Sheboygan County, Wisconsin
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 55117 · population 117,195 · 512 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 734 records for Sheboygan County, Wisconsin from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 611 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (216 records). 455 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 October 11, 2002 dense fog, filed for the forecast zone Sheboygan, which covers the county: 10 deaths. FEMA has issued 11 declarations naming the county since 1973, 9 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on June 14, 2008.
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
- 734on 611 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1835 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $158Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 10strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 11latest 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 Sheboygan County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 216 since 1996. 53% 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 | 216 | 216 | 1996-2026 | 4 | 17 | $137K | 9 of 72 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 145 | 104 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 1 | $6.0M | 21 of 72 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 88 | 82 | 1996-2021 | 12 | 0 | $22K | 6 of 72 |
| Hail | 69 | 48 | 1961-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2K | 39 of 72 |
| High wind and dust storms | 62 | 60 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 1 | $2.1M | 7 of 72 |
| Extreme cold | 37 | 36 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 3 | $13K | 8 of 72 |
| Heat | 37 | 37 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 3 | – | 13 of 72 |
| Floods | 36 | 30 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $130M | 19 of 72 |
| Drought | 15 | 15 | 2002-2012 | 0 | 0 | $235K | 28 of 72 |
| Lightning | 14 | 13 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 2 | $636K | 14 of 72 |
| Tornadoes | 10 | 9 | 1966-2018 | 1 | 8 | $19M | 52 of 72 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 5 | 2003-2020 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 27 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 Sheboygan County had?
NOAA records 10 tornadoes in Sheboygan County from 1966 to 2018, the strongest rated F3, with 1 death and 8 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 11 tornadoes whose track touched Sheboygan County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 10: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people, 1 of them in Sheboygan County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974-04-21 15:30, as SPC files it | Kekoskee | F3 | 58.6 mi | 2 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Wisconsin.
Every tornado record filed for Sheboygan County (10)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-08-28 | Kohler Andrae State Park, Sheboygan County | EF0 0.3 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-08-28 | Parnell, Sheboygan County | EF1 5.33 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-07-18 | Howards Grove, Sheboygan County | EF0 3.31 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2008-07-16 | Sheboygan Co Ar, Sheboygan County | EF1 1.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $481K |
| 1996-07-18 | Beechwood, Sheboygan County | F1 0.9 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $471K |
| 1987-07-26 | Sheboygan County | F1 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1981-08-29 | Sheboygan County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1974-04-21 | Sheboygan County | F3 28.1 mi x 200 yd | 1 | 7 | $2.5M step |
| 1973-07-30 | Sheboygan County | F1 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1966-08-08 | Sheboygan County | F1 8.9 mi x 100 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.
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 Sheboygan County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 10, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | Excessive HeatSheboygan County · forecast zone Sheboygan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-29 | HeatSheboygan County · forecast zone Sheboygan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindSheboygan Co Ar, Sheboygan County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindFranklin, Sheboygan County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindHowards Grove, Sheboygan County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2026-03-31 | HailMillersville, Sheboygan County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-31 | HailMosel, Sheboygan County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-30 | HailSheboygan County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | BlizzardSheboygan County · forecast zone Sheboygan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-14 | Winter WeatherSheboygan County · forecast zone Sheboygan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-13 | High WindSheboygan County · forecast zone Sheboygan | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2026-01-23 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillSheboygan County · forecast zone Sheboygan | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-10-11 | Dense FogSheboygan County · forecast zone Sheboygan Shallow dense fog developed over parts of Sheboygan and Ozaukee counties during the overnight hours, and persisted to about 0830CST. The dense fog, reducing visibilities to zero to 1/4 mile, was a factor in three closely-spaced, but separate multi-vehicle accidents in Sheboygan County (total of 50 vehicles), and one ... | 10 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-01-18 | Winter WeatherSheboygan County · forecast zone Sheboygan Two to five inches of snow accumulation with highest amounts near Lake MI. Two people were killed and two injured in a single vehicle accident in the village of Kohler. | 2 | 2 | – | |
| 2021-09-30 | Dense FogSheboygan County · forecast zone Sheboygan Dense fog was a contributing factor in a deadly two vehicle accident at the intersection of highway 23 & TT just south of the Sheboygan County Memorial Airport. An eastbound mini-van struck a northbound tractor trailer. The two women in the mini-van were killed. | 2 | 0 | $22K | |
| 1974-04-21 | TornadoSheboygan County | F3 28.1 mi x 200 yd | 1 | 7 | $2.5M step |
| 2017-03-01 | Winter StormSheboygan County · forecast zone Sheboygan Five to seven inches of wet snow with the highest totals in the northern half of the county. One fatality occurred when a motorist slid and crossed the centerline striking another vehicle on highway 32 in the Town of Lima. Heavy snow was occurring at the time. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2017-01-03 | Winter WeatherSheboygan County · forecast zone Sheboygan Areas of icy roads from light freezing drizzle and fog. A pickup truck slid off the road and hit some trees. One fatality occurred. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-12-21 | Cold/Wind ChillSheboygan County · forecast zone Sheboygan Yet another bitter cold air mass pushed across southern Wisconsin in the wake of a winter storm. West winds of 13 to 17 knots (15 to 20 mph) with gusts to 26 to 35 knots (30 to 40 mph) generated wind chills of -20 to -34. Actual air temperatures at the start of this event ranged from -7 at Mineral Point (Iowa Co.) to ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-12-01 | Winter StormSheboygan County · forecast zone Sheboygan The first winter storm of the 2008-09 winter season over south-central and southeast Wisconsin started during the afternoon hours of November 30th, but continued to 0400 CST in the pre-dawn hours of December 1st. Snow accumulations of 3 to 10 inches were accompanied by northeast winds gusting to 25 to 30 mph, which ... | 0 | 5 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-08-06 | Flash FloodSheboygan County | 0 | 0 | $73M | |
| 1996-06-17 | FloodSheboygan County · forecast zone Sheboygan | 0 | 0 | $30M | |
| 2004-06-01 | FloodSheboygan County · forecast zone Sheboygan | 0 | 0 | $25M | |
| 2018-08-28 | Thunderstorm WindParnell, Sheboygan County | 87 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.7M |
| 1998-05-31 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Sheboygan County | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 1998-11-10 | High WindSheboygan County · forecast zone Sheboygan | 0 | 1 | $1.4M | |
| 2008-06-12 | Flash FloodWaldo, Sheboygan County | 0 | 0 | $963K | |
| 2001-04-07 | Thunderstorm WindGreenbush, Sheboygan County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $667K |
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: April 21, 1974 (tornado, Sheboygan County, 1 killed).
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 Sheboygan 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 | – | – | – | – | 11 | 63 | 85 | 57 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 2 | 3 | 5 | 19 | 25 | 31 | 32 | 28 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 6 | 65 | 16 | 1 |
| Hail | 0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 22 | 24 | 9 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 26 | 28 | 4 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 5 | 13 | 12 | 7 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
53% 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 92 · Feb 77 · Mar 60 · Apr 56 · May 43 · Jun 70 · Jul 92 · Aug 73 · Sep 36 · Oct 28 · Nov 30 · Dec 77 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Sheboygan County
FEMA's register lists 11 declarations that include Sheboygan County: 8 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (3) and flood (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4520 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3454 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2008-06-14 | DR-1768 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, 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 |
| 1998-08-12 | DR-1238 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1986-10-07 | DR-775 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1976-03-23 | DR-496 | Flood | Severe Storms, Icing, Wind & Flooding |
| 1974-04-26 | DR-431 | Tornado | Tornadoes |
| 1973-04-27 | DR-376 | 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 Sheboygan County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 36 flood or flash flood records for Sheboygan County from 1996 to 2025, on 30 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Sheboygan County ranks 1648th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $551,000 on 52 claims filed in Sheboygan County; the most in one year was 10 in 1998. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 3 · 1980: 3 · 1981: 1 · 1984: 1 · 1985: 1 · 1986: 5 · 1987: 2 · 1988: 1 · 1989: 1 · 1996: 1 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 10 · 1999: 1 · 2001: 2 · 2004: 2 · 2005: 1 · 2008: 3 · 2013: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 6; 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 Sheboygan County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Sheboygan County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $36.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $2.4M | 2.4 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $7.2M | 5.6 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $6.4M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $147K | 16 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $474K | 32 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $18M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $1.1M | 2.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $664K | 2.5 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 Sheboygan 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 Sheboygan CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Sheboygan County's FEMA declarations (CSV)11 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis