PlainHazard

Traverse County, Minnesota

County storm and disaster record · FIPS 27155 · population 3,356 · 574 sq mi

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 415 records for Traverse County, Minnesota from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 344 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (124 records). 218 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 most damaging was the July 18, 1994 hail ($99.5 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 25 declarations naming the county since 1965, 23 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
415on 344 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
Deaths recorded
00 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$122Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Tornadoes
19strongest F3
FEMA declarations
25latest 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 Traverse County most?

The most frequent records are winter storm records: 124 since 1996. 44% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. 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.

Traverse County: records by hazard, 1950 to June 30, 2026
HazardRecordsDaysFirst, lastKilledInjuredDamageRank in state
Winter storms 124 124 1996-2025 0 0 – 32 of 87
Hail 89 61 1955-2024 0 0 $100M 60 of 87
Severe thunderstorm wind 64 48 1955-2024 0 0 – 66 of 87
Extreme cold 45 45 1996-2026 0 0 – 12 of 87
Floods 28 23 1997-2023 0 0 $7.1M 32 of 87
High wind and dust storms 23 23 1996-2026 0 0 – 16 of 87
Tornadoes 19 15 1956-2022 0 0 $15M 52 of 87
Drought 17 17 2006-2024 0 0 – 19 of 87
Heat 4 4 2006-2023 0 0 – 58 of 87
Fog, smoke and funnel clouds 2 2 2013-2019 0 0 – 70 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 Traverse County had?

NOAA records 19 tornadoes in Traverse County from 1956 to 2022, the strongest rated F3, 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 Traverse County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 19: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.

The deadliest and strongest tornadoes that touched Traverse County, whole tracks
DateTornadoRatingPathKilled
1982-05-10 17:30, as SPC files itNashuaF315 mi0

Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Minnesota.

Every tornado record filed for Traverse County (19)
Every tornado recorded in Traverse County, newest first
DatePlaceCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2022-05-12 Charlesville, Traverse County EF0 4.41 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2022-05-12 Dumont, Traverse County EF1 1.81 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2021-10-13 Dumont, Traverse County EF0 0.43 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
2021-10-13 Rolsberg, Traverse County EF1 2.8 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2021-10-09 Dumont, Traverse County EF0 1.6 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
2021-10-09 Collis, Traverse County EF0 0.84 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
2017-06-13 Collis, Traverse County EF1 0.07 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
2016-06-14 Collis, Traverse County EF0 0.13 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
2013-10-11 Charlesville, Traverse County EF1 0.43 mi x 70 yd 0 0 –
2012-06-17 Charlesville, Traverse County EF0 0.05 mi x 5 yd 0 0 –
2011-07-30 Collis, Traverse County EF0 0.47 mi x 25 yd 0 0 –
2004-09-23 Browns Vly, Traverse County F1 0.7 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
1996-10-26 Wheaton, Traverse County F1 1 mi x 30 yd 0 0 –
1994-10-06 Browns Valley, Traverse County F0 3 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
1987-05-20 Traverse County F1 2 mi x 30 yd 0 0 $25K step
1982-05-10 Traverse County F3 1 mi x 80 yd 0 0 $2.5M step
1982-05-10 Traverse County F3 8 mi x 80 yd 0 0 $2.5M step
1969-09-05 Traverse County F1 10.2 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $3K step
1956-07-18 Traverse County F0 0 0 –

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 Traverse County?

The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 14, 2007 flash flood ($7.1 million in damage in 2025 dollars).

Rapid snowmelt runoff from 25 to 30 inches of snow and ice jamming on the Little Minnesota River and Lake Traverse resulted in flash flooding in Browns Valley. The water came mostly into the northern end of town around 1 to 2 am in the morning of the 14th. One-hundred forty homes received some flooding damage with fifty homes receiving significant damage. Over 100 residents had to be evacuated. Several roads and bridges also received damage from the flooding. The flood waters slowly receded through the early morning hours of the 17th.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 23911)
The 12 most recent records kept for Traverse County
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-03-12 High WindTraverse County · forecast zone Traverse 51 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-01-22 Extreme Cold/Wind ChillTraverse County · forecast zone Traverse 0 0 –
2025-12-28 BlizzardTraverse County · forecast zone Traverse 0 0 –
2025-11-25 BlizzardTraverse County · forecast zone Traverse 0 0 –
2025-04-01 Heavy SnowTraverse County · forecast zone Traverse 0 0 –
2025-02-17 Extreme Cold/Wind ChillTraverse County · forecast zone Traverse 0 0 –
2025-01-20 Extreme Cold/Wind ChillTraverse County · forecast zone Traverse 0 0 –
2022-05-12 TornadoCharlesville, Traverse County EF0 4.41 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2022-05-12 TornadoDumont, Traverse County EF1 1.81 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2022-05-12 Thunderstorm WindWheaton, Traverse County 70 kt wind 0 0 –
2021-10-13 TornadoDumont, Traverse County EF0 0.43 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
2021-10-13 TornadoRolsberg, Traverse County EF1 2.8 mi x 20 yd 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

The costliest records in Traverse County since 1993, damage in 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
1994-07-18 HailWheaton, Traverse County 1.00 in hail 0 0 $100M
2007-03-14 Flash FloodBrowns Vly, Traverse County 0 0 $7.1M

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: May 10, 1982 (tornado, Traverse County); May 10, 1982 (tornado, Traverse 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 Traverse 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).

Traverse County: records per decade (the 2020s to June 30, 2026)
Hazard1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020-26
Winter storms––––21304726
Hail100413362411
Severe thunderstorm wind10077171616
Extreme cold––––371916
Floods––––43156
High wind and dust storms––––41153

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 winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.

The values, month by month

Jan 43 · Feb 39 · Mar 35 · Apr 33 · May 18 · Jun 57 · Jul 65 · Aug 34 · Sep 8 · Oct 19 · Nov 20 · Dec 44 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.

Federal disaster declarations for Traverse County

FEMA's register lists 25 declarations that include Traverse County: 20 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (12) and severe storm (8).

Declarations including Traverse County, newest first
DeclaredNumberTypeTitle
2023-07-19DR-4722FloodSevere Storms and Flooding
2022-08-09DR-4666Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding
2022-07-08DR-4658Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding
2020-04-07DR-4531BiologicalCovid-19 Pandemic
2020-03-13EM-3453BiologicalCovid-19
2019-06-12DR-4442FloodSevere Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
2013-07-25DR-4131Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
2011-05-10DR-1982FloodSevere Storms and Flooding
2010-04-19DR-1900FloodFlooding
2010-03-19EM-3310FloodFlooding
2009-04-09DR-1830Severe StormSevere Storms and Flooding
2009-03-26EM-3304Severe StormSevere Storms and Flooding
2006-01-04DR-1622Severe StormSevere Winter Storm
2005-09-13EM-3242HurricaneHurricane Katrina Evacuation
2001-05-16DR-1370FloodSevere Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes
1997-04-08DR-1175FloodSevere Flooding, High Winds,Severe Storms
1997-01-16DR-1158Severe StormSevere Winter Storms
1996-06-01DR-1116FloodFlooding and Severe Storms
1996-01-05DR-1078SnowstormHigh Winds, Freezing Rain, Heavy Snowfall
1993-06-11DR-993Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding
1989-05-08DR-824FloodFlooding
1978-04-22DR-555FloodStorms, Ice Jams, Snowmelt & Flooding
1976-06-17EM-3013DroughtDrought
1969-04-18DR-255FloodFlooding
1965-04-11DR-188FloodFlooding

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 Traverse County had?

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 28 flood or flash flood records for Traverse County from 1997 to 2023, on 23 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Traverse County ranks 1101st of 2,942 U.S. counties.

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.1 million on 146 claims filed in Traverse County; the most in one year was 45 in 1997. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.

The values, year by year

1978: 5 · 1979: 3 · 1982: 1 · 1984: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1989: 1 · 1993: 10 · 1994: 4 · 1995: 3 · 1997: 45 · 1998: 1 · 2001: 27 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 3 · 2007: 22 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 3 · 2011: 6 · 2019: 1 · 2023: 4; 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 Traverse County

FEMA's National Risk Index rates Traverse County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $3.5 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.

National Risk Index ratings for Traverse County (December 2025 release), by FEMA's rating, then score
HazardRisk ratingExpected annual lossModeled frequency
HailRelatively Low$359K3.7 a year (modeled)
Winter WeatherRelatively Low$85K21 a year (modeled)
Cold WaveRelatively Low$699K14 a year (modeled)
Strong WindRelatively Low$344K2.7 a year (modeled)
Ice StormVery Low$17Konce in about 4 years (modeled)
TornadoVery Low$218Konce in about 3 years (modeled)
LandslideVery Low$99once in about 19 years (modeled)
Heat WaveVery Low$48K2.4 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 Traverse County

  1. Richland County, ND 1,026
  2. Roberts County, SD 688
  3. Wilkin County 649
  4. Grant County 537
  5. Big Stone County 481
  6. Stevens County 453
  7. Traverse County 415

Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.

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