Lake County, Michigan
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 26085 · population 12,084 · 568 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 182 records for Lake County, Michigan from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 171 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (93 records). 103 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The most damaging was the June 13, 2008 flash flood ($3.4 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 9 declarations naming the county since 1977, 7 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on June 30, 2026.
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
- 182on 171 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 00 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $22Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 4strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 9latest 2026
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 Lake County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 93 since 1996. 60% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 93 | 92 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $999K | 34 of 83 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 46 | 43 | 1976-2025 | 0 | 0 | $3.4M | 65 of 83 |
| Hail | 21 | 18 | 1961-2026 | 0 | 0 | $320K | 74 of 83 |
| Floods | 9 | 9 | 1997-2019 | 0 | 0 | $10M | 42 of 83 |
| High wind and dust storms | 9 | 9 | 1997-2017 | 0 | 0 | $6.9M | 56 of 83 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 3 | 1985-2018 | 0 | 0 | $537K | 73 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 Lake County had?
NOAA records 4 tornadoes in Lake County from 1985 to 2018, the strongest rated EF1, 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 4 tornadoes whose track touched Lake County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 4, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Michigan.
Every tornado record filed for Lake County (4)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-08-28 | Baldwin Municipal Airport, Lake County | EF1 1 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $118K |
| 2018-08-28 | Baldwin, Lake County | EF0 1.05 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $118K |
| 2005-07-26 | Baldwin, Lake County | F1 4 mi x 850 yd | 0 | 0 | $302K |
| 1985-06-08 | Lake County | F1 6.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Lake County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 7, 2021 hail ($27,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Hail up to two and a half inches in diameter was reported.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 977558)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-31 | HailLuther, Lake County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-30 | HailLittle Manistee, Lake County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-18 | Winter StormLake County · forecast zone Lake | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-29 | Winter StormLake County · forecast zone Lake | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-26 | Winter StormLake County · forecast zone Lake | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-15 | Thunderstorm WindOlivers, Lake County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-18 | HailLittle Manistee, Lake County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-01-21 | Winter StormLake County · forecast zone Lake | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-09-07 | HailBaldwin, Lake County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2019-07-20 | FloodIrons, Lake County | 0 | 0 | $923K | |
| 2019-07-19 | Thunderstorm WindWolf Lake, Lake County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $289K |
| 2018-08-28 | TornadoBaldwin Municipal Airport, Lake County | EF1 1 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $118K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-06-13 | Flash FloodPeacock, Lake County | 0 | 0 | $3.4M | |
| 1998-05-31 | Thunderstorm WindBranch, Lake County | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 2019-07-20 | FloodIrons, Lake County | 0 | 0 | $923K | |
| 2010-12-11 | Winter StormLake County · forecast zone Lake | 0 | 0 | $338K | |
| 2005-07-26 | TornadoBaldwin, Lake County | F1 4 mi x 850 yd | 0 | 0 | $302K |
| 2018-08-28 | TornadoBaldwin, Lake County | EF0 1.05 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $118K |
| 2021-09-07 | HailBaldwin, Lake County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $27K |
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 Lake 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 | – | – | – | – | 21 | 38 | 26 | 8 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 15 | 9 | 8 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
60% 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 31 · Feb 21 · Mar 17 · Apr 9 · May 16 · Jun 17 · Jul 15 · Aug 17 · Sep 4 · Oct 1 · Nov 8 · Dec 26 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Lake County
FEMA's register lists 9 declarations that include Lake County: 5 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (3) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | DR-4925 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2020-03-27 | DR-4494 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3455 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2008-07-14 | DR-1777 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3225 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1986-09-18 | DR-774 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1985-09-18 | DR-744 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1978-01-27 | EM-3057 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1977-03-02 | EM-3035 | Drought | Drought |
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 Lake County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 9 flood or flash flood records for Lake County from 1997 to 2019, on 9 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Lake County ranks 1694th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.2 million on 46 claims filed in Lake County; the most in one year was 8 in 2014. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1982: 2 · 1985: 2 · 1986: 7 · 1987: 2 · 1989: 4 · 1991: 2 · 1994: 1 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 4 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 8 · 2017: 3 · 2019: 8 · 2020: 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 Lake County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Lake County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $167K | 25 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $819K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $4K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $3.2M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $102K | 30 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $382K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $21K | once in about 6,061 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $213K | once in about 11 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Lake 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
- Winter storms in MichiganThe state's winter storm records, 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 Lake CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Lake County's FEMA declarations (CSV)9 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis