Sherburne County, Minnesota
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 27141 · population 97,144 · 433 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 503 records for Sherburne County, Minnesota from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 315 days; the most frequent are hail reports (181 records). The deadliest single record is the July 22, 1967 tornado: 1 death and 12 injuries. FEMA has issued 10 declarations naming the county since 1965, 8 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Katrina Evacuation” on September 13, 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
- 503on 315 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 113 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $70Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 13strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 10latest 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 Sherburne County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 181 since 1974. 44% of its hail reports since 1974 fell in May and June. The rank column places the county among Minnesota'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 181 | 93 | 1974-2026 | 0 | 0 | $38M | 10 of 87 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 135 | 87 | 1966-2025 | 0 | 1 | $6.3M | 11 of 87 |
| Winter storms | 99 | 98 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 of 87 |
| Extreme cold | 26 | 26 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 30 of 87 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 13 | 11 | 1999-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 87 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 11 | 1967-2017 | 1 | 12 | $23M | 54 of 87 |
| Heat | 12 | 12 | 1999-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 87 |
| Heavy rain | 9 | 6 | 2005-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 18 of 87 |
| High wind and dust storms | 8 | 8 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 55 of 87 |
| Floods | 6 | 6 | 1997-2005 | 0 | 0 | $3.4M | 72 of 87 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2005-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 40 of 87 |
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 Sherburne County had?
NOAA records 13 tornadoes in Sherburne County from 1967 to 2017, the strongest rated F2, with 1 death and 12 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 13 tornadoes whose track touched Sherburne County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 13, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967-07-22 19:05, as SPC files it | St. Cloud | F2 | 16.4 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Minnesota.
Every tornado record filed for Sherburne County (13)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-03-06 | Orrock, Sherburne County | EF1 8.78 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-06-17 | Clear Lake, Sherburne County | EF0 2.54 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-06-17 | Clear Lake, Sherburne County | EF0 0.06 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-07-19 | Becker, Sherburne County | EF0 4.35 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $411K |
| 2004-08-08 | Zimmerman, Sherburne County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-30 | Clear Lake, Sherburne County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-09 | Big Lake, Sherburne County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-05-30 | Sherburne County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-05-30 | Sherburne County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-04-27 | Sherburne County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1983-06-13 | Sherburne County | F0 0.8 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-07-01 | Sherburne County | F0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1967-07-22 | Sherburne County | F2 14.5 mi x 200 yd | 1 | 12 | $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.
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 Sherburne County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 1, 2011 hail ($66,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Several reports of very large hail occurred from Big Lake, to approximately 5 miles north of Big Lake, Minnesota.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 307931)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-23 | HailBecker, Sherburne County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-01 | Winter WeatherSherburne County · forecast zone Sherburne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-14 | Winter StormSherburne County · forecast zone Sherburne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-24 | Winter WeatherSherburne County · forecast zone Sherburne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-18 | Winter WeatherSherburne County · forecast zone Sherburne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillSherburne County · forecast zone Sherburne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-18 | Winter WeatherSherburne County · forecast zone Sherburne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-05 | Winter WeatherSherburne County · forecast zone Sherburne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-04 | Winter WeatherSherburne County · forecast zone Sherburne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-28 | Winter StormSherburne County · forecast zone Sherburne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-25 | Winter WeatherSherburne County · forecast zone Sherburne | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-09 | Winter StormSherburne County · forecast zone Sherburne | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967-07-22 | TornadoSherburne County | F2 14.5 mi x 200 yd | 1 | 12 | $2.5M step |
| 1997-07-01 | Thunderstorm WindBig Lake, Sherburne County Five airplanes overturned at local airport. Roof blown off lumberyard, injurying a motorist. Fire hall doors blown off. Hundreds of trees blown down. Roofs ripped off numerous structures including middle school, apartment building and hardware store. Traffic lights down. Restaurant destroyed. Police car blown off the ... | 0 | 1 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-09-21 | HailBig Lake, Sherburne County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $38M |
| 1998-05-15 | Thunderstorm WindElk River, Sherburne County | 0 | 0 | $5.4M | |
| 2001-04-22 | Flash FloodCountywide, Sherburne County | 0 | 0 | $3.3M | |
| 2008-07-19 | TornadoBecker, Sherburne County | EF0 4.35 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $411K |
| 2010-07-17 | Thunderstorm WindBecker, Sherburne County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $338K |
| 2011-07-01 | HailBig Lake, Sherburne County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $66K |
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: July 22, 1967 (tornado, Sherburne 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 Sherburne 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 74 | 47 | 35 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 8 | 11 | 25 | 40 | 32 | 18 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 9 | 30 | 26 | 34 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 5 | 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 1 | 7 | 4 | 1 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
44% of its hail reports since 1974 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 27 · Feb 28 · Mar 28 · Apr 35 · May 73 · Jun 78 · Jul 115 · Aug 38 · Sep 37 · Oct 8 · Nov 10 · Dec 26 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Sherburne County
FEMA's register lists 10 declarations that include Sherburne County: 7 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (4) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-07 | DR-4531 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3453 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3242 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1997-08-25 | DR-1187 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, High Winds, Flooding |
| 1997-04-08 | DR-1175 | Flood | Severe Flooding, High Winds,Severe Storms |
| 1997-01-16 | DR-1158 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1976-06-17 | EM-3013 | Drought | Drought |
| 1969-04-18 | DR-255 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1966-03-22 | DR-215 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1965-04-11 | DR-188 | Flood | 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 Sherburne County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 6 flood or flash flood records for Sherburne County from 1997 to 2005, on 6 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Sherburne County ranks 1584th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $478,000 on 59 claims filed in Sherburne County; the most in one year was 14 in 2001. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 2 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 2 · 1985: 1 · 1986: 4 · 1997: 9 · 1999: 1 · 2001: 14 · 2002: 2 · 2005: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2011: 2 · 2012: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2022: 10 · 2023: 5; 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 Sherburne County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Sherburne County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $30.8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $3.2M | 4 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.4M | 6.1 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $4.5M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $605K | 34 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $519K | once in about 871 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $17M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $544K | 9.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $943K | 3.4 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 Sherburne 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 MinnesotaEvery Minnesota tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Hail in MinnesotaThe state's hail reports, by county, year and month
- The Minnesota recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Sherburne CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Sherburne County's FEMA declarations (CSV)10 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis