Sawyer County, Wisconsin
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 55113 · population 18,035 · 1,258 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 559 records for Sawyer County, Wisconsin from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 335 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (179 records). The deadliest single record is the June 17, 2018 thunderstorm wind: 1 death and 3 injuries. FEMA has issued 9 declarations naming the county since 1976, 7 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms and Flooding” on August 9, 2016.
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
- 559on 335 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 57 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $3.2Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 8strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 9latest 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 Sawyer County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 179 since 1971. 63% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1971 fell in June and July. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 179 | 91 | 1971-2026 | 2 | 3 | $1.4M | 64 of 72 |
| Hail | 174 | 77 | 1972-2026 | 0 | 0 | $995 | 58 of 72 |
| Winter storms | 109 | 108 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $101K | 68 of 72 |
| Drought | 39 | 39 | 2006-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 24 of 72 |
| Floods | 21 | 13 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $394K | 62 of 72 |
| Extreme cold | 18 | 18 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 0 | – | 69 of 72 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 6 | 1960-1998 | 0 | 0 | $925K | 71 of 72 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 2005-2021 | 0 | 4 | $275K | 55 of 72 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 3 | 2004-2023 | 0 | 0 | $8K | 68 of 72 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 2011-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 66 of 72 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 68 of 72 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2006-2006 | 0 | 0 | $73K | 11 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 Sawyer County had?
NOAA records 8 tornadoes in Sawyer County from 1960 to 1998, 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 9 tornadoes whose track touched Sawyer County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 8: 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 Sawyer County (8)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-05-12 | Moose Lake, Sawyer County | F0 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-05-12 | Moose Lake, Sawyer County | F0 3 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-08-09 | Sawyer County | F1 0.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-08-09 | Sawyer County | F1 4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-09-26 | Sawyer County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-06-21 | Sawyer County | F1 0.5 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1966-07-10 | Sawyer County | F1 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1960-04-23 | Sawyer County | 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 Sawyer County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 17, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($50,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindHayward, Sawyer County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-26 | HailRound Lake, Sawyer County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-26 | HailHayward, Sawyer County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-26 | HailHayward, Sawyer County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | Thunderstorm WindHayward, Sawyer County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2026-04-17 | HailStone Lake, Sawyer County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | HailWinter, Sawyer County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | HailMoose Lake, Sawyer County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-03 | Ice StormSawyer County · forecast zone Sawyer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-14 | Heavy SnowSawyer County · forecast zone Sawyer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillSawyer County · forecast zone Sawyer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-28 | Heavy SnowSawyer County · forecast zone Sawyer | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindEdgewater, Sawyer County Strong thunderstorm winds blew over an oak tree onto an occupied camper, killing one of the occupants and injuring 3 others. Numerous trees were blown over roadways in the area as well. | 50 kt wind | 1 | 3 | – |
| 2009-02-11 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillSawyer County · forecast zone Sawyer An elderly Hayward woman died of hypothermia. She left in her car from a friend's home at about 4:30 pm. She apparently became confused and made a wrong turn onto a long driveway that led to unoccupied seasonal cottages. Her vehicle became stuck when she attempted to turn around. She died of exposure while trying to ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2009-02-08 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillSawyer County · forecast zone Sawyer A Hayward man was found dead from apparent hypothermia. The man was found in a field near Round Lake and Sawyer County Road B. The man was last seen leaving his sister's home around 4:30 am February 8th. Temperatures were in the single digits above zero with calm winds. His body was discovered on the 10th. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2009-01-13 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillSawyer County · forecast zone Sawyer A strong cold front passed through northwestern Wisconsin during the late afternoon of the 12th. Arctic air became firmly entrenched after the frontal passage, and temperatures fell below zero and remained there through the morning of the 16th. The cold temperatures led to the death of a Hayward man during the early ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2005-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindHayward, Sawyer County A 55 year-old man was killed after a thunderstorm toppled a tree onto the tent where he and his 7 year-old grandson were sleeping on Loon Point Island in the Chippewa Flowage. Rescuers found the man alive the following morning, but he died before he reached the hospital. | 60 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2021-08-10 | LightningHayward Airport, Sawyer County Four family members visiting the Hayward area from southern Wisconsin were golfing at the Big Fish Golf Club the morning of the tenth. Storms were developing in the area at that time and one of these storms produced a lightning bolt that hit near the 5th hole's tee box where the four were standing. All four were taken ... | 0 | 4 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994-05-30 | Thunderstorm WindSeeley, Sawyer County | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 2023-04-12 | FloodMoose Lake, Sawyer County | 0 | 0 | $291K | |
| 2008-05-25 | LightningWinter, Sawyer County | 0 | 0 | $274K | |
| 2010-07-14 | Thunderstorm WindHayward, Sawyer County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $108K |
| 2026-04-17 | Thunderstorm WindHayward, Sawyer County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2025-07-02 | Thunderstorm WindHayward Airport, Sawyer County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2011-07-17 | Thunderstorm WindStone Lake, Sawyer County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $13K |
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 21, 1986 (tornado, Sawyer 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 Sawyer 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 | 16 | 32 | 22 | 49 | 54 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 29 | 92 | 34 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 12 | 30 | 35 | 32 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 18 | 12 | 9 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 11 | 8 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 7 | 3 | 6 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
63% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1971 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 29 · Feb 36 · Mar 28 · Apr 38 · May 62 · Jun 84 · Jul 130 · Aug 61 · Sep 44 · Oct 6 · Nov 12 · Dec 29 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Sawyer County
FEMA's register lists 9 declarations that include Sawyer County: 5 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (3) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4520 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3454 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016-08-09 | DR-4276 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3249 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002-09-10 | DR-1432 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 2000-06-24 | DR-1332 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1999-08-16 | DR-1284 | Flood | Wi-Flood-07/20/99 |
| 1977-10-03 | EM-3048 | Severe Storm | Winds, Hail & Rain |
| 1976-06-17 | EM-3014 | 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 Sawyer County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 21 flood or flash flood records for Sawyer County from 1996 to 2025, on 13 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Sawyer County ranks 2436th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $69,000 on 8 claims filed in Sawyer County; the most in one year was 3 in 2016. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2002: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2016: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2023: 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 Sawyer County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Sawyer County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $23.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $15M | 9.1 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $120K | 19 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $603K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $218K | 31 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $6.8M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $182K | 1.9 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $34K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $26K | 4 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 Sawyer 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
- Severe thunderstorm wind in WisconsinThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, 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 Sawyer CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Sawyer County's FEMA declarations (CSV)9 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis