Otsego County, Michigan
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 26137 · population 25,061 · 515 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 327 records for Otsego County, Michigan from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 250 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (155 records). 176 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 May 20, 2022 tornado: 2 deaths, 44 injuries and $50.4 million in damage in 2025 dollars. 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
- 327on 250 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 245 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $56Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 5strongest EF3
- 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 Otsego County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 155 since 1996. 47% 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 | 155 | 150 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $447K | 13 of 83 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 82 | 57 | 1963-2024 | 0 | 1 | $2.7M | 46 of 83 |
| Hail | 57 | 27 | 1993-2025 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 60 of 83 |
| High wind and dust storms | 11 | 10 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | $96K | 42 of 83 |
| Extreme cold | 7 | 7 | 2007-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 39 of 83 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 5 | 1969-2022 | 2 | 44 | $52M | 62 of 83 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 1998-2009 | 0 | 0 | $693K | 16 of 83 |
| Floods | 3 | 2 | 2003-2024 | 0 | 0 | $19K | 75 of 83 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 2001-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 35 of 83 |
| Drought | 1 | 1 | 2001-2001 | 0 | 0 | – | 25 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 Otsego County had?
NOAA records 5 tornadoes in Otsego County from 1969 to 2022, the strongest rated EF3, with 2 deaths and 44 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 6 tornadoes whose track touched Otsego County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 5: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-05-20 13:35, as SPC files it | Gaylord | EF3 | 17.54 mi | 2 |
| 1974-07-03 20:15, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 11.9 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Michigan.
Every tornado record filed for Otsego County (5)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-05-20 | Elmira, Otsego County | EF3 15.79 mi x 200 yd | 2 | 44 | $50M |
| 2014-09-01 | Johannesburg, Otsego County | EF1 7.21 mi x 210 yd | 0 | 0 | $268K |
| 2013-11-17 | Waters, Otsego County | EF0 0.29 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 1974-07-03 | Otsego County | F3 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1969-07-11 | Otsego County | 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 Otsego County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 20, 2022 tornado (2 deaths, 44 injuries and $50.4 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
This tornado formed in Antrim county 4 miles east of Alba and continued into Otsego county 100 yards SE of the Alba Rd/Old Alba Rd intersection. The tornado continued to move east northeast for almost 16 additional miles before dissipating around 1.75 miles northeast of Sparr. The tornado was rated EF3 in Otsego county based on damage surveyed in multiple locations around the Gaylord area. The first of these locations was damage in the Nottingham Forest manufactured home community. Multiple units were completely destroyed with debris blown away from the original locations of the units (DI 4, DOD 12). The second location was the business district of Gaylord where the buildings of Hobby Lobby, Maurices, and Jimmy Johns experienced collapses of exterior walls where interior walls remained standing (DI 10, DOD 8). …
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1031457)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-15 | Winter StormOtsego County · forecast zone Otsego | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-13 | Winter StormOtsego County · forecast zone Otsego | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-10 | Ice StormOtsego County · forecast zone Otsego | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | Cold/Wind ChillOtsego County · forecast zone Otsego | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-29 | Cold/Wind ChillOtsego County · forecast zone Otsego | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-28 | Cold/Wind ChillOtsego County · forecast zone Otsego | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillOtsego County · forecast zone Otsego | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-21 | Winter StormOtsego County · forecast zone Otsego | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-28 | Winter StormOtsego County · forecast zone Otsego | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-26 | Winter StormOtsego County · forecast zone Otsego | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-22 | HailGaylord Otsego Airport, Otsego County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-28 | Ice StormOtsego County · forecast zone Otsego | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-05-20 | TornadoElmira, Otsego County This tornado formed in Antrim county 4 miles east of Alba and continued into Otsego county 100 yards SE of the Alba Rd/Old Alba Rd intersection. The tornado continued to move east northeast for almost 16 additional miles before dissipating around 1.75 miles northeast of Sparr. The tornado was rated EF3 in Otsego ... | EF3 15.79 mi x 200 yd | 2 | 44 | $50M |
| 2018-08-28 | Thunderstorm WindGaylord Otsego Airport, Otsego County A swath of widespread wind damage extended from west-southwest to east of the city of Gaylord. Some of the most concentrated damage was along Van Tyle Road between Hayes Tower Road and Dickerson Road. Hundreds of trees were snapped off or uprooted. Several buildings and vehicles were damaged by falling trees. At least ... | 70 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $1.4M |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-05-20 | TornadoElmira, Otsego County | EF3 15.79 mi x 200 yd | 2 | 44 | $50M |
| 2018-08-28 | Thunderstorm WindGaylord Otsego Airport, Otsego County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $1.4M |
| 2009-07-22 | LightningGaylord, Otsego County | 0 | 0 | $688K | |
| 2014-09-04 | Thunderstorm WindOtsego Lake, Otsego County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $368K |
| 2012-03-02 | Heavy SnowOtsego County · forecast zone Otsego | 0 | 0 | $276K | |
| 2014-09-01 | TornadoJohannesburg, Otsego County | EF1 7.21 mi x 210 yd | 0 | 0 | $268K |
| 2013-11-17 | TornadoWaters, Otsego County | EF0 0.29 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
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: July 3, 1974 (tornado, Otsego 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 Otsego 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 | – | – | – | – | 22 | 65 | 41 | 27 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 23 | 22 | 10 | 17 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 17 | 7 | 11 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
47% 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 41 · Feb 32 · Mar 22 · Apr 19 · May 30 · Jun 24 · Jul 50 · Aug 30 · Sep 5 · Oct 5 · Nov 31 · Dec 38 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Otsego County
FEMA's register lists 7 declarations that include Otsego County: 2 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and snowstorm (2).
| 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 |
| 1999-01-27 | EM-3137 | Snowstorm | Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 |
| 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.
FEMA's modeled risk for Otsego County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Otsego County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $7.6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $437K | 25 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $671K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $4K | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.7M | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $494K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $492K | once in about 13 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $38K | once in about 3,804 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | $3.8M | once in about 28 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Otsego 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 Otsego CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Otsego County's FEMA declarations (CSV)7 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis