Oceana County, Michigan
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 26127 · population 26,621 · 538 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 263 records for Oceana County, Michigan from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 241 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (132 records). 147 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 May 31, 1998 thunderstorm wind ($7.3 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 13 declarations naming the county since 1975, 11 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
- 263on 241 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 041 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $37Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 5strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 13latest 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 Oceana County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 132 since 1996. 63% 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 | 132 | 131 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | 21 of 83 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 63 | 56 | 1960-2024 | 0 | 37 | $8.7M | 49 of 83 |
| Hail | 41 | 34 | 1968-2025 | 0 | 0 | $682K | 41 of 83 |
| High wind and dust storms | 12 | 11 | 1997-2021 | 0 | 0 | $13M | 38 of 83 |
| Floods | 9 | 8 | 1997-2013 | 0 | 0 | $7.2M | 48 of 83 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 5 | 1967-1991 | 0 | 4 | $2.1M | 64 of 83 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 0 | 0 | $3.7M | 61 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 Oceana County had?
NOAA records 5 tornadoes in Oceana County from 1967 to 1991, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 4 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 5 tornadoes whose track touched Oceana County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 5, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Michigan.
Every tornado record filed for Oceana County (5)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991-05-28 | Oceana County | F2 3 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1990-09-14 | Oceana County | F1 5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1978-08-15 | Oceana County | F2 0.8 mi x 333 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1977-03-30 | Oceana County | F1 1.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 3 | $25K step |
| 1967-07-11 | Oceana County | F1 1 mi x 333 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 Oceana County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the February 24, 2019 high wind ($1.2 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
Wind gusts up to around 60 mph downed tree limbs and power lines and resulted in widespread power outages.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 807818)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-21 | Winter StormOceana County · forecast zone Oceana | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-18 | Winter StormOceana County · forecast zone Oceana | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-29 | Winter StormOceana County · forecast zone Oceana | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-01 | Winter StormOceana County · forecast zone Oceana | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-29 | Winter StormOceana County · forecast zone Oceana | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-26 | Winter StormOceana County · forecast zone Oceana | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-10 | Heavy SnowOceana County · forecast zone Oceana | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-16 | HailFerry, Oceana County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-01-21 | Winter StormOceana County · forecast zone Oceana | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-02-24 | High WindOceana County · forecast zone Oceana | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2019-02-05 | Ice StormOceana County · forecast zone Oceana | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2017-03-08 | High WindOceana County · forecast zone Oceana | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $12M |
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 WindPentwater, Oceana County Michigan State Police EMD Damage and Injury Assessment Report indicated $4,018,760 in public damage costs, 37 injuries, 26 homes destroyed, 1415 homes damaged, 6 businesses destroyed, and 109 businesses damaged. Private damage cost estimates were not available. Oceana County declared a local state of emergency and was ... | 0 | 37 | $7.3M | |
| 1977-03-30 | TornadoOceana County | F1 1.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 3 | $25K step |
| 1978-08-15 | TornadoOceana County | F2 0.8 mi x 333 yd | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-05-31 | Thunderstorm WindPentwater, Oceana County | 0 | 37 | $7.3M | |
| 1997-05-16 | Cold/Wind ChillOceana County · forecast zone Oceana | 0 | 0 | $3.7M | |
| 2001-05-15 | Flash FloodCountywide, Oceana County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2019-02-05 | Ice StormOceana County · forecast zone Oceana | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2006-07-17 | Thunderstorm WindShelby, Oceana County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $439K |
| 2003-04-03 | Ice StormOceana County · forecast zone Oceana | 0 | 0 | $321K |
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: August 15, 1978 (tornado, Oceana County); May 28, 1991 (tornado, Oceana 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 Oceana 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 | – | – | – | – | 31 | 57 | 31 | 13 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 18 | 12 | 7 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 22 | 7 | 4 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
63% 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 45 · Feb 27 · Mar 19 · Apr 17 · May 22 · Jun 17 · Jul 29 · Aug 17 · Sep 8 · Oct 8 · Nov 14 · Dec 40 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Oceana County
FEMA's register lists 13 declarations that include Oceana County: 7 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (4) and snowstorm (3).
| 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 |
| 1999-01-27 | EM-3137 | Snowstorm | Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 |
| 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 |
| 1977-03-02 | EM-3035 | Drought | Drought |
| 1977-02-05 | EM-3030 | Snowstorm | Snowstorms |
| 1976-03-19 | DR-495 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Icing & Flooding |
| 1975-09-30 | DR-486 | Flood | Severe Storms, High Winds & 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 Oceana County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 9 flood or flash flood records for Oceana County from 1997 to 2013, on 8 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Oceana County ranks 1907th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $183,000 on 30 claims filed in Oceana County; the most in one year was 7 in 1986. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 2 · 1982: 1 · 1985: 5 · 1986: 7 · 1994: 1 · 1997: 2 · 2001: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2021: 1 · 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 Oceana County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Oceana County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $10.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $3.2M | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $427K | 29 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $5K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $65K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $5.1M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $105K | 30 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $500K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $371K | about once 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 Oceana 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 Oceana CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Oceana County's FEMA declarations (CSV)13 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis