Racine County, Wisconsin
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 55101 · population 197,542 · 333 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 917 records for Racine County, Wisconsin from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 694 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (218 records). 483 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 day on its record was June 19, 2021: rip current records filed for Racine County that day count 2 deaths across 2 records. FEMA has issued 17 declarations naming the county since 1969, 15 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
- 917on 694 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1540 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $141Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 27strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 17latest 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 Racine County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 218 since 1996. 58% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The rank column places the county among Wisconsin'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 | 218 | 214 | 1996-2026 | 4 | 9 | $62K | 4 of 72 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 191 | 134 | 1961-2026 | 0 | 6 | $8.1M | 3 of 72 |
| Hail | 122 | 71 | 1964-2026 | 0 | 0 | $315K | 4 of 72 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 91 | 79 | 1997-2013 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 of 72 |
| High wind and dust storms | 74 | 71 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 4 | $2.1M | 4 of 72 |
| Floods | 55 | 48 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $90M | 4 of 72 |
| Heat | 46 | 46 | 1998-2026 | 1 | 0 | – | 4 of 72 |
| Extreme cold | 36 | 35 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 2 | $7K | 5 of 72 |
| Tornadoes | 27 | 23 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 12 | $38M | 3 of 72 |
| Lightning | 26 | 22 | 1996-2009 | 1 | 7 | $1.9M | 3 of 72 |
| Drought | 18 | 18 | 2002-2012 | 0 | 0 | $856K | 7 of 72 |
| Heavy rain | 8 | 8 | 2000-2023 | 0 | 0 | $22K | 5 of 72 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 5 | 4 | 2021-2025 | 5 | 0 | – | 3 of 72 |
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 Racine County had?
NOAA records 27 tornadoes in Racine County from 1957 to 2026, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 12 injuries recorded in the county. That is 3rd of 72 Wisconsin counties and 196th of 3,080 U.S. counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 24 tornadoes whose track touched Racine County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 27: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Wisconsin.
Every tornado record filed for Racine County (27)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-17 | Franksville Hunts Ar, Racine County | EF1 3.89 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $105K |
| 2026-04-17 | North Cape, Racine County | EF0 3.45 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 2026-04-17 | Caldwell, Racine County | EF0 1.42 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2026-04-14 | Rochester, Racine County | EF0 3.77 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2026-04-14 | Rochester Fox Rvr Ar, Racine County | EF1 5.17 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $349K |
| 2022-10-12 | Burlington, Racine County | EF0 3.97 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-08-18 | Caldwell, Racine County | EF0 0.97 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2010-11-22 | Union Grove, Racine County | EF1 10.57 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 2 | $6.8M |
| 2010-10-26 | Sturtevant, Racine County | EF1 5.4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 2 | $1.4M |
| 2010-06-27 | Sturtevant, Racine County | EF1 4.6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $102K |
| 2008-06-06 | Kansasville, Racine County | EF0 3.37 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2007-09-27 | Raymond, Racine County | EF0 0.25 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2001-08-25 | Union Grove, Racine County | F1 4.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $58K |
| 2000-07-02 | Husher, Racine County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 1987-08-16 | Racine County | F0 0.1 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1987-08-16 | Racine County | F0 0.1 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1985-05-26 | Racine County | F0 0.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1983-07-03 | Racine County | F1 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1980-06-06 | Racine County | F1 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1979-06-20 | Racine County | F1 | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1978-06-20 | Racine County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1972-09-28 | Racine County | F2 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1966-07-10 | Racine County | F1 0.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1966-03-21 | Racine County | F2 13.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1959-10-08 | Racine County | F2 2.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 2 | $25K step |
| 1959-09-26 | Racine County | F1 19.4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1957-04-19 | Racine County | F2 2.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 2 | $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 Racine County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 17, 2026 flash flood ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | Excessive HeatRacine County · forecast zone Racine | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-29 | Excessive HeatRacine County · forecast zone Racine | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | HailElmwood Park, Racine County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-21 | HailUnion Grove Hrnr Arp, Racine County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-21 | HailNorth Cape, Racine County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | Flash FloodSturtevant Sylvania, Racine County | 0 | 0 | $2K | |
| 2026-04-17 | Thunderstorm WindCaddy Vista, Racine County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| 2026-04-17 | TornadoFranksville Hunts Ar, Racine County | EF1 3.89 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $105K |
| 2026-04-17 | TornadoNorth Cape, Racine County | EF0 3.45 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 2026-04-17 | TornadoCaldwell, Racine County | EF0 1.42 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindBurlington Airport, Racine County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindRochester Fox Rvr Ar, Racine County | 52 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-02-09 | Winter WeatherRacine County · forecast zone Racine Snow accumulation of 3-5 inches. A two-vehicle head on crash related to snow covered roads resulted in one death and nine injuries. | 1 | 9 | – | |
| 2018-10-20 | Strong WindRacine County · forecast zone Racine A large tree limb fell on a vehicle, killing a woman and seriously injuring her husband. The incident occurred near Nicholson road around 9:30 AM CST. Shortly after, a 51 mph wind gust was recorded at the Racine Batten airport. | 44 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $24K |
| 2025-07-31 | Rip CurrentRacine County · forecast zone Racine The Racine Sheriff's Office said the 15-year-old went under while swimming at Carre-Hogle Park (2 S Racine in Racine County) and did not resurface. She was later pulled from the water approximately 20 feet from shore. Reported conditions were very poor, with 20 – 25 mph sustained winds, 3 feet waves in the lagoon area ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-08-22 | Rip CurrentRacine County · forecast zone Racine Man succumbs to drowning in rough and choppy waters after rescuing two children. Incident took place along North Pier, just south of North Beach along Lake Michigan in Racine. Incoming waves were estimated to be 4 to 5 feet from nearby buoy off Milwaukee County. Winds were north to northeast 12 to 20 mph. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-06-21 | Rip CurrentRacine County · forecast zone Racine Young woman pulled from Lake Michigan waters at North Beach in Racine WI later succumbed to her drowning injuries. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-06-19 | Rip CurrentRacine County · forecast zone Racine Young woman succumbed to drowning injuries which occurred at Zoo Beach along the Racine lakefront, shortly after being pulled from the water. Onshore winds and waves may have caused longshore and structural currents along the beach and North Pier which may have contributed to the drowning. According to witnesses, the ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-06-19 | Rip CurrentRacine County · forecast zone Racine A young teenage swimmer at North Beach along the Racine lakefront was found unconscious about 200 yards from shore. The swimmer was flown to a local hospital but succumbed to injuries sustained from drowning two days later. Onshore winds and waves may have caused long shore and structural currents along North Beach ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2018-02-05 | Cold/Wind ChillRacine County · forecast zone Racine The Racine County Medical Examiner's Office reported hypothermia as the underlying cause of death of a man who fell from a bluff into Lake Michigan. The man was found along the shoreline partially encased in ice. Temperatures ranged from the single digits late Sunday evening to below zero for much of Monday morning. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-06-17 | FloodRacine County · forecast zone Racine | 0 | 0 | $33M | |
| 2017-07-12 | FloodHoney Lake, Racine County | 0 | 0 | $28M | |
| 2004-06-01 | FloodRacine County · forecast zone Racine | 0 | 0 | $9.4M | |
| 2010-11-22 | TornadoUnion Grove, Racine County | EF1 10.57 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 2 | $6.8M |
| 2008-06-08 | Flash FloodWaterford, Racine County | 0 | 0 | $5.0M | |
| 2020-01-11 | Lakeshore FloodRacine County · forecast zone Racine | 0 | 0 | $4.6M | |
| 2000-07-02 | Flash FloodRacine County | 0 | 0 | $3.5M | |
| 2007-08-19 | Flash FloodTichigan, Racine County | 0 | 0 | $3.4M |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: March 21, 1966 (tornado, Racine 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 Racine 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 | – | – | – | – | 9 | 62 | 87 | 60 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 5 | 8 | 30 | 36 | 51 | 35 | 26 |
| Hail | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 47 | 35 | 21 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 3 | 77 | 11 | 0 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 29 | 31 | 7 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 10 | 20 | 14 | 11 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
58% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 104 · Feb 81 · Mar 71 · Apr 65 · May 84 · Jun 117 · Jul 114 · Aug 87 · Sep 46 · Oct 38 · Nov 36 · Dec 74 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Racine County
FEMA's register lists 17 declarations that include Racine County: 12 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (6) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | DR-4923 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4520 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3454 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2020-03-11 | DR-4477 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm and Flooding |
| 2011-04-05 | DR-1966 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2008-06-14 | DR-1768 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2008-03-19 | EM-3285 | Snowstorm | Record Snow and Near Record Snow |
| 2007-08-26 | DR-1719 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3249 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-06-18 | DR-1526 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2001-01-24 | EM-3163 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2000-06-24 | DR-1332 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1998-08-12 | DR-1238 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1993-07-02 | DR-994 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1979-01-19 | EM-3069 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1973-04-27 | DR-376 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1969-07-11 | DR-264 | Flood | Severe Storms & 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 Racine County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 55 flood or flash flood records for Racine County from 1996 to 2026, on 48 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Racine County ranks 1009th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2.6 million on 179 claims filed in Racine County; the most in one year was 79 in 2008. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 6 · 1980: 7 · 1982: 2 · 1983: 2 · 1984: 1 · 1985: 1 · 1988: 2 · 1991: 1 · 1993: 2 · 1994: 3 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 4 · 2000: 3 · 2001: 2 · 2004: 2 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 8 · 2008: 79 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 1 · 2013: 3 · 2014: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2017: 22 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 6 · 2022: 3 · 2025: 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 Racine County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Racine County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $63.8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $15M | 4.9 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $11M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $1.9M | 3.9 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $957K | 35 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.8M | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $30M | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.0M | 3.2 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $185K | 16 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 Racine 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 WisconsinEvery Wisconsin tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Winter storms in WisconsinThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The Wisconsin recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Racine CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Racine County's FEMA declarations (CSV)17 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis