Washburn County, Wisconsin
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 55129 · population 16,613 · 797 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 417 records for Washburn County, Wisconsin from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 290 days; the most frequent are hail reports (125 records). The deadliest single record is the July 21, 2002 lightning: 1 death. FEMA has issued 10 declarations naming the county since 1965, 8 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms and Flooding” on August 9, 2016.
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
- 417on 290 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 12 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $31Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 8strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 10latest 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 Washburn County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 125 since 1972. 52% of its hail reports since 1972 fell in May and June. 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 | 125 | 70 | 1972-2026 | 0 | 0 | $34K | 46 of 72 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 117 | 75 | 1967-2026 | 0 | 0 | $103K | 61 of 72 |
| Winter storms | 94 | 94 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 55 of 72 |
| Drought | 41 | 41 | 2006-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 of 72 |
| Extreme cold | 16 | 16 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 56 of 72 |
| Floods | 11 | 6 | 2000-2025 | 0 | 0 | $568K | 70 of 72 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 8 | 1953-2001 | 0 | 0 | $30M | 65 of 72 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 2011-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 61 of 72 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 1 | 2004-2004 | 0 | 0 | $2K | 71 of 72 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2002-2002 | 1 | 0 | – | 61 of 72 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2004-2004 | 0 | 2 | – | 66 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 Washburn County had?
NOAA records 8 tornadoes in Washburn County from 1953 to 2001, 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 7 tornadoes whose track touched Washburn County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 8: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people, 0 of them in Washburn County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-06-18 19:06, as SPC files it | Grantsburg to Siren | F3 | 34 mi | 2 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Wisconsin.
Every tornado record filed for Washburn County (8)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-06-18 | Spooner, Washburn County | F2 4 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-06-05 | Sarona, Washburn County | F0 3.5 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1985-06-16 | Washburn County | F1 5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1971-07-21 | Washburn County | F1 6.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1971-06-23 | Washburn County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1969-06-05 | Washburn County | F1 8.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1965-05-07 | Washburn County | F2 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1953-05-10 | Washburn County | F2 27.6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M 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 Washburn County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 4, 2025 flash flood ($100,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-26 | HailSpring Brook, Washburn County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | Thunderstorm WindEarl, Washburn County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-17 | Thunderstorm WindMinong Sutherland Ar, Washburn County | 59 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-03 | Ice StormWashburn County · forecast zone Washburn | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-14 | Heavy SnowWashburn County · forecast zone Washburn | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtWashburn County · forecast zone Washburn | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtWashburn County · forecast zone Washburn | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-22 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillWashburn County · forecast zone Washburn | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-01 | DroughtWashburn County · forecast zone Washburn | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-28 | Heavy SnowWashburn County · forecast zone Washburn | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-09 | Heavy SnowWashburn County · forecast zone Washburn | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-01 | DroughtWashburn County · forecast zone Washburn | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-07-21 | LightningMinong, Washburn County Lightning struck a nearby tree and killed a man while alseep in a tent. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2004-03-25 | Dense FogWashburn County · forecast zone Washburn Dense fog blanketed areas of northwestern Wisconsin. Near Sarona, a 42 year old make was killed when the truck he was driving collided with a semi-trailer. His three passengers were injured, one critically. Wisconsin State Patrol estimates that visibility was less than 100 feet at the time of the crash. | 0 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-07-04 | Flash FloodShell Lake, Washburn County | 0 | 0 | $200K | |
| 2025-07-04 | Flash FloodShell Lake, Washburn County | 0 | 0 | $100K | |
| 2011-07-19 | Thunderstorm WindSpring Brook, Washburn County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 2011-07-19 | HailSpring Brook, Washburn County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2025-07-04 | Thunderstorm WindShell Lake, Washburn County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2023-07-19 | HailShell Lake Airport, Washburn County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 1995-07-14 | HailSarona, Washburn County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2011-05-10 | HailSpooner, Washburn County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $5K |
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, 1953 (tornado, Washburn 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 Washburn 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 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 29 | 44 | 28 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 17 | 26 | 35 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 9 | 27 | 32 | 26 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 19 | 12 | 10 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
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 1972 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 24 · Feb 32 · Mar 26 · Apr 23 · May 56 · Jun 58 · Jul 83 · Aug 46 · Sep 28 · Oct 3 · Nov 11 · Dec 27 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Washburn County
FEMA's register lists 10 declarations that include Washburn County: 6 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (3) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4520 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3454 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2016-08-09 | DR-4276 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3249 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002-09-10 | DR-1432 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 2001-05-11 | DR-1369 | Flood | Flooding, Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 2000-06-24 | DR-1332 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1977-10-03 | EM-3048 | Severe Storm | Winds, Hail & Rain |
| 1976-06-17 | EM-3014 | Drought | Drought |
| 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 Washburn County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 11 flood or flash flood records for Washburn County from 2000 to 2025, on 6 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Washburn County ranks 2020th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $852,000 on 24 claims filed in Washburn County; the most in one year was 10 in 2003. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2002: 6 · 2003: 10 · 2004: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2016: 5 · 2017: 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 Washburn County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Washburn County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $10.3 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 Moderate | $4.7M | 9.6 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $499K | 32 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $260K | 2.3 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $678K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $33K | 18 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $284K | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $25K | once in about 6,665 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $153K | 1.4 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 Washburn 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 Washburn CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Washburn County's FEMA declarations (CSV)10 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis