash FloodOgilvie, Kanabec County | 0 | 0 | $294K | |
| 2019-09-21 | TornadoCoin, Kanabec County | EF0 1.23 mi x 80 yd | 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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: September 16, 1955 (tornado, Kanabec 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 Kanabec 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 | – | – | – | – | 9 | 27 | 27 | 26 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 27 | 27 | 10 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 16 | 23 | 17 | 8 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 5 | 4 | 11 | 6 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Kanabec County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 24 · Feb 22 · Mar 23 · Apr 21 · May 18 · Jun 39 · Jul 71 · Aug 34 · Sep 18 · Oct 7 · Nov 12 · Dec 25 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Kanabec County
FEMA's register lists 11 declarations that include Kanabec County: 8 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (5) and severe storm (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-08-09 | DR-4666 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2020-04-07 | DR-4531 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3453 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-09-05 | DR-4390 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-07-28 | DR-4009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3242 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001-05-16 | DR-1370 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 1976-06-17 | EM-3013 | Drought | Drought |
| 1972-08-01 | DR-347 | 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 Kanabec County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 11 flood or flash flood records for Kanabec County from 1997 to 2018, on 9 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Kanabec County ranks 2075th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $173,000 on 21 claims filed in Kanabec County; the most in one year was 9 in 2016. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1984: 4 · 2001: 4 · 2002: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2016: 9 · 2018: 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 Kanabec County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Kanabec County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $8.5 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 | $2.0M | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $304K | 4.1 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $185K | 32 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $874K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $41K | 7.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $300K | 2.8 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $119K | once in about 1,078 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $781 | once in about 13 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Kanabec 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 Kanabec CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Kanabec County's FEMA declarations (CSV)11 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis