Presque Isle County, Michigan
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 26141 · population 12,968 · 659 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 196 records for Presque Isle County, Michigan from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 170 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (87 records). 100 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 August 19, 2016 lightning: 1 death. FEMA has issued 7 declarations naming the county since 1977, 5 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
- 196on 170 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 13 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $9.4Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 7strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 7latest 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 Presque Isle County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 87 since 1996. 49% 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 | 87 | 87 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $336K | 49 of 83 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 50 | 41 | 1956-2021 | 0 | 1 | $227K | 70 of 83 |
| Hail | 36 | 23 | 1981-2022 | 0 | 1 | $5.9M | 73 of 83 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 7 | 1957-2002 | 0 | 1 | $2.9M | 58 of 83 |
| High wind and dust storms | 6 | 6 | 1998-2021 | 0 | 0 | $44K | 75 of 83 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 5 | 2007-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 58 of 83 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2001-2016 | 1 | 0 | $6K | 27 of 83 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 2001-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 49 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 Presque Isle County had?
NOAA records 7 tornadoes in Presque Isle County from 1957 to 2002, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury 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 7 tornadoes whose track touched Presque Isle County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 7, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Michigan.
Every tornado record filed for Presque Isle County (7)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-08-01 | Black Lake Bluffs, Presque Isle County | F0 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-06-15 | Posen, Presque Isle County | F0 0.3 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-08-12 | Presque Isle County | F1 1.1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-08-08 | Presque Isle County | F1 1.7 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1964-07-28 | Presque Isle County | F1 0.3 mi x 133 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1964-05-08 | Presque Isle County | F2 17.9 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1957-07-04 | Presque Isle County | F2 4.9 mi x 100 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 Presque Isle County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 18, 2020 thunderstorm wind (1 injury and $108,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Areas of wind damage, mainly downed trees, occurred just east and southeast of Black Lake. A number of trees were downed at Onaway State Park, damaging multiple camping trailers. One occupant of a trailer suffered two broken ribs when his trailer was struck by a falling tree.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 913374)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-15 | Winter StormPresque Isle County · forecast zone Presque Isle | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-10 | Ice StormPresque Isle County · forecast zone Presque Isle | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | Cold/Wind ChillPresque Isle County · forecast zone Presque Isle | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-29 | Cold/Wind ChillPresque Isle County · forecast zone Presque Isle | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillPresque Isle County · forecast zone Presque Isle | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-10 | Winter StormPresque Isle County · forecast zone Presque Isle | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-28 | Winter StormPresque Isle County · forecast zone Presque Isle | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-29 | Winter StormPresque Isle County · forecast zone Presque Isle | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-28 | Ice StormPresque Isle County · forecast zone Presque Isle | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-15 | Winter StormPresque Isle County · forecast zone Presque Isle | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2022-05-20 | HailErand Lake, Presque Isle County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-05-20 | HailErand Lake, Presque Isle County | 3.00 in hail | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-08-19 | LightningErand Lake, Presque Isle County A 21 year old woman from Grand Rapids was struck by lightning while working as a life guard. She passed away two days later. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2020-07-18 | Thunderstorm WindBlack Lake Bluffs, Presque Isle County Areas of wind damage, mainly downed trees, occurred just east and southeast of Black Lake. A number of trees were downed at Onaway State Park, damaging multiple camping trailers. One occupant of a trailer suffered two broken ribs when his trailer was struck by a falling tree. | 58 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $108K |
| 2004-07-13 | HailPosen, Presque Isle County A devastating hailstorm caused extensive damage in the small town of Posen. The hail was driven at times by wind gusts around 60 mph. Most buildings and vehicles in the community suffered some sort of damage. Holes were punched in roofs and siding; cars were dented, and windows broken. Buildings that had siding damage ... | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 1 | $5.9M |
| 1964-07-28 | TornadoPresque Isle County | F1 0.3 mi x 133 yd | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-07-13 | HailPosen, Presque Isle County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 1 | $5.9M |
| 2012-03-02 | Heavy SnowPresque Isle County · forecast zone Presque Isle | 0 | 0 | $321K | |
| 2020-07-18 | Thunderstorm WindBlack Lake Bluffs, Presque Isle County | 58 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $108K |
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 8, 1964 (tornado, Presque Isle 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 Presque Isle 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 | – | – | – | – | 13 | 42 | 17 | 15 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 2 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 18 | 7 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
49% 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 24 · Feb 19 · Mar 17 · Apr 6 · May 16 · Jun 23 · Jul 26 · Aug 23 · Sep 9 · Oct 1 · Nov 10 · Dec 22 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Presque Isle County
FEMA's register lists 7 declarations that include Presque Isle County: 3 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and flood (1).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | DR-4925 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 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.
Flood insurance claims in Presque Isle County
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $0 on 1 claim filed in Presque Isle County; the most in one year was 1 in 1997. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1997: 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 Presque Isle County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Presque Isle County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $494K | 23 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $220K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $3.9M | once in about 100 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $506K | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $200 | once in about 10 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $6K | once in about 98 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $167K | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $26K | 0.7 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 Presque Isle 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 Presque Isle CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Presque Isle County's FEMA declarations (CSV)7 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis