St. Joseph County, Michigan
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 26149 · population 60,908 · 501 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 497 records for St. Joseph County, Michigan from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 321 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (273 records). The deadliest day on its record was May 21, 2004: thunderstorm wind records filed for St. Joseph County that day count 2 deaths across 2 records. FEMA has issued 8 declarations naming the county since 1978, 6 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
- 497on 321 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 619 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $5.0Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 18strongest EF2
- 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 St. Joseph County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 273 since 1967. 51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1967 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 | 273 | 159 | 1967-2026 | 4 | 2 | $1.5M | 10 of 83 |
| Winter storms | 99 | 99 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $43K | 27 of 83 |
| Hail | 73 | 43 | 1966-2026 | 0 | 0 | $101K | 26 of 83 |
| Tornadoes | 18 | 16 | 1953-2026 | 0 | 12 | $1.8M | 22 of 83 |
| High wind and dust storms | 16 | 14 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $10K | 29 of 83 |
| Floods | 6 | 6 | 1996-2018 | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | 55 of 83 |
| Lightning | 6 | 6 | 1997-2014 | 1 | 3 | $40K | 10 of 83 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 5 | 2014-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 48 of 83 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2018-2018 | 1 | 2 | – | 38 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 St. Joseph County had?
NOAA records 18 tornadoes in St. Joseph County from 1953 to 2026, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 12 injuries recorded in the county. That is 22nd 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 17 tornadoes whose track touched St. Joseph County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 18: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person, 0 of them in St. Joseph County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-10-24 14:50, as SPC files it | VandaliaCrossed IN, MI | F3 | 47 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Michigan.
Every tornado record filed for St. Joseph County (18)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-06 | Three Rivers, St. Joseph County | EF2 10.75 mi x 450 yd | 0 | 10 | – |
| 2025-03-30 | Oakwood, St. Joseph County | EF0 3.57 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| 2024-08-06 | Edwards Corners, St. Joseph County | EF2 8.46 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-05-07 | Centreville, St. Joseph County | EF2 13.37 mi x 950 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2023-07-12 | Colon, St. Joseph County | EF1 0.9 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 2017-02-28 | Centreville, St. Joseph County | EF1 2.04 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-05-29 | Moore Park, St. Joseph County | EF1 2.85 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-06-05 | Constantine, St. Joseph County | EF2 10.65 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $406K |
| 2001-10-24 | Colon, St. Joseph County | F1 5 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $167K |
| 2001-10-24 | White Pigeon, St. Joseph County | F1 4 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 1 | $537K |
| 2001-10-24 | Howardsville, St. Joseph County | F0 5 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $167K |
| 2001-05-25 | Sturgis, St. Joseph County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-07-15 | St. Joseph County | F1 0.4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1976-03-12 | St. Joseph County | F2 3.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-08-19 | St. Joseph County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1966-07-09 | St. Joseph County | F2 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1955-07-06 | St. Joseph County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1953-05-17 | St. Joseph County | F2 6.4 mi x 33 yd | 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 St. Joseph County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 11, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($20,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindKirsch Municipal Airport, St. Joseph County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindSturgis, St. Joseph County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindConstantine, St. Joseph County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindWhite Pigeon, St. Joseph County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindSturgis, St. Joseph County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindConstantine, St. Joseph County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindThree Rivers, St. Joseph County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindThree Rivers, St. Joseph County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindThree Rivers, St. Joseph County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-04 | HailThree Rivers, St. Joseph County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-04-27 | Strong WindSt. Joseph County · forecast zone St. Joseph | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-03-06 | HailMendon, St. Joseph County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-01-21 | Dense FogSt. Joseph County · forecast zone St. Joseph Dense fog was widespread across the county through the period. Local law enforcement said a 60 year old man was killed in a two vehicle crash. The man was driving west on Pleasant Road around 5 p.m. Sunday. A vehicle driven by a 27 year old male, was northbound on Summit Road, and due to foggy conditions, one of the ... | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2006-06-02 | LightningConstantine, St. Joseph County A 45 year old man leaning against a tree was seriously injured when the tree was struck by lightning. He later died of his injuries. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2004-05-21 | Thunderstorm WindSturgis, St. Joseph County Emergency management reported a 36 year old female was driving in Sturgis when a large tree fell on her vehicle and crushed it. The driver was killed instantly. | 65 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $16K |
| 2004-05-21 | Thunderstorm WindColon, St. Joseph County A 71 year old male was killed when a large tree fell on his vehicle and crushed it as he was driving north of Colon. The driver was killed instantly. | 65 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $16K |
| 1991-03-27 | Thunderstorm WindSt. Joseph County | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1989-08-05 | Thunderstorm WindSt. Joseph County | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-06 | TornadoThree Rivers, St. Joseph County Another tornado from the same supercell that produced the Edwardsburg tornado touched down near Roberts Rd and M60 just southwest of Three Rivers on Friday afternoon. The tornado quickly intensified and produced EF-2 damage with estimated wind speeds of 120-130 mph. Here, the tornado hit a Menards, removing the roof ... | EF2 10.75 mi x 450 yd | 0 | 10 | – |
| 2024-06-16 | Thunderstorm WindThree Rivers, St. Joseph County St. Joseph County dispatch reported numerous trees and powerlines down in Three Rivers. Power is out. Two injuries reported as a car collided with a downed tree in the road. | 52 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $19K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-02-20 | FloodFactoryville, St. Joseph County | 0 | 0 | $799K | |
| 2008-09-13 | FloodHowardsville, St. Joseph County | 0 | 0 | $685K | |
| 2001-10-24 | TornadoWhite Pigeon, St. Joseph County | F1 4 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 1 | $537K |
| 2010-06-05 | TornadoConstantine, St. Joseph County | EF2 10.65 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $406K |
| 1998-11-10 | Thunderstorm WindColon, St. Joseph County | 0 | 0 | $272K | |
| 2001-10-24 | TornadoHowardsville, St. Joseph County | F0 5 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $167K |
| 2007-05-15 | Thunderstorm WindThree Rivers Airport, St. Joseph County | 83 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $71K |
| 2025-03-30 | TornadoOakwood, St. Joseph County | EF0 3.57 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $60K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: July 9, 1966 (tornado, St. Joseph County); March 12, 1976 (tornado, St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph 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 | 2 | 12 | 24 | 44 | 55 | 63 | 73 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 24 | 43 | 22 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 10 | 19 | 23 | 11 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 5 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 9 | 4 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1967 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 37 · Feb 36 · Mar 36 · Apr 20 · May 52 · Jun 99 · Jul 79 · Aug 64 · Sep 16 · Oct 14 · Nov 15 · Dec 29 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for St. Joseph County
FEMA's register lists 8 declarations that include St. Joseph County: 3 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for snowstorm (3) and biological (2).
| 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 |
| 1999-01-27 | EM-3137 | Snowstorm | Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 |
| 1980-09-08 | DR-631 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-01-27 | EM-3057 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
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 St. Joseph County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 6 flood or flash flood records for St. Joseph County from 1996 to 2018, on 6 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), St. Joseph County ranks 1261st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.6 million on 110 claims filed in St. Joseph County; the most in one year was 24 in 2018. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1980: 3 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 15 · 1985: 9 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 1 · 1989: 14 · 1990: 1 · 1996: 1 · 2001: 7 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 2 · 2008: 18 · 2009: 5 · 2013: 2 · 2018: 24 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 3; 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 St. Joseph County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates St. Joseph County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $18.9 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 | $1.1M | 2.7 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.4M | 4.8 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $602K | 38 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $11M | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.5M | 2.5 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.9M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $296K | 0.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $442K | once in about 889 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download St. Joseph County's FEMA declarations (CSV)8 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis