Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 55121 · population 30,701 · 733 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 749 records for Trempealeau County, Wisconsin from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 448 days; the most frequent are hail reports (207 records). The deadliest single record is the August 18, 2014 heavy rain: 3 deaths, 2 injuries and $31,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 15 declarations naming the county since 1965, 13 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mud” on October 7, 2017.
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
- 749on 448 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1134 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $75Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 28strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 15latest 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 Trempealeau County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 207 since 1963. 52% of its hail reports since 1963 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among Wisconsin'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 | 207 | 104 | 1963-2026 | 0 | 0 | $11M | 16 of 72 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 201 | 114 | 1968-2026 | 0 | 7 | $9.9M | 30 of 72 |
| Winter storms | 106 | 104 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 14 | $582K | 40 of 72 |
| Floods | 103 | 86 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 1 | $25M | 7 of 72 |
| Heavy rain | 33 | 13 | 2009-2023 | 4 | 3 | $54K | 15 of 72 |
| Tornadoes | 28 | 25 | 1959-2026 | 0 | 4 | $25M | 27 of 72 |
| Extreme cold | 20 | 20 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 36 of 72 |
| Drought | 14 | 14 | 2012-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 53 of 72 |
| Heat | 14 | 14 | 1999-2026 | 1 | 0 | – | 28 of 72 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 8 | 8 | 2000-2024 | 2 | 2 | $16K | 42 of 72 |
| High wind and dust storms | 7 | 7 | 1998-2021 | 0 | 0 | $180K | 48 of 72 |
| Lightning | 6 | 6 | 2006-2021 | 1 | 1 | $2.1M | 29 of 72 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 2010-2020 | 2 | 2 | – | 6 of 72 |
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 Trempealeau County had?
NOAA records 28 tornadoes in Trempealeau County from 1959 to 2026, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 4 injuries recorded in the county. That is 27th of 72 Wisconsin 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 28 tornadoes whose track touched Trempealeau County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 28, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people, 0 of them in Trempealeau County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953-05-10 17:30, as SPC files it | StanleyCrossed IA, MN, WI | F4 | 162 mi | 2 |
| 1959-05-26 15:45, as SPC files it | Trempealeau to Fairchild | F3 | 34.3 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Wisconsin.
Every tornado record filed for Trempealeau County (28)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-19 | Osseo, Trempealeau County | EF0 0.93 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $75K |
| 2026-04-17 | Monroe Center, Trempealeau County | EF1 0.21 mi x 130 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | Blair, Trempealeau County | EF1 5.58 mi x 90 yd | 0 | 0 | $121K |
| 2024-05-21 | Dewey Corners, Trempealeau County | EF1 0.84 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $77K |
| 2021-12-15 | Centerville, Trempealeau County | EF1 2.55 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2021-12-15 | Hale, Trempealeau County | EF1 1.53 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $71K |
| 2021-12-15 | Trempealeau County | EF0 0.74 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $566K |
| 2021-09-20 | Russell, Trempealeau County | EF1 8.49 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $490K |
| 2020-07-18 | Strum Viking Field Arp, Trempealeau County | EF1 3.62 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $140K |
| 2019-07-20 | Butman Corners, Trempealeau County | EF0 0.86 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2017-05-17 | Butman Corners, Trempealeau County | EF1 1.06 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $72K |
| 2013-07-22 | Centerville, Trempealeau County | EF0 1.1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $28K |
| 2005-08-18 | Centerville, Trempealeau County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2002-05-26 | Arcadia, Trempealeau County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-08-18 | Osseo, Trempealeau County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-05-30 | Trempealeau County | F0 0.1 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1990-09-09 | Trempealeau County | F1 4 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1983-07-03 | Trempealeau County | F0 0.3 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1982-05-17 | Trempealeau County | F1 12 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1980-04-07 | Trempealeau County | F0 0.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1979-06-16 | Trempealeau County | F1 2.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1978-07-05 | Trempealeau County | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1973-06-02 | Trempealeau County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1972-07-16 | Trempealeau County | F1 4.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1968-03-27 | Trempealeau County | F2 5.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1967-06-15 | Trempealeau County | F1 1.3 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1964-05-23 | Trempealeau County | F2 21.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1959-05-26 | Trempealeau County | F3 18.7 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | $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 Trempealeau County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 30, 2026 hail ($62,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | HailIndependence, Trempealeau County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $62K |
| 2026-06-29 | Excessive HeatTrempealeau County · forecast zone Trempealeau | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-19 | TornadoOsseo, Trempealeau County | EF0 0.93 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $75K |
| 2026-06-19 | HailOsseo, Trempealeau County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $91K |
| 2026-06-19 | HailOsseo, Trempealeau County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindCenterville, Trempealeau County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindIndependence, Trempealeau County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | TornadoMonroe Center, Trempealeau County | EF1 0.21 mi x 130 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | TornadoBlair, Trempealeau County | EF1 5.58 mi x 90 yd | 0 | 0 | $121K |
| 2026-04-15 | FloodButman Corners, Trempealeau County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-13 | HailBlair Airport, Trempealeau County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-13 | HailIduna, Trempealeau County | 0.88 in hail | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-08-18 | Heavy RainIduna, Trempealeau County Three people were killed in a two car crash that occurred in heavy rain from a thunderstorm. Two other people suffered injuries in the crash. The accident occurred on State Highway 95 east of Arcadia. | 3 | 2 | $31K | |
| 2010-04-17 | WildfireTrempealeau County · forecast zone Trempealeau A wildfire fatally wounded one person and injured two others in a cornfield south of Osseo in Trempealeau County. | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2019-07-18 | Heavy RainWhitehall, Trempealeau County A fatal accident occurred during a thunderstorm with heavy rain south of Whitehall. Authorities believe weather was a factor in the head-on two vehicle crash. One person was killed with the other driver sustaining serious injuries. | 1 | 1 | $23K | |
| 2006-10-02 | LightningBlair, Trempealeau County A 46 year old man was struck and killed by lightning while surveying land in the township of Preston. Another man nearby was injured. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2020-04-20 | WildfireTrempealeau County · forecast zone Trempealeau An elderly Ettrick man died after sustaining burns trying to put out a grassfire. The fire started as a result of a burning pile of garbage. The automated weather observing equipment at the La Crosse airport indicated the relative humidity was around 35% with a a southwest wind gusting to around 20 mph at the time of ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2013-07-16 | HeatTrempealeau County · forecast zone Trempealeau One person passed away from heat related causes near Osseo. The victim fell outside and was unable to get up on a day with full sunshine and when the heat index approached 100 at the automated weather observing equipment at the Black River Falls airport. Air temperatures topped out between 90 and 95. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2009-01-12 | Winter WeatherTrempealeau County · forecast zone Trempealeau Snow covered roads led to a fatal traffic accident on Highway 95 near Arcadia. A Blair man was driving west on Highway 95 when he lost control of his truck coming down a hill and slid into the path of an oncoming semi truck. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-05-16 | Dense FogTrempealeau County · forecast zone Trempealeau A 24-year old lost control while driving in dense fog on a curvy road in rural Trempealeau County during the early morning hours of May 17th. | 1 | 0 | $7K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-09-23 | FloodTrempealeau County | 0 | 0 | $8.9M | |
| 2017-07-19 | Flash FloodRussell, Trempealeau County | 0 | 0 | $6.1M | |
| 2012-05-02 | Thunderstorm WindBlair, Trempealeau County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.5M |
| 2017-07-20 | FloodRussell, Trempealeau County | 0 | 0 | $3.0M | |
| 2010-09-23 | FloodArcadia, Trempealeau County | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 2015-09-06 | Flash FloodEleva, Trempealeau County | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 1998-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindArcadia, Trempealeau County | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | |
| 2011-08-01 | LightningPigeon Falls, Trempealeau County | 0 | 0 | $1.6M |
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: June 16, 1979 (tornado, Trempealeau County); September 9, 1990 (tornado, Trempealeau 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 Trempealeau 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 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 57 | 79 | 38 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 2 | 4 | 25 | 41 | 35 | 65 | 29 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 13 | 34 | 34 | 25 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 9 | 70 | 22 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 18 | 14 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
52% of its hail reports since 1963 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 43 · Feb 30 · Mar 32 · Apr 58 · May 93 · Jun 145 · Jul 129 · Aug 84 · Sep 59 · Oct 27 · Nov 8 · Dec 41 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Trempealeau County
FEMA's register lists 15 declarations that include Trempealeau County: 12 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (7) and flood (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4520 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3454 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-10-07 | DR-4343 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mud |
| 2010-10-21 | DR-1944 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3249 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-06-18 | DR-1526 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2001-05-11 | DR-1369 | Flood | Flooding, Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 1998-07-24 | DR-1236 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms,Straigh Line Winds, Tornadoes,Rain,and Floodi |
| 1993-07-02 | DR-994 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1992-09-30 | DR-964 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-07-07 | DR-559 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Hail & Tornadoes |
| 1976-06-17 | EM-3014 | Drought | Drought |
| 1975-09-15 | DR-482 | Severe Storm | Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & Flash Floods |
| 1969-05-01 | DR-260 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1965-04-21 | DR-192 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Severe Storms & 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 Trempealeau County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 103 flood or flash flood records for Trempealeau County from 1997 to 2026, on 86 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Trempealeau County ranks 1125th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2.6 million on 141 claims filed in Trempealeau County; the most in one year was 28 in 2010. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1986: 3 · 1992: 4 · 1993: 15 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 1 · 1997: 14 · 1998: 7 · 2001: 14 · 2010: 28 · 2011: 3 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 5 · 2016: 4 · 2017: 25 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 10 · 2023: 4 · 2024: 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 Trempealeau County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Trempealeau County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $20.1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $58K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.0M | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $3.4M | 7.8 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $621K | 35 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $816K | 3.1 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $12M | 2.8 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $587K | 3.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.7M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Trempealeau 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 WisconsinEvery Wisconsin tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Hail in WisconsinThe state's hail reports, by county, year and month
- The Wisconsin recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Trempealeau CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Trempealeau County's FEMA declarations (CSV)15 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis