Lake County, Minnesota
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 27075 · population 10,884 · 2,109 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 618 records for Lake County, Minnesota from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 380 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (268 records). 456 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 deadliest single record is the July 21, 2016 thunderstorm wind: 2 deaths and 2 injuries. FEMA has issued 12 declarations naming the county since 1972, 10 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
- 618on 380 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 88 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $4.6Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 7strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 12latest 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 Lake County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 268 since 1996. 41% 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 | 268 | 178 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $1.1M | 77 of 87 |
| Extreme cold | 97 | 59 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 79 of 87 |
| Drought | 76 | 46 | 2006-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 of 87 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 71 | 35 | 1977-2025 | 3 | 5 | $10K | 86 of 87 |
| Hail | 61 | 41 | 1975-2026 | 0 | 1 | $160K | 86 of 87 |
| Floods | 17 | 9 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | 85 of 87 |
| High wind and dust storms | 7 | 6 | 1999-2023 | 1 | 0 | – | 81 of 87 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 7 | 1976-2024 | 0 | 0 | $266K | 85 of 87 |
| Wildfires | 6 | 6 | 2006-2026 | 0 | 2 | – | 3 of 87 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 68 of 87 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 1996-2013 | 1 | 0 | $317K | 69 of 87 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 82 of 87 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 1 | 1 | 2023-2023 | 2 | 0 | – | 4 of 87 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 83 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 Lake County had?
NOAA records 7 tornadoes in Lake County from 1976 to 2024, 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 8 tornadoes whose track touched Lake County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 7: 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, 0 of them in Lake County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969-08-06 17:50, as SPC files it | Two Harbors | F3 | 17.2 mi | 2 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Minnesota.
Every tornado record filed for Lake County (7)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-12 | Isabella, Lake County | EF1 4.2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-07-06 | Forest Center, Lake County | EF1 0.93 mi x 264 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-05-28 | Mc Nair, Lake County | EF0 1.96 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-07-07 | Lake County | F1 0.3 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-09-05 | Lake County | F1 2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1976-06-12 | Lake County | F1 0.2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-04-14 | Lake County | F1 9.6 mi x 33 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 Lake County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the November 25, 2025 heavy snow (1 death).
Snowfall totals around southern Lake County were in the 4 to 7 inch range with the snow being heavy and wet. A high report of 7.5 inches was recorded about 8 miles northwest of Two Harbors. A man clearing snow was killed when a tree laden with the heavy wet snow snapped in the strong winds and landed on him.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1302327)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-25 | HailHigen City, Lake County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-15 | WildfireLake County and St. Louis County · forecast zone Southern Lake | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-17 | HailSilver Creek, Lake County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | HailWaldo, Lake County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-02 | Heavy SnowLake County and St. Louis County · forecast zone Southern Lake | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | BlizzardLake County and St. Louis County · forecast zone Southern Lake | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Heavy SnowCook County and Lake County · forecast zone Northern Cook / Northern Lake | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-18 | BlizzardLake County and St. Louis County · forecast zone Southern Lake | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-18 | Heavy SnowCook County and Lake County · forecast zone Northern Cook / Northern Lake | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillLake County and St. Louis County · forecast zone Southern Lake | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillCook County and Lake County · forecast zone Northern Cook / Northern Lake | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-19 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillLake County and St. Louis County · forecast zone Southern Lake | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindForest Center, Lake County Severe thunderstorm winds knocked down numerous trees near the Prairie Portage area of Basswood Lake right on and near the Canadian border. Trees were blown down near the campsite of 9 campers who were affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America. One woman (age 39) and one boy (age 13) were killed when trees fell on ... | 61 kt wind | 2 | 2 | – |
| 2023-06-24 | High SurfLake County and St. Louis County · forecast zone Southern Lake Two 18 year old males died while cliff jumping at Black Beach in Silver Bay. The two jumped from the cliff just before 1:30PM CDT on the 25th and were seen struggling in the water before slipping beneath the waves. Waves at the time were in the 3 to 6 foot range with northeast winds gusting to 20 to 25 knots. ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2003-07-02 | Thunderstorm WindIsabella, Lake County A large tree fell on the tent of a couple who were camping at Jackfish Bay of Basswood Lake. The woman was killed while her 42 year old fiance was knocked unconscious. | 50 kt wind | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2025-11-25 | Heavy SnowLake County and St. Louis County · forecast zone Southern Lake Snowfall totals around southern Lake County were in the 4 to 7 inch range with the snow being heavy and wet. A high report of 7.5 inches was recorded about 8 miles northwest of Two Harbors. A man clearing snow was killed when a tree laden with the heavy wet snow snapped in the strong winds and landed on him. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2020-05-20 | Strong WindCook County and Lake County · forecast zone Northern Cook / Northern Lake A canoe with three people aboard capsized on Tuscarora Lake within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness at around 2PM the afternoon of the 20th. Winds at the time were from the south and gusting to 15 to 20 mph. Water temperatures were also extremely cold. All three occupants were wearing life jackets and two ... | 17 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 1996-06-28 | LightningEly, Lake County A 25 year old man was struck and killed by lightning while camping in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The victim was an instructor for the Voyageur Outward Bound School. Another man was knocked unconscious. The incident occurred at a camp site near the Lake One Dam on the Kawishiwi River. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2006-07-13 | WildfireCook County and Lake County · forecast zone Northern Cook / Northern Lake Lightning caused a wildfire to breakout two miles south of Seagull Lake on the Gunflint Trail in the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). The fire was eventually called the "Cavity Lake Fire" and has been the largest fire in the area in one hundred years. The fire spread quickly and eventually consumed 31,830 ... | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2014-07-22 | Thunderstorm WindForest Center, Lake County A camper was injured from a tree falling on the campsite. | 61 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-06-19 | Flash FloodKnife River, Lake County | 0 | 0 | $2.4M | |
| 2009-03-23 | Ice StormLake County and St. Louis County · forecast zone Southern Lake | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 2013-07-06 | LightningFinland, Lake County | 0 | 0 | $317K | |
| 2003-07-19 | HailIsabella, Lake County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 1 | $160K |
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: April 14, 1976 (tornado, Lake County); June 12, 1976 (tornado, Lake 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 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 | – | – | – | – | 40 | 76 | 83 | 69 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 18 | 48 | 29 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 26 | 26 | 24 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 16 | 22 | 17 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 27 | 11 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 6 | 7 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
41% 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 110 · Feb 72 · Mar 54 · Apr 58 · May 39 · Jun 42 · Jul 67 · Aug 28 · Sep 22 · Oct 16 · Nov 34 · Dec 76 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Lake County
FEMA's register lists 12 declarations that include Lake County: 9 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (5) and severe storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-28 | DR-4797 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2022-07-13 | DR-4659 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, 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 |
| 2012-07-06 | DR-4069 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2009-04-09 | DR-1830 | 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 |
| 1999-07-28 | DR-1283 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Winds, and Flooding |
| 1976-06-17 | EM-3013 | Drought | Drought |
| 1972-08-25 | DR-350 | Flood | Severe Storms & 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 Lake County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 17 flood or flash flood records for Lake County from 1997 to 2024, on 9 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Lake County ranks 2400th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $938,000 on 9 claims filed in Lake County; the most in one year was 3 in 2019. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1997: 1 · 2001: 2 · 2012: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2019: 3; 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 $10.8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $2.0M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $242K | 24 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $4.3M | 18 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $502K | 25 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $98K | once in about 1,333 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $449 | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | $3.4M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $22K | once in about 8 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 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 Lake CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Lake County's FEMA declarations (CSV)12 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis