Martin County, Minnesota
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 27091 · population 20,025 · 712 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 524 records for Martin County, Minnesota from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 370 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (143 records). The most damaging was the September 15, 2004 flood ($6.7 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 15 declarations naming the county since 1965, 13 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
- 524on 370 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 00 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $17Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 23strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 15latest 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 Martin County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 143 since 1956. 57% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in May and June. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 143 | 99 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.9M | 32 of 87 |
| Hail | 140 | 83 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 51 of 87 |
| Winter storms | 123 | 122 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 49 of 87 |
| Extreme cold | 30 | 30 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $26K | 60 of 87 |
| Tornadoes | 23 | 22 | 1951-2026 | 0 | 0 | $5.3M | 39 of 87 |
| Floods | 22 | 18 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $7.9M | 49 of 87 |
| High wind and dust storms | 17 | 17 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $125K | 37 of 87 |
| Heat | 11 | 11 | 1999-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 42 of 87 |
| Heavy rain | 9 | 7 | 2004-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 of 87 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 5 | 5 | 2001-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 57 of 87 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2014-2014 | 0 | 0 | $56K | 58 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 Martin County had?
NOAA records 23 tornadoes in Martin County from 1951 to 2026, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 39th of 87 Minnesota counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 22 tornadoes whose track touched Martin County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 23: 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 Minnesota.
Every tornado record filed for Martin County (23)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-17 | Northrop, Martin County | EFU 0.29 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-05-21 | Fairmont, Martin County | EF0 2.28 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-08-10 | Fairmont Airport, Martin County | EF0 0.02 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-09-20 | Granada, Martin County | EF1 5.3 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.8M |
| 2018-07-19 | Ceylon, Martin County | EF0 0.21 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-05-04 | Foxlake, Martin County | EF0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-06-25 | Fairmont Airport, Martin County | EF0 0.42 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-07-10 | Trimont, Martin County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-06-27 | Granada, Martin County | F0 2.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-06-27 | Granada, Martin County | F0 1.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-07-27 | Fairmont, Martin County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-07-11 | Martin County | F0 6 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1983-06-13 | Martin County | F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1981-07-24 | Martin County | F0 0.1 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1978-05-29 | Martin County | F0 0.1 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1977-05-04 | Martin County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1971-07-27 | Martin County | F1 6.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-07-03 | Martin County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1960-06-23 | Martin County | F2 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1958-06-23 | Martin County | F1 6.4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1957-06-16 | Martin County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1953-06-07 | Martin County | F1 19.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1951-06-25 | Martin County | F2 14.2 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 Martin County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 20, 2018 tornado ($1.8 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
A NWS Storm survey confirmed an EF1 tornado developed just west of the City of Granada, and tracked eastward for 5.3 miles as it moved into Faribault County. The average width was 220 yards and damaged several homes in Granada, before moving across farmland to the east. Numerous large trees were uprooted or blown down. The damage in Granada was consistent with EF1 damage as large sections of roof structures were removed, and one house was shifted from its foundation. Highest winds were estimated at 105 mph.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 779127)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindWelcome, Martin County | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-17 | TornadoNorthrop, Martin County | EFU 0.29 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindFairmont, Martin County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindCeylon, Martin County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindCeylon, Martin County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-13 | HailEast Chain, Martin County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | BlizzardMartin County · forecast zone Martin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | High WindMartin County · forecast zone Martin | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-06 | Winter WeatherMartin County · forecast zone Martin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-28 | Winter WeatherMartin County · forecast zone Martin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillMartin County · forecast zone Martin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-21 | Winter WeatherMartin County · forecast zone Martin | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-09-15 | FloodMartin County · forecast zone Martin | 0 | 0 | $6.7M | |
| 1998-05-15 | Thunderstorm WindFairmont, Martin County | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 2018-09-20 | TornadoGranada, Martin County | EF1 5.3 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.8M |
| 2010-09-23 | FloodTrimont, Martin County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 1996-05-19 | Thunderstorm WindWilbert, Martin County | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 2003-08-24 | Thunderstorm WindEast Chain, Martin County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $722K |
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: June 25, 1951 (tornado, Martin 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 Martin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 4 | 6 | 10 | 21 | 22 | 33 | 33 | 14 |
| Hail | 1 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 26 | 41 | 30 | 19 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 19 | 34 | 40 | 30 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 5 | 4 | 12 | 9 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 12 | 8 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
57% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 52 · Feb 29 · Mar 28 · Apr 54 · May 63 · Jun 125 · Jul 50 · Aug 43 · Sep 17 · Oct 17 · Nov 12 · Dec 34 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Martin County
FEMA's register lists 15 declarations that include Martin County: 12 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (6) and severe storm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-28 | DR-4797 | 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 |
| 2018-09-05 | DR-4390 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2014-07-21 | DR-4182 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2010-10-13 | DR-1941 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3242 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-10-07 | DR-1569 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1997-01-16 | DR-1158 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1993-06-11 | DR-993 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1991-12-26 | DR-929 | Severe Ice Storm | Ice Storm |
| 1976-06-17 | EM-3013 | Drought | Drought |
| 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.
FEMA's modeled risk for Martin County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Martin County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $13.1 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 High | $346K | 22 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.4M | 4.4 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $1.0M | 12 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.1M | 3.5 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.4M | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.2M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $67K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $229K | 4.8 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Martin 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
- Severe thunderstorm wind in MinnesotaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, 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 Martin CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Martin County's FEMA declarations (CSV)15 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis