Mackinac County, Michigan
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 26097 · population 10,817 · 1,022 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 217 records for Mackinac County, Michigan from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 175 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (128 records). 158 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 August 15, 2009 rip current, filed for the forecast zone Mackinac, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 7 declarations naming the county since 1977, 5 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm” on July 22, 2025.
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
- 217on 175 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 21 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $962Kas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 4strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 7latest 2025
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 Mackinac County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 128 since 1996. 51% 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 | 128 | 105 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $64K | 69 of 83 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 31 | 24 | 1975-2017 | 0 | 0 | $205K | 83 of 83 |
| Hail | 18 | 16 | 1979-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 82 of 83 |
| High wind and dust storms | 12 | 12 | 1998-2021 | 0 | 0 | $105K | 71 of 83 |
| Extreme cold | 11 | 9 | 2007-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 53 of 83 |
| Floods | 6 | 5 | 1999-2019 | 0 | 0 | $260K | 74 of 83 |
| Drought | 4 | 4 | 2007-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 83 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 4 | 1984-2011 | 0 | 1 | $71K | 76 of 83 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 1 | 1 | 2009-2009 | 2 | 0 | – | 19 of 83 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 2001-2001 | 0 | 0 | – | 58 of 83 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2000-2000 | 0 | 0 | $257K | 67 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 Mackinac County had?
NOAA records 4 tornadoes in Mackinac County from 1984 to 2011, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury 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 5 tornadoes whose track touched Mackinac County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 4: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Michigan.
Every tornado record filed for Mackinac County (4)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-05-23 | Manistique Lake, Mackinac County | EF0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-07-13 | Cut River Bridge, Mackinac County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1988-08-16 | Mackinac County | F1 0.6 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-07-14 | Mackinac County | F2 9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $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 Mackinac County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the August 15, 2009 rip current (2 deaths).
A 16 year old male was carried by rip currents away from the beach and out to deeper water. His 66 year old grandfather attempted a rescue, but was also overcome by waves and/or rip currents. Onlookers at the scene managed to retrieve the two, but revival attempts were unsuccessful. The two were declared dead at a St Ignace hospital. The incident occurred near the Pointe Aux Chenes sand dunes, about 10 miles northwest of St Ignace.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 194709)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-15 | BlizzardMackinac County · forecast zone Eastern Mackinac County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | BlizzardMackinac County · forecast zone Mackinac Island/Bois Blanc Island | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | Winter StormMackinac County · forecast zone Western Mackinac County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-13 | Winter StormMackinac County · forecast zone Eastern Mackinac County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | Cold/Wind ChillMackinac County · forecast zone Mackinac Island/Bois Blanc Island | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-06 | Cold/Wind ChillMackinac County · forecast zone Mackinac Island/Bois Blanc Island | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-29 | Cold/Wind ChillMackinac County · forecast zone Mackinac Island/Bois Blanc Island | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-28 | Cold/Wind ChillMackinac County · forecast zone Western Mackinac County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-28 | Cold/Wind ChillMackinac County · forecast zone Mackinac Island/Bois Blanc Island | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-28 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillMackinac County · forecast zone Eastern Mackinac County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | Winter StormMackinac County · forecast zone Eastern Mackinac County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillMackinac County · forecast zone Mackinac Island/Bois Blanc Island | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-08-15 | Rip CurrentMackinac County · forecast zone Mackinac A 16 year old male was carried by rip currents away from the beach and out to deeper water. His 66 year old grandfather attempted a rescue, but was also overcome by waves and/or rip currents. Onlookers at the scene managed to retrieve the two, but revival attempts were unsuccessful. The two were declared dead at a St ... | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 1984-07-14 | TornadoMackinac County | F2 9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-03-09 | LightningSt Ignace, Mackinac County | 0 | 0 | $257K |
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: July 14, 1984 (tornado, Mackinac 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 Mackinac 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 | – | – | – | – | 11 | 42 | 33 | 42 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 4 | 0 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 2 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
51% 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 37 · Feb 26 · Mar 25 · Apr 9 · May 4 · Jun 7 · Jul 24 · Aug 20 · Sep 9 · Oct 4 · Nov 14 · Dec 38 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Mackinac County
FEMA's register lists 7 declarations that include Mackinac County: 3 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and severe ice storm (1).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-22 | DR-4880 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020-03-27 | DR-4494 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3455 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3225 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1994-05-10 | DR-1028 | Freezing | Severe Deep Freeze |
| 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 Mackinac County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 6 flood or flash flood records for Mackinac County from 1999 to 2019, on 5 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Mackinac County ranks 2523rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $8,898 on 6 claims filed in Mackinac County; the most in one year was 2 in 1986. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1986: 2 · 2001: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2020: 2; 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 Mackinac County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Mackinac County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $3.3 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 Low | $534K | 2.2 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $84K | 23 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $1K | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $30K | once in about 1,097 years (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | $7K | once in about 76 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | $2.5M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $3K | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | $9K | 23 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 Mackinac 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 Mackinac CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Mackinac County's FEMA declarations (CSV)7 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis