Vilas County, Wisconsin
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 55125 · population 23,031 · 858 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 565 records for Vilas County, Wisconsin from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 402 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (169 records). The deadliest single record is the July 30, 1999 thunderstorm wind: 2 deaths and $1.8 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 6 declarations naming the county since 1976, 4 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Katrina Evacuation” on September 13, 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
- 565on 402 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 46 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $83Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 15strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 6latest 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 Vilas County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 169 since 1958. 62% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 169 | 103 | 1958-2026 | 2 | 1 | $3.9M | 49 of 72 |
| Winter storms | 148 | 148 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | – | 34 of 72 |
| Hail | 116 | 58 | 1963-2024 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 55 of 72 |
| Drought | 46 | 46 | 1999-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 72 |
| High wind and dust storms | 25 | 24 | 1997-2021 | 1 | 0 | $37K | 34 of 72 |
| Extreme cold | 23 | 21 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 41 of 72 |
| Tornadoes | 15 | 12 | 1964-2020 | 0 | 4 | $78M | 58 of 72 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 9 | 9 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 45 of 72 |
| Floods | 7 | 7 | 1996-2017 | 0 | 0 | $8K | 69 of 72 |
| Lightning | 5 | 5 | 1996-2013 | 0 | 1 | $135K | 42 of 72 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 69 of 72 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2007-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 58 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 Vilas County had?
NOAA records 15 tornadoes in Vilas County from 1964 to 2020, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 4 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 16 tornadoes whose track touched Vilas County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 15: 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 Vilas County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-04-27 14:37, as SPC files it | Sayner | F3 | 29 mi | 1 |
| 1970-07-07 19:00, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 37.9 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Wisconsin.
Every tornado record filed for Vilas County (15)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-08-09 | St Germain, Vilas County | EF1 5.89 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-08-09 | Starlake, Vilas County | EF1 6.18 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-07-14 | Phelps, Vilas County | F1 3.5 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $97K |
| 1994-04-26 | Vilas County | F1 4.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $199K |
| 1988-08-01 | Vilas County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-08-01 | Vilas County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1988-07-29 | Vilas County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1986-07-24 | Vilas County | F1 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1984-04-27 | Vilas County | F3 13 mi x 87 yd | 0 | 3 | $25M step |
| 1983-07-03 | Vilas County | F1 0.5 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1981-06-13 | Vilas County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-07-12 | Vilas County | F1 19.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1969-06-26 | Vilas County | F2 28.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1969-06-26 | Vilas County | F1 8.8 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1964-05-04 | Vilas County | F1 2.2 mi x 127 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 Vilas County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 21, 2016 thunderstorm wind ($184,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Thunderstorm winds downed hundreds of trees just southeast of Presque Isle, from Crab Lake to Lynx Lake. Five homes sustained damage from fallen trees.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 650141)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-17 | Thunderstorm WindConover, Vilas County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-03 | Winter StormVilas County · forecast zone Vilas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-02 | Winter StormVilas County · forecast zone Vilas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | Winter StormVilas County · forecast zone Vilas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Winter StormVilas County · forecast zone Vilas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-10 | Winter StormVilas County · forecast zone Vilas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-26 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillVilas County · forecast zone Vilas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillVilas County · forecast zone Vilas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-28 | Winter StormVilas County · forecast zone Vilas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-25 | Winter StormVilas County · forecast zone Vilas | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-15 | Thunderstorm WindPresque Isle, Vilas County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-15 | Thunderstorm WindLac Du Flambeau, Vilas County | 52 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-07-30 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Vilas County A mesoscale convective system moved across north-central, central and northeast Wisconsin during the evening of July 30, 1999. Thunderstorm wind gusts over 70 mph (and possibly as high as 100 mph) produced significant damage across the far north-central part of the state. The hardest hit areas were Oneida county and ... | 2 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 2013-12-03 | Winter StormVilas County · forecast zone Vilas The heaviest snowfall was in Vilas County, where 4 to 6 inches of snow fell, followed by freezing rain. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-06-06 | Strong WindVilas County · forecast zone Vilas A woman was killed (indirect fatality), around 0800 CST on June 7th, when a tree branch hit her on the head as she and others attempted to remove it from a power line. | 23 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 1984-04-27 | TornadoVilas County | F3 13 mi x 87 yd | 0 | 3 | $25M step |
| 1999-06-09 | LightningEagle River, Vilas County Lightning struck a woman while she fished from a boat on Yellow Birch Lake. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1988-07-15 | Thunderstorm WindVilas County | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1969-06-26 | TornadoVilas County | F1 8.8 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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-07-30 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Vilas County | 2 | 0 | $1.8M | |
| 1994-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindLac Du Flambeau, Vilas County | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 1999-06-05 | HailEagle River, Vilas County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $886K |
| 2008-05-25 | HailSt Germain, Vilas County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $343K |
| 2004-04-18 | Thunderstorm WindEagle River, Vilas County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $312K |
| 1994-04-26 | TornadoVilas County | F1 4.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $199K |
| 2016-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindPresque Isle, Vilas County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $184K |
| 2010-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindStarlake, Vilas County | 83 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $135K |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 27, 1984 (tornado, Vilas 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 Vilas 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 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 39 | 43 | 35 | 34 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 29 | 50 | 38 | 31 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 15 | 40 | 28 | 21 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 1 | 22 | 10 | 13 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 9 | 10 | 5 | 1 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 3 | 5 | 6 | 9 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
62% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 40 · Feb 37 · Mar 36 · Apr 60 · May 52 · Jun 77 · Jul 111 · Aug 43 · Sep 36 · Oct 12 · Nov 25 · Dec 36 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Vilas County
FEMA's register lists 6 declarations that include Vilas County: 2 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for biological (2) and flood (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4520 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3454 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3249 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1999-08-16 | DR-1284 | Flood | Wi-Flood-07/20/99 |
| 1984-07-10 | EM-3091 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1976-06-17 | EM-3014 | Drought | Drought |
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.
FEMA's modeled risk for Vilas County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Vilas County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $18.7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $8.8M | 9.2 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.1M | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $154K | 22 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $344K | 27 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $322K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $7.5M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $54K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $391K | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Vilas 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
- Severe thunderstorm wind in WisconsinThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, 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 Vilas CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Vilas County's FEMA declarations (CSV)6 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis