Ontonagon County, Michigan
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 26131 · population 5,803 · 1,311 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 630 records for Ontonagon County, Michigan from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 567 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (401 records). 480 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 March 24, 1996 winter storm, filed for the forecast zone Ontonagon, which covers the county: 1 death and 2 injuries. FEMA has issued 8 declarations naming the county since 1977, 6 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Flooding” on June 18, 2013.
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
- 630on 567 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 33 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $16Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 3strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 8latest 2020
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 Ontonagon County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 401 since 1996. 45% 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 | 401 | 396 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 3 | $177K | 11 of 83 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 73 | 44 | 1964-2026 | 0 | 0 | $404K | 79 of 83 |
| Hail | 55 | 40 | 1980-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 75 of 83 |
| Extreme cold | 46 | 46 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 83 |
| High wind and dust storms | 20 | 19 | 1998-2022 | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | 60 of 83 |
| Heavy rain | 11 | 11 | 2009-2022 | 0 | 0 | $2K | 10 of 83 |
| Floods | 10 | 10 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $11M | 64 of 83 |
| Heat | 5 | 5 | 2006-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 37 of 83 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 4 | 2006-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 25 of 83 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 3 | 1953-2011 | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | 81 of 83 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 1 | 1 | 2023-2023 | 1 | 0 | – | 22 of 83 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2000-2000 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 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 Ontonagon County had?
NOAA records 3 tornadoes in Ontonagon County from 1953 to 2011, the strongest rated F1, 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 3 tornadoes whose track touched Ontonagon County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 3, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Michigan.
Every tornado record filed for Ontonagon County (3)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-08-19 | Ontonagon County | EF0 1.54 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $26K |
| 1988-05-12 | Ontonagon County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1953-06-30 | Ontonagon County | F1 10.9 mi x 500 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 Ontonagon County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 29, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($75,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Video and photos showed significant tree damage, including trees uprooted and fallen. Two vehicles (pickup trucks) were significantly damaged from large trees falling on them. Power was also reported lost. An estimated 75 Thousand $USD of damage occurred.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1353333)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindOntonagon County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $75K |
| 2026-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindOntonagon County | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindOntonagon County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindSilver City, Ontonagon County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-24 | HailPaulding, Ontonagon County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-02 | Winter StormOntonagon County · forecast zone Ontonagon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | Winter StormOntonagon County · forecast zone Ontonagon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Winter StormOntonagon County · forecast zone Ontonagon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillOntonagon County · forecast zone Ontonagon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-18 | Winter StormOntonagon County · forecast zone Ontonagon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-16 | Winter StormOntonagon County · forecast zone Ontonagon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-06 | Winter WeatherOntonagon County · forecast zone Ontonagon | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-03-24 | Winter StormOntonagon County · forecast zone Ontonagon Low pressure moved northeast across Iowa during the evening of the 24th and over Wisconsin during the early morning of the 25th. The low then crossed Northern Lake Michigan and reached Sault Ste. Marie around 11 am EST on the 25th. Light snow developed overWest Upper Michigan during the afternoon of the 24th and ... | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2011-12-14 | Winter WeatherOntonagon County · forecast zone Ontonagon A slushy mixture of rain and snow contributed to a fatal accident on US Highway 45 near Bruce Crossing at 11 am on the morning of the 14th. Michigan State Police in Wakefield reported that a 36 year-old Michigan Tech University student from St. Paul, MN was killed when the vehicle he was driving spun head-on into the ... | 1 | 1 | $20K | |
| 2023-07-28 | Rip CurrentOntonagon County · forecast zone Ontonagon A seven year-old boy drowned in Misery Bay near the boat launch on the afternoon of the 28th. Deputies from the Ontonagon County Sheriff's office were called to the scene just after 5 pm EDT, and when search and rescue crews and volunteers found the missing boy in the water they began CPR. The boy was taken to UP ... | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-13 | FloodEwen, Ontonagon County | 0 | 0 | $7.7M | |
| 2025-07-23 | Flash FloodFiresteel, Ontonagon County | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 2013-04-28 | FloodMerriweather, Ontonagon County | 0 | 0 | $697K | |
| 2002-04-14 | FloodOntonagon County · forecast zone Ontonagon | 0 | 0 | $348K | |
| 2016-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindOntonagon County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $123K |
| 2026-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindOntonagon County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $75K |
| 2011-08-19 | TornadoOntonagon County | EF0 1.54 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $26K |
| 2011-12-14 | Winter WeatherOntonagon County · forecast zone Ontonagon | 1 | 1 | $20K |
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 30, 1953 (tornado, Ontonagon 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 Ontonagon 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 | – | – | – | – | 26 | 114 | 175 | 86 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 21 | 25 | 12 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 29 | 12 | 6 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 5 | 12 | 20 | 9 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 8 | 8 | 1 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 9 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
45% 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 116 · Feb 88 · Mar 50 · Apr 50 · May 27 · Jun 44 · Jul 56 · Aug 15 · Sep 15 · Oct 24 · Nov 57 · Dec 88 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Ontonagon County
FEMA's register lists 8 declarations that include Ontonagon County: 4 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and flood (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-27 | DR-4494 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3455 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013-06-18 | DR-4121 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3225 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002-05-06 | DR-1413 | Flood | Flooding |
| 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 Ontonagon County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 10 flood or flash flood records for Ontonagon County from 1996 to 2025, on 10 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Ontonagon County ranks 2400th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $4,653 on 9 claims filed in Ontonagon County; the most in one year was 3 in 1986. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1980: 2 · 1983: 1 · 1986: 3 · 1987: 1 · 1991: 1 · 2021: 1; 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 Ontonagon County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Ontonagon County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $2.4 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 Low | $70K | 39 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $676K | 4.1 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $79K | 24 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $13K | once in about 1,182 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Very Low | $6K | 2.9 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | $118K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Very Low | $45K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | $0 | once in about 90,027,827 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Ontonagon 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 Ontonagon CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Ontonagon County's FEMA declarations (CSV)8 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis