Stevens County, Minnesota
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 27149 · population 9,670 · 564 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 453 records for Stevens County, Minnesota from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 321 days; the most frequent are hail reports (129 records). The most damaging was the June 23, 2003 hail ($17.6 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1969, 17 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms and Flooding” on July 19, 2023.
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
- 453on 321 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 00 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $43Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 18strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 19latest 2023
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 Stevens County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 129 since 1955. 53% of its hail reports since 1955 fell in June and July. 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 | 129 | 79 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 0 | $18M | 30 of 87 |
| Winter storms | 118 | 116 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 37 of 87 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 99 | 59 | 1960-2026 | 0 | 0 | $6.0M | 55 of 87 |
| Extreme cold | 43 | 43 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 87 |
| Tornadoes | 18 | 15 | 1952-2022 | 0 | 0 | $18M | 51 of 87 |
| High wind and dust storms | 17 | 17 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 of 87 |
| Floods | 11 | 10 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $696K | 62 of 87 |
| Heat | 8 | 8 | 1999-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 46 of 87 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 8 | 7 | 1997-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 40 of 87 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2013-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 51 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 Stevens County had?
NOAA records 18 tornadoes in Stevens County from 1952 to 2022, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 0 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 18 tornadoes whose track touched Stevens County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 18, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Minnesota.
Every tornado record filed for Stevens County (18)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-05-30 | Hancock, Stevens County | EF1 2.88 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-06-13 | Hancock, Stevens County | EF1 2.96 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-06-13 | Hancock, Stevens County | EF0 1.54 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-08-06 | Hancock, Stevens County | EF0 0.09 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-08-06 | Chokio, Stevens County | EF0 0.09 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-04-21 | Chokio, Stevens County | EF0 0.15 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-05-30 | Morris, Stevens County | EF0 0.05 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-05-18 | Donnelly, Stevens County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-07-09 | Chokio, Stevens County | F0 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-04-26 | Stevens County | F2 1 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1984-04-26 | Stevens County | F1 3.1 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1978-07-15 | Stevens County | F0 2 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1975-06-30 | Stevens County | F0 0.5 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-08-31 | Stevens County | F1 13.9 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1970-04-15 | Stevens County | F1 8 mi x 53 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1966-08-07 | Stevens County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1965-07-05 | Stevens County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1952-08-27 | Stevens County | F1 13.3 mi x 33 yd | 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 Stevens County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 25, 2023 thunderstorm wind ($4.8 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
There were several trees down in town and areas without power. An apartment building in town had a window blown out. There were also reports of trees down across other parts of the county.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1121936)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindMorris, Stevens County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindHancock, Stevens County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindChokio, Stevens County | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindMorris Airport, Stevens County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-01 | Winter WeatherStevens County · forecast zone Stevens | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-14 | Winter WeatherStevens County · forecast zone Stevens | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | High WindStevens County · forecast zone Stevens | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-24 | Winter WeatherStevens County · forecast zone Stevens | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-18 | Winter WeatherStevens County · forecast zone Stevens | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillStevens County · forecast zone Stevens | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-18 | Winter WeatherStevens County · forecast zone Stevens | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-16 | BlizzardStevens County · forecast zone Stevens | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-06-23 | HailDonnelly, Stevens County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $18M |
| 2023-07-25 | Thunderstorm WindMorris, Stevens County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.8M |
| 2022-05-12 | Thunderstorm WindMorris Airport, Stevens County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $504K |
| 2002-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindChokio, Stevens County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $82K |
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 26, 1984 (tornado, Stevens County); April 26, 1984 (tornado, Stevens 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 Stevens 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 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 45 | 41 | 18 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 30 | 37 | 34 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 22 | 20 | 14 | 31 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 5 | 4 | 21 | 13 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 7 | 2 | 2 |
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 hail reports since 1955 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 51 · Feb 33 · Mar 29 · Apr 27 · May 40 · Jun 75 · Jul 81 · Aug 55 · Sep 6 · Oct 6 · Nov 12 · Dec 38 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Stevens County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Stevens County: 16 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (7) and severe storm (7).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-07-19 | DR-4722 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2022-08-09 | DR-4666 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2022-07-08 | DR-4658 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2020-04-07 | DR-4531 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3453 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-06-12 | DR-4442 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2013-07-25 | DR-4131 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-05-10 | DR-1982 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2010-04-19 | DR-1900 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2009-04-09 | DR-1830 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2006-01-04 | DR-1622 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3242 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001-05-16 | DR-1370 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 1997-04-08 | DR-1175 | Flood | Severe Flooding, High Winds,Severe Storms |
| 1997-01-16 | DR-1158 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1996-01-05 | DR-1078 | Snowstorm | High Winds, Freezing Rain, Heavy Snowfall |
| 1993-06-11 | DR-993 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1976-06-17 | EM-3013 | Drought | Drought |
| 1969-04-18 | DR-255 | 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 Stevens County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 11 flood or flash flood records for Stevens County from 1997 to 2025, on 10 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Stevens County ranks 2756th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $7,926 on 2 claims filed in Stevens County; the most in one year was 1 in 1989. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1989: 1 · 1997: 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 Stevens County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Stevens County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $6.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $161K | 20 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $565K | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.8M | 14 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $514K | 2.7 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $238K | 2.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Drought | Very Low | $41K | 3.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Very Low | $614K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $35K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Stevens 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 Stevens CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Stevens County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis