Shiawassee County, Michigan
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 26155 · population 68,081 · 531 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 434 records for Shiawassee County, Michigan from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 317 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (205 records). The most damaging was the March 14, 2019 tornado ($11.3 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 14 declarations naming the county since 1965, 12 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
- 434on 317 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 032 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $78Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 35strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 14latest 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 Shiawassee County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 205 since 1955. 46% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 fell in June and July. 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 | 205 | 142 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | 14 of 83 |
| Winter storms | 59 | 57 | 1997-2023 | 0 | 0 | $5.0M | 66 of 83 |
| Hail | 55 | 43 | 1967-2023 | 0 | 0 | $6.8M | 28 of 83 |
| Tornadoes | 35 | 29 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 16 | $44M | 3 of 83 |
| High wind and dust storms | 27 | 27 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $16M | 14 of 83 |
| Floods | 15 | 14 | 1996-2020 | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | 20 of 83 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 14 | 1996-2019 | 0 | 10 | $1.7M | 20 of 83 |
| Heat | 14 | 14 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 5 | – | 6 of 83 |
| Lightning | 7 | 7 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 1 | $403K | 9 of 83 |
| Drought | 2 | 2 | 2001-2002 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 83 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2006-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | 41 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 Shiawassee County had?
NOAA records 35 tornadoes in Shiawassee County from 1956 to 2026, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 16 injuries recorded in the county. That is 3rd 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 35 tornadoes whose track touched Shiawassee County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 35, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 3 people, 0 of them in Shiawassee County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-10-18 20:28, as SPC files it | Williamston to Perry | EF2 | 19 mi | 2 |
| 1965-04-11 19:15, as SPC files it | DeWitt to Laingsburg | F4 | 21 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Michigan.
Every tornado record filed for Shiawassee County (35)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-14 | Vernon, Shiawassee County | EF0 1.71 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2025-03-30 | New Haven, Shiawassee County | EF1 0.86 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-08-11 | Perry, Shiawassee County | EF1 3.04 mi x 430 yd | 0 | 0 | $969K |
| 2019-08-29 | New Lothrop, Shiawassee County | EF0 2.49 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $58K |
| 2019-03-14 | Perry, Shiawassee County | EF2 18.2 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 0 | $11M |
| 2019-03-14 | Pittsburg, Shiawassee County | EF0 6.4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $58K |
| 2015-06-15 | Durand, Shiawassee County | EF0 0.28 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2013-05-28 | Morrice, Shiawassee County | EF0 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $63K |
| 2013-05-28 | Shaftsburg, Shiawassee County | EF0 0.74 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $38K |
| 2013-05-28 | Bancroft, Shiawassee County | EF1 5.6 mi x 550 yd | 0 | 0 | $127K |
| 2011-05-29 | Shaftsburg, Shiawassee County | EF1 3.07 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $33K |
| 2007-10-18 | Perry, Shiawassee County | EF1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $569K |
| 2007-08-24 | Juddville, Shiawassee County | EF0 0.25 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $71K |
| 2004-05-22 | Owosso, Shiawassee County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-13 | Owosso, Shiawassee County | F0 2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-05-21 | Bennington, Shiawassee County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-08-17 | Shiawassee County | F0 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-08-17 | Shiawassee County | F1 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1991-08-17 | Shiawassee County | F0 6 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-11-27 | Shiawassee County | F1 2.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1986-04-28 | Shiawassee County | F2 18.4 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1984-08-30 | Shiawassee County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1984-06-10 | Shiawassee County | F1 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1978-08-19 | Shiawassee County | F2 2 mi x 230 yd | 0 | 8 | $250K step |
| 1977-04-02 | Shiawassee County | F1 12 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1976-04-21 | Shiawassee County | F1 1.5 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-04-21 | Shiawassee County | F2 3 mi x 83 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1975-08-29 | Shiawassee County | F2 1.5 mi x 83 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-06-03 | Shiawassee County | F0 0.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1972-08-01 | Shiawassee County | F1 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1971-06-02 | Shiawassee County | F1 15.8 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 1967-04-16 | Shiawassee County | F2 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1965-04-11 | Shiawassee County | F4 6.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1957-09-21 | Shiawassee County | F2 21.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1956-05-12 | Shiawassee County | F1 2 mi x 33 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 Shiawassee County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 14, 2026 tornado ($50,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
The tornado touched down near Newburg Rd just west of Lansing Rd before moving east across Lansing Rd. EF-0 damage occurred along the path with downed pine trees and large tree limbs. Some structural damage was seen with siding off of a home, outbuilding roof panels blown off and collapsed barn doors near Newburg Rd and Vernon Rd. Peak winds estimated at 80 mph. The tornado lifted just to the southeast of Newburg Rd and S Reed Rd where there were both downed hardwood and pine trees, along with large tree limbs.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1328774)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | Excessive HeatShiawassee County · forecast zone Shiawassee | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindOwosso, Shiawassee County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindLaingsburg, Shiawassee County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindLaingsburg, Shiawassee County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindByron, Shiawassee County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindPittsburg, Shiawassee County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-14 | TornadoVernon, Shiawassee County | EF0 1.71 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindPittsburg, Shiawassee County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindPittsburg, Shiawassee County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-13 | High WindShiawassee County · forecast zone Shiawassee | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2025-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindShaftsburg, Shiawassee County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-24 | Thunderstorm WindNew Haven, Shiawassee County | 56 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-02-03 | Cold/Wind ChillShiawassee County · forecast zone Shiawassee 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 | |
| 1978-08-19 | TornadoShiawassee County | F2 2 mi x 230 yd | 0 | 8 | $250K step |
| 2001-08-06 | HeatShiawassee County · forecast zone Shiawassee A large high pressure ridge settled across the Great Lakes region during the first week of August. With this ridge in place, high temperatures soared well into the 90s across southeast Michigan. During this period, Flint broke 3 record highs, including a high of 98 on the 8th. Detroit also broke a record on the 8th ... | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 1971-06-02 | TornadoShiawassee County | F1 15.8 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 2006-05-29 | HeatShiawassee County · forecast zone Shiawassee 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 | 2 | – | |
| 2007-10-18 | TornadoPerry, Shiawassee County This tornado developed in Ingham County, just northeast of Mason, and tracked northeastward through the town of Williamston before crossing into Shiawassee County at 2153EST at a point 3.3 miles south-southeast of Perry (see Storm Data for Michigan, Southwest, for more information on the beginning portion of this ... | EF1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $569K |
| 2001-09-21 | LightningPerry, Shiawassee County A 15-year old Perry Middle School student was hit by lightning while playing soccer on a school field. The boy was rushed to an area hospital for treatment. It is unknown at the time of this publication the condition of the boy. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1977-04-02 | TornadoShiawassee County | F1 12 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-03-14 | TornadoPerry, Shiawassee County | EF2 18.2 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 0 | $11M |
| 2007-07-26 | HailDurand, Shiawassee County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $6.8M |
| 2012-05-04 | Flash FloodWest Five Pts, Shiawassee County | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 1998-05-31 | Thunderstorm WindHenderson, Shiawassee County | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 2023-08-11 | TornadoPerry, Shiawassee County | EF1 3.04 mi x 430 yd | 0 | 0 | $969K |
| 2013-01-19 | High WindShiawassee County · forecast zone Shiawassee | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $950K |
| 2016-02-19 | High WindShiawassee County · forecast zone Shiawassee | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $615K |
| 2007-10-18 | TornadoPerry, Shiawassee County | EF1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $569K |
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, 1976 (tornado, Shiawassee County); April 28, 1986 (tornado, Shiawassee 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 Shiawassee 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 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 42 | 65 | 32 | 41 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 9 | 28 | 17 | 5 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 29 | 3 | 5 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 3 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 9 | 9 | 3 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 8 | 3 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
46% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 28 · Feb 28 · Mar 31 · Apr 30 · May 55 · Jun 72 · Jul 72 · Aug 44 · Sep 25 · Oct 12 · Nov 17 · Dec 20 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Shiawassee County
FEMA's register lists 14 declarations that include Shiawassee County: 9 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (4) and severe storm (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 |
| 1998-06-24 | DR-1226 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms |
| 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 |
| 1975-09-30 | DR-486 | Flood | Severe Storms, High Winds & Flooding |
| 1975-04-26 | DR-465 | Flood | Severe Storms, High Winds & Flooding |
| 1965-04-14 | DR-190 | Tornado | Tornadoes & Severe Storms |
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 Shiawassee County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 15 flood or flash flood records for Shiawassee County from 1996 to 2020, on 14 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Shiawassee County ranks 1551st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $106,000 on 62 claims filed in Shiawassee County; the most in one year was 21 in 1981. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1981: 21 · 1982: 6 · 1985: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1992: 1 · 1993: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 3 · 1997: 1 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2004: 12 · 2005: 1 · 2008: 2 · 2009: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 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 Shiawassee County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Shiawassee County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $22.1 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 | $2.6M | 5.7 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $5.5M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.0M | 2.8 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $193K | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $427K | 2.9 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $475K | 2.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $7.5M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $114K | 34 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 Shiawassee 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 Shiawassee CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Shiawassee County's FEMA declarations (CSV)14 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis