Shawano County, Wisconsin
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 55115 · population 40,839 · 893 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 462 records for Shawano County, Wisconsin from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 332 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (174 records). The most damaging was the June 16, 1996 flood ($48.9 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 8 declarations naming the county since 1976, 6 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding” on August 27, 2019.
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
- 462on 332 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 011 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $81Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 28strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 8latest 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 Shawano County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 174 since 1964. 64% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1964 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 | 174 | 106 | 1964-2026 | 0 | 2 | $1.3M | 50 of 72 |
| Winter storms | 100 | 100 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 61 of 72 |
| Hail | 68 | 46 | 1973-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 63 of 72 |
| Tornadoes | 28 | 21 | 1964-2025 | 0 | 1 | $31M | 42 of 72 |
| Drought | 20 | 20 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 43 of 72 |
| High wind and dust storms | 18 | 18 | 1996-2019 | 0 | 0 | $47K | 40 of 72 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 18 | 18 | 1996-2014 | 0 | 7 | – | 29 of 72 |
| Extreme cold | 15 | 15 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 64 of 72 |
| Floods | 11 | 11 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $49M | 56 of 72 |
| Lightning | 6 | 6 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 1 | $28K | 37 of 72 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 55 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 Shawano County had?
NOAA records 28 tornadoes in Shawano County from 1964 to 2025, the strongest rated F3, 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 29 tornadoes whose track touched Shawano County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 28: 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.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-06-07 15:31, as SPC files it | Mattoon | EF3 | 40.1 mi | 0 |
| 1984-04-27 14:55, as SPC files it | Marion | F3 | 32 mi | 0 |
| 1969-06-26 11:15, as SPC files it | Pulaski | F3 | 15.3 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Wisconsin.
Every tornado record filed for Shawano County (28)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-28 | Mattoon, Shawano County | EF0 5.31 mi x 65 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-28 | Birnamwood, Shawano County | EF0 1.88 mi x 55 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-06-15 | Navarino, Shawano County | EF1 6.58 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-06-15 | Bowler, Shawano County | EF1 0.58 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-06-15 | Wittenberg, Shawano County | EF1 9.5 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-08-11 | Angelica, Shawano County | EF0 0.37 mi x 41 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-10-03 | Mattoon, Shawano County | EF0 0.99 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-06-14 | Briarton, Shawano County | EF1 5.08 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-06-14 | Navarino, Shawano County | EF1 1.82 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-06-14 | Hofa Park, Shawano County | EF0 3.05 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| 2017-06-14 | Angelica, Shawano County | EF1 5.8 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $90K |
| 2017-06-14 | Gresham, Shawano County | EF0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-06-04 | Shawano Lake, Shawano County | EF0 0.01 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-07-06 | Pella Airport, Shawano County | EF0 0.08 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2015-05-17 | Morgan, Shawano County | EF0 4.84 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-08-23 | Briarton, Shawano County | EF0 0.23 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-06-07 | Mattoon, Shawano County | EF1 0.9 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2007-06-03 | Shawano County | EF0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-07-08 | Aniwa, Shawano County | F1 0.2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 1991-09-14 | Shawano County | F0 0.1 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1984-06-26 | Shawano County | F1 4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1984-04-27 | Shawano County | F3 17 mi x 43 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1983-07-03 | Shawano County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1980-09-20 | Shawano County | F1 0.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1980-05-30 | Shawano County | F1 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-04-12 | Shawano County | F2 10.7 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1969-06-26 | Shawano County | F3 7.6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1964-06-09 | Shawano County | F1 | 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 Shawano County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 14, 2017 tornado ($30,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
This tornado, west of Angelica, heavily damaged an old barn (DI 1, DOD 6) and partially tore the roof off an outbuilding (DI 1, DOD 2). Another old barn had most of its roof blown off (DI 1, DOD 5). A nearby home had roof damage (DI 2, DOD 2) and its garage door partially collapsed inward.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 694079)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-29 | Excessive HeatShawano County · forecast zone Shawano | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindShawano County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-05 | Thunderstorm WindBelle Plaine, Shawano County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-14 | Flash FloodNavarino, Shawano County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-13 | Flash FloodGreen Vly, Shawano County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-02 | Ice StormShawano County · forecast zone Shawano | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-30 | HailThornton, Shawano County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-14 | Winter StormShawano County · forecast zone Shawano | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Winter StormShawano County · forecast zone Shawano | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillShawano County · forecast zone Shawano | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-01 | DroughtShawano County · forecast zone Shawano | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-01 | DroughtShawano County · forecast zone Shawano | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-12-14 | Dense FogShawano County · forecast zone Shawano Dense fog contributed to a head-on collision on Highway 29 in Wittenberg. | 0 | 7 | – | |
| 2010-07-20 | Thunderstorm WindBelle Plaine, Shawano County Thunderstorm winds downed a tree which struck a woman in the town of Belle Plaine. The injury was non-life threatening. | 52 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| 1998-03-29 | LightningShawano County Two prolific hail-producing thunderstorms dropped hail as large as baseballs and grapefruits across parts of central and east-central Wisconsin during the late morning and afternoon of March 29. It was the worst hailstorm ever, in terms of damage, to strike the Appleton area. A car dealership in Appleton reported ... | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1997-07-16 | Thunderstorm WindWittenberg, Shawano County Severe thunderstorms affected much of northern, central and east-central Wisconsin during the afternoon and evening of July 16 with tornadoes, downburst winds and large hail. Millions of dollars in damage resulted from the biggest severe weather outbreak to affect the region in years.The storms began to develop early ... | 0 | 1 | $553K | |
| 1974-04-12 | TornadoShawano County | F2 10.7 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-06-16 | FloodShawano County · forecast zone Shawano | 0 | 0 | $49M | |
| 1997-07-16 | Thunderstorm WindWittenberg, Shawano County | 0 | 1 | $553K | |
| 2013-08-21 | Thunderstorm WindMorgan, Shawano County | 83 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $95K |
| 2017-06-14 | TornadoAngelica, Shawano County | EF1 5.8 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $90K |
| 2010-07-20 | Thunderstorm WindWittenberg, Shawano County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $68K |
| 2010-07-14 | Thunderstorm WindBowler, Shawano County | 83 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $47K |
| 2017-06-14 | TornadoHofa Park, Shawano County | EF0 3.05 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| 1994-07-08 | TornadoAniwa, Shawano County | F1 0.2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
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: June 26, 1969 (tornado, Shawano County); April 27, 1984 (tornado, Shawano 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 Shawano 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 | 3 | 3 | 22 | 41 | 31 | 49 | 25 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 21 | 31 | 26 | 22 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 21 | 15 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 6 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 1 | 14 | 0 | 5 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 9 | 3 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
64% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1964 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 36 · Feb 31 · Mar 30 · Apr 40 · May 36 · Jun 87 · Jul 85 · Aug 54 · Sep 18 · Oct 14 · Nov 6 · Dec 25 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Shawano County
FEMA's register lists 8 declarations that include Shawano County: 5 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and severe storm (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4520 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3454 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-08-27 | DR-4459 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3249 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-06-18 | DR-1526 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2002-09-10 | DR-1432 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 1993-07-02 | DR-994 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 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 Shawano County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 11 flood or flash flood records for Shawano County from 1996 to 2026, on 11 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Shawano County ranks 2291st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $294,000 on 12 claims filed in Shawano County; the most in one year was 5 in 2019. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1996: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2019: 5 · 2020: 1 · 2026: 2; 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 Shawano County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Shawano County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $26.3 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 | $11M | 6.7 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $725K | 31 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $735K | 2.2 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.1M | 2.2 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.5M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $10M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $284K | 1.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $52K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Shawano 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 Shawano CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Shawano County's FEMA declarations (CSV)8 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis