Montcalm County, Michigan
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 26117 · population 66,606 · 705 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 305 records for Montcalm County, Michigan from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 252 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (140 records). The most damaging was the May 31, 1998 thunderstorm wind ($25.3 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 12 declarations naming the county since 1965, 10 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
- 305on 252 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 034 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $60Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 11strongest F5
- FEMA declarations
- 12latest 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 Montcalm County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 140 since 1956. 51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in June and July. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 140 | 116 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 23 | $28M | 33 of 83 |
| Winter storms | 75 | 74 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $543K | 68 of 83 |
| Hail | 54 | 43 | 1968-2024 | 0 | 1 | $1.8M | 48 of 83 |
| Floods | 11 | 10 | 1996-2020 | 0 | 0 | $6.7M | 53 of 83 |
| Tornadoes | 11 | 11 | 1956-2007 | 0 | 6 | $6.9M | 50 of 83 |
| High wind and dust storms | 10 | 9 | 1997-2019 | 0 | 0 | $16M | 65 of 83 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2007-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 27 of 83 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | $181K | 62 of 83 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 4 | – | 60 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 Montcalm County had?
NOAA records 11 tornadoes in Montcalm County from 1956 to 2007, the strongest rated F5, with 0 deaths and 6 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 12 tornadoes whose track touched Montcalm 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 17 people, 0 of them in Montcalm County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956-04-03 16:40, as SPC files it | Grand Rapids | F5 | 58.8 mi | 17 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Michigan.
Every tornado record filed for Montcalm County (11)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-08-23 | Wyman, Montcalm County | EF1 0.2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $249K |
| 2004-06-13 | Stanton, Montcalm County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 1994-07-04 | Stanton, Montcalm County | F2 0.3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $995K |
| 1990-09-14 | Montcalm County | F1 3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1977-07-04 | Montcalm County | F1 4.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-08-08 | Montcalm County | F1 1.9 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 6 | $25K step |
| 1971-06-06 | Montcalm County | F0 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1965-04-11 | Montcalm County | F2 5.4 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1960-06-23 | Montcalm County | F1 7.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1956-05-12 | Montcalm County | F2 9.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1956-04-03 | Montcalm County | F5 1.9 mi x 400 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 Montcalm County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 18, 2020 flood ($285,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Multiple lakes flooded lakeside homes and multiple roads were flooded.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 890587)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindGreenville, Montcalm County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindSheridan Clark Airport, Montcalm County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindEureka Place, Montcalm County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindStanton, Montcalm County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-11-29 | Winter StormMontcalm County · forecast zone Montcalm | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-30 | Thunderstorm WindCarson City, Montcalm County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-05-18 | FloodLangston, Montcalm County | 0 | 0 | $285K | |
| 2019-02-24 | High WindMontcalm County · forecast zone Montcalm | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3.5M |
| 2017-03-08 | High WindMontcalm County · forecast zone Montcalm | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $12M |
| 2013-04-17 | FloodHoward City, Montcalm County | 0 | 0 | $3.8M | |
| 2012-05-03 | Thunderstorm WindAmsden, Montcalm County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 2011-04-26 | HailGreenville Airport, Montcalm County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-05-31 | Thunderstorm WindHoward City, Montcalm County Michigan State Police EMD's Damage and Injury Assessment Report indicated $453,000 in public damage costs, 23 injuries, 6 individuals being sheltered, 400 homes damaged, 30 homes destroyed, 40 businesses damaged, and 50 vacation residences either damaged or destroyed. Private property damage was estimated around $13.5 ... | 0 | 23 | $25M | |
| 1973-08-08 | TornadoMontcalm County | F1 1.9 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 6 | $25K step |
| 2010-07-15 | LightningVestaburg, Montcalm County Four teenagers were struck by lightning near Vestaburg at a baseball diamond. There were no fatalities. | 0 | 4 | – | |
| 2003-07-13 | HailGreenville, Montcalm County A motorcyclist suffered a minor injury when he was hit in the mouth by a hailstone. Three quarters inch hail was reported six miles north of Greenville and seven eighths inch diameter hail was reported five miles north of Greenville, where a parking lot was covered by hail near Colby and M-91. | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 1 | $64K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-05-31 | Thunderstorm WindHoward City, Montcalm County | 0 | 23 | $25M | |
| 2011-04-26 | HailGreenville Airport, Montcalm County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 1994-07-04 | TornadoStanton, Montcalm County | F2 0.3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $995K |
| 2001-07-29 | Thunderstorm WindMc Brides, Montcalm County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $292K |
| 2020-05-18 | FloodLangston, Montcalm County | 0 | 0 | $285K | |
| 2007-08-23 | TornadoWyman, Montcalm County | EF1 0.2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $249K |
| 2003-07-13 | HailGreenville, Montcalm County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 1 | $64K |
| 2012-05-03 | Thunderstorm WindAmsden, Montcalm County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $39K |
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: May 12, 1956 (tornado, Montcalm County); April 11, 1965 (tornado, Montcalm 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 Montcalm 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 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 22 | 32 | 37 | 16 | 16 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 22 | 34 | 14 | 5 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 22 | 11 | 4 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
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 severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 25 · Feb 22 · Mar 20 · Apr 19 · May 31 · Jun 40 · Jul 59 · Aug 33 · Sep 15 · Oct 10 · Nov 10 · Dec 21 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Montcalm County
FEMA's register lists 12 declarations that include Montcalm County: 8 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (4) 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 |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3225 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001-01-10 | EM-3160 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1998-06-24 | DR-1226 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 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 |
| 1976-03-19 | DR-495 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Icing & Flooding |
| 1975-09-30 | DR-486 | Flood | Severe Storms, High Winds & Flooding |
| 1965-04-14 | DR-190 | Tornado | Tornadoes & Severe Storms |
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 Montcalm County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 11 flood or flash flood records for Montcalm County from 1996 to 2020, on 10 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Montcalm County ranks 2400th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $110,000 on 9 claims filed in Montcalm County; the most in one year was 3 in 2026. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1986: 2 · 2006: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2026: 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 Montcalm County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Montcalm County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $19.3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $3.1M | 3 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $664K | 18 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $3.3M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $149K | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.6M | 2.2 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $9.6M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $278K | 1.8 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $204K | 31 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 Montcalm 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
- Severe thunderstorm wind in MichiganThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, 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 Montcalm CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Montcalm County's FEMA declarations (CSV)12 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis