Sanilac County, Michigan
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 26151 · population 40,597 · 963 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 397 records for Sanilac County, Michigan from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 298 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (144 records). The deadliest single record is the August 14, 1988 thunderstorm wind: 2 deaths and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 12 declarations naming the county since 1973, 10 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Katrina Evacuation” on September 7, 2005.
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
- 397on 298 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 314 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $39Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 21strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 12latest 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 Sanilac County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 144 since 1973. 43% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1973 fell in July and August. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 144 | 93 | 1973-2026 | 2 | 2 | $1.5M | 51 of 83 |
| Winter storms | 89 | 87 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $5.0M | 79 of 83 |
| Hail | 64 | 45 | 1977-2022 | 0 | 0 | $309K | 65 of 83 |
| High wind and dust storms | 31 | 31 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $15M | 24 of 83 |
| Tornadoes | 21 | 21 | 1957-2025 | 0 | 1 | $9.7M | 35 of 83 |
| Extreme cold | 16 | 16 | 1996-2019 | 1 | 10 | $1.7M | 34 of 83 |
| Heat | 12 | 12 | 1999-2018 | 0 | 1 | – | 17 of 83 |
| Floods | 11 | 11 | 1996-2020 | 0 | 0 | $5.1M | 56 of 83 |
| Lightning | 5 | 4 | 1999-2011 | 0 | 0 | $228K | 29 of 83 |
| Drought | 2 | 2 | 2001-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 24 of 83 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2000-2001 | 0 | 0 | – | 36 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 Sanilac County had?
NOAA records 21 tornadoes in Sanilac County from 1957 to 2025, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 35th of 83 Michigan 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 21 tornadoes whose track touched Sanilac County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 21, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-09-02 15:40, as SPC files it | Lakeport | F3 | 15.6 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Michigan.
Every tornado record filed for Sanilac County (21)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-26 | Deckerville Lamont A, Sanilac County | EF1 1.67 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-07-14 | Applegate, Sanilac County | EF0 3.84 mi x 475 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-09-10 | Juhl, Sanilac County | EF0 3.78 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-08-06 | Croswell Peck Airpark, Sanilac County | EF0 0.17 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-11-06 | Cash, Sanilac County | EF1 3.64 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2015-06-22 | Hemans, Sanilac County | EF1 21.88 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $623K |
| 2010-06-27 | Marlette, Sanilac County | EF0 0.47 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $102K |
| 2007-08-23 | Argyle, Sanilac County | EF0 0.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-22 | Deckerville, Sanilac County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $31K |
| 2004-05-14 | Peck, Sanilac County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-04-16 | Carsonville, Sanilac County | F1 7.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $634K |
| 1984-09-02 | Sanilac County | F3 6.8 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1982-06-20 | Sanilac County | F1 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1982-06-15 | Sanilac County | F1 5.6 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1978-04-11 | Sanilac County | F0 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1977-07-06 | Sanilac County | F1 1.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-05-16 | Sanilac County | F1 9 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1973-06-26 | Sanilac County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1972-07-12 | Sanilac County | F1 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1958-09-04 | Sanilac County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1957-04-25 | Sanilac County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Sanilac County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 13, 2026 high wind ($25,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindJuhl, Sanilac County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-13 | High WindSanilac County · forecast zone Sanilac | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2026-02-06 | Winter WeatherSanilac County · forecast zone Sanilac | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-26 | TornadoDeckerville Lamont A, Sanilac County | EF1 1.67 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindCarsonville, Sanilac County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-12 | Heavy SnowSanilac County · forecast zone Sanilac | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-07-14 | TornadoApplegate, Sanilac County | EF0 3.84 mi x 475 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-01-11 | Lakeshore FloodSanilac County · forecast zone Sanilac | 0 | 0 | $570K | |
| 2019-11-01 | FloodForestville, Sanilac County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2019-09-13 | Thunderstorm WindForester, Sanilac County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-09-10 | TornadoJuhl, Sanilac County | EF0 3.78 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-02-24 | High WindSanilac County · forecast zone Sanilac | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $577K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988-08-14 | Thunderstorm WindSanilac County | 2 | 1 | – | |
| 2001-02-19 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillSanilac County · forecast zone Sanilac A Moore Township man was driving about two miles from his home when his vehicle went off the road and into a ditch. The man attempted to walk home, but collapsed and died of hypothermia about a half mile from his truck. Temperatures were in the 20s. The man was not wearing a coat, instead using a heavy flannel shirt ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2007-02-03 | Cold/Wind ChillSanilac County · forecast zone Sanilac A bitter cold airmass blasted into the region on Saturday, February the 3rd and persisted through Tuesday, February the 6th. Temperatures through this period were 20 to 25 degrees below normal. Daytime temps struggled to reach 10 degrees while subzero temperatures occurred all 3 nights. Flint set 2 temperature records ... | 0 | 10 | $36K | |
| 2006-05-29 | HeatSanilac County · forecast zone Sanilac An early season heat wave, leading to an unusually hot Memorial Day, resulted in dozens of people suffering from heat related illnesses. Near record to record setting high temperatures, in the low to mid 90's, sent some people to the hospital. The official high temperatures for the day ranged from 88 to 93 degrees. Of ... | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2002-10-01 | Thunderstorm WindDeckerville, Sanilac County Trained spotters reported that thunderstorm winds blew down several large trees onto a major road. A Deckerville man was seriously injured when he ran into one of these trees on his motorcycle. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| 1984-09-02 | TornadoSanilac County | F3 6.8 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-08-02 | Flash FloodBrown City, Sanilac County | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 1996-06-22 | Flash FloodSrn 1/2 Of Co., Sanilac County | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | |
| 2019-11-01 | FloodForestville, Sanilac County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 1998-04-16 | TornadoCarsonville, Sanilac County | F1 7.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $634K |
| 2015-06-22 | TornadoHemans, Sanilac County | EF1 21.88 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $623K |
| 2020-01-11 | Lakeshore FloodSanilac County · forecast zone Sanilac | 0 | 0 | $570K | |
| 1996-09-11 | HailDecker, Sanilac County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $282K |
| 1993-08-03 | Thunderstorm WindPort Sanilac, Sanilac County | 0 | 0 | $102K |
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: September 2, 1984 (tornado, Sanilac 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 Sanilac 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 36 | 33 | 49 | 11 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 41 | 29 | 9 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 30 | 10 | 4 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 11 | 10 | 4 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 6 | 8 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
43% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1973 fell in July and August. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 35 · Feb 30 · Mar 21 · Apr 30 · May 47 · Jun 37 · Jul 68 · Aug 46 · Sep 27 · Oct 13 · Nov 16 · Dec 27 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Sanilac County
FEMA's register lists 12 declarations that include Sanilac County: 7 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (3) and snowstorm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2004-06-30 | DR-1527 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2001-01-10 | EM-3160 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1996-07-23 | DR-1128 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 1977-02-05 | EM-3030 | Snowstorm | Snowstorms |
| 1976-03-19 | DR-495 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Icing & Flooding |
| 1973-04-12 | DR-371 | 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 Sanilac County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 11 flood or flash flood records for Sanilac County from 1996 to 2020, on 11 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Sanilac County ranks 2245th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $113,000 on 14 claims filed in Sanilac County; the most in one year was 6 in 1987. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1983: 1 · 1986: 2 · 1987: 6 · 1988: 2 · 1989: 2 · 2003: 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 Sanilac County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Sanilac County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $22.8 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 | $10M | 3 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $316K | 14 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $186K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $795K | 3.1 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $8.9M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.6M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $325K | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $240K | 1.9 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 Sanilac 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
- Severe thunderstorm wind in MichiganThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, 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 Sanilac CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Sanilac County's FEMA declarations (CSV)12 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis