Alger County, Michigan
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1953 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
7
Tornado reports
84
Hail reports
8
Floods since 1996
697
All events
4
Deaths
$2.5M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Alger County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 7 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated
Year by year
All storm eventsTornadoes
NOAA's storm database records tornadoes back to 1950 and hail and thunderstorm wind back to 1955, but floods only from 1996 on. Older floods are missing here. For those, the U.S. Geological Survey's stream gauge records and flood reports are the place to look.
Most significant events
The strongest tornadoes, deadliest events and biggest damage here, up to 50.
At least two individuals were swimming in Lake Superior at a beach in Alger County, east of the Laughing Whitefish River outlet, when they were both swept out towards the open waters by a rip current. Both individuals were in water that was waist deep when the first individual wa…
A father and his son both drowned in high waves and strong rip currents in Grand Marais Harbor on the afternoon of the 5th. Northwest winds gusting over 30 mph at times contributed to the high waves and strong rip currents.
Lightning strike killed a fork lift operator at a lumber mill in Shingleton.
Tornado EF0 Tornado
A thunderstorm initiating in southern Marquette County continued to develop into a supercell thunderstorm as it moved east into Delta and Alger County. As the thunderstorm began splitting, the southern segment intensified and produced a weak, EF-0 tornado south of Trenary, MI in …
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
The RAWS site DOEM4 at Doe Lake reported heat index values from 107 to 109 degrees from noon EST through 4 PM with heat index in excess of 100 degrees in the 1 hour preceding and 2 hours following that time period. Additionally, the ASOS site KP53 at the Munising Lakeshore reache…
Hail Hail
A public observation of ping pong ball size hail was reported 1.5 miles south of Trenary on social media. The time was estimated by radar.
Hail Hail
A public report of a picture from social media showed ping pong ball sized hailstone. The time was estimated via radar.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A public report from social media indicated tree damage on Stone Road. The time was estimated via radar.
Hail Hail
A public report from social media indicated nickel size hail. A picture was not included with the observation.
Ice Storm Ice Storm
Nearly 1000 power outages were reported in the county with estimates in excess of 0.25 inches of ice accumulation. Slick roads and closures were also reported. Key impacts: power outages, religious building closures, slick roads, travel delays.
Blizzard Blizzard
High winds and heavy snow brought blizzard conditions to Alger County. SAW ASOS reported blizzard conditions. Snowfall of two to four feet fell across much of the county. Up to 12% of the county was without power during the event. A few FM radio towers became inoperable. Portions…
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Heavy snowfall and gusty winds created difficult travel conditions in Alger County. Snowfall analysis and observations showed 8-12 of snowfall. Winds gusted to 41mph at KP53 (Munising ASOS) at 4:32 pm EST on 3/13. Key impacts: travel delays, school closures.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Difficult travel conditions from widespread snowfall resulted in multiple school districts closing schools or delaying starts on 3/11 including Marquette and Gwinn schools. Key impacts: travel delays, school closures/delays.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Freezing rain of up to 0.2 occurred, followed by heavy, wet snow of 3-5. Key impacts: travel delays, school closures, traffic accidents.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
The CoCoRaHS site MI-AG-15 reported ice accumulation and 2.2 inches of snowfall. Freezing rain estimates around the county were between 0.2 and 0.3 inches, and similar snowfall reports were taken around the county. Key impacts: school closures, municipality closures, hazardous tr…
Blizzard Blizzard
The ASOS station KP53 Munising Lakeshore reported wind gusts in excess of 35 mph from 11 AM to 8 PM Eastern on the 6th, with webcams supporting low visibility. Key impacts: School closures, road closures.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Chatham Cooperative Observer (CEFM4) observed 8 inches of snow between 0800 1/28 and 1/29. Impacts for this event began on 1/27, when it was also reported that a hill along M-28 in Wetmore was closed because a traffic incident involving a semi. Frequent whiteouts were also report…
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Light to moderate lake effect snow combined with windy conditions and cold temperatures resulted in low visibility on the 23rd. State Highway M-28 was closed west of Munising due to whiteout conditions. Key impacts: transportation delays, road closures.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Wind chills as low as -40F were observed on the 23rd and 24th, and as low as -25F on the 25th and 26th. Key impacts: school and business closures.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Near-blizzard conditions were reported at KSAW. The combination of heavy snow and blowing snow shut down M-28 between Harvey and Munising. Key impacts: Transportation delays, road closures.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Wind chill of -24F reported at the Munising ASOS KP59 at 0456 EST, 1/20.
Blizzard Blizzard
Visibility down to 1/4 mile at Sawyer Regional Airport (KSAW). Munising ASOS KP53 reported frequent gusts over 40 mph and as high as 50 mph. Winds were highest near the lakeshore. Munising delayed the start of school by 3 hours. Key Impacts: Transportation delays.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
An inch or two of wet snow along with rainfall of over an inch resulted in slushy roads around Alger County. The Munising School District closed due to the slushy conditions. Key impacts: Transportation delays, school closures.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Light freezing rain resulted in a glaze of ice on untreated surfaces. Key impacts: transportation delays, school closures.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
A brief period of heavy snow resulted in 4 to 8 inches of accumulation and snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. Key impacts: transportation delays, school closures.
Blizzard Blizzard
There were blizzard conditions with frequent wind gusts of 40-55 mph and snowfall of 8-20 in Alger County. The Munising ASOS (KP53) peak gust was 64 mph. Around 10% of customers lost power. Road closures included M-28 due to whiteout conditions. Key Impacts: Very difficult to imp…
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Up to 4 inches of snow, combined with temperatures plummeting below freezing, resulted in slippery roadways from the evening of the 18th through the morning of the 19th. Key impacts: travel delays, school closures.
Blizzard Blizzard
Heavy snowfall totaling 6 to 18 inches along with winds gusting 40 to 60 miles per hour resulted in blizzard conditions. Key impacts: transportation delays, traffic accidents, downed trees and wires, business closures.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
The first accumulating snowfall of the year brought 4 to 12 inches to the area, heaviest over the western portion of the county. Key impacts: transportation delays.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Facebook comment with picture showed hail ranging from marble to quarter size.
Hail Hail
Hail ranged from pea to quarter size.
Heat Heat
Heat Heat
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Heavy rain resulted in flooding along the Anna River late Monday night into early Tuesday morning. Driveway bridges and a private road were damaged or washed out along M-94, and railroad tracks were washed out between Munising Junction and Munising. Time estimated from radar.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
An approximate 75-foot section of the paved trail in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Park was washed out the evening of April 28th from recent heavy rainfall and seasonal snow melt. Time estimated from radar.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
A final round of freezing rain and sleet turned to snow on the 30th, with 8 to 14 inches of snowfall before it ended early on the 31st. The additional snow exacerbated travel impacts from the earlier freezing rain. Key impacts: travel delays, school and business closures.
Ice Storm Ice Storm
Up to 0.5 inches of ice accumulation was reported, which led to impassable roads, numerous downed trees and lines, and power outages. Warming shelters were established for those who lost power, and some schools and businesses remained closed into Monday, March 31. Key impacts: tr…
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Lake effect snowfall totals ranged from 4 to 10 inches, with the highest totals in the western part of the county near Deerton. Key impacts: travel delays.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Heavy wet snow of 4 to 10 inches accumulated, resulting in treacherous travel conditions. Key impacts: travel delays, traffic accidents, school and business closures.
Blizzard Blizzard
The Munising Lakeshore ASOS KP53 reported wind gusts of over 35 mph from 0956EST on the 5th to 0356EST on the 6th with only a couple of brief drops below 35 mph. Visibility data is unavailable but various media and social media reports indicate low visibility. Storm total snowfal…
Blizzard Blizzard
Moderate to heavy snow and high winds resulted in blizzard conditions during the afternoon and evening of February 28th. Winds gusted as high as 59 mph at Munising, and 3-11 inches of snow occurred. M-28 was closed between Harvey and Munising for 11 hours starting at 2100 EST on …
Blizzard Blizzard
Moderate to heavy snow and high winds resulted in blizzard conditions during the afternoon and evening of the 28th. Winds gusted as high as 59 mph at Munising, and 3-11 inches of snow occurred. M-28 was closed between Harvey and Munising for 11 hours starting at 2100 EST on the 2…
Lake-Effect Snow Lake-Effect Snow
Periods of lake effect snow occurred between the 16th and the 20th. The most severe conditions occurred on the 16th and 17th when the combination of heavy snow and winds gusting to 40 mph resulted in limited visibility and a road closure on M-28 between Shingleton and Seney. Muni…
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
Bitter cold wind chills in the 25 below to 30 below zero range were observed throughout much of the period. Schools were closed throughout Alger County on the 20th and 21st due to the bitter cold.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
The Michigan State Police closed Highway M-28 from Kawbawgam Road in Harvey to West Shore Drive in Munising due to whiteout conditions in lake effect snow and blowing snow. The road was closed for more than four hours and then reopened just before 6 pm.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
The observer near Deerton measured 5.3 inches of snow over 24 hours.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
The observer in Munising measured a two-day lake effect snow total of 10.7 inches.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 22 | 1 |
| 2025 | 25 | 0 |
| 2024 | 21 | 0 |
| 2023 | 21 | 0 |
| 2022 | 32 | 0 |
| 2021 | 21 | 0 |
| 2020 | 23 | 0 |
| 2019 | 27 | 0 |
| 2018 | 26 | 0 |
| 2017 | 41 | 0 |
| 2016 | 29 | 0 |
| 2015 | 25 | 0 |
| 2014 | 32 | 0 |
| 2013 | 50 | 0 |
| 2012 | 25 | 0 |
| 2011 | 27 | 0 |
| 2010 | 12 | 0 |
| 2009 | 24 | 0 |
| 2008 | 29 | 0 |
| 2007 | 22 | 0 |
| 2006 | 20 | 0 |
| 2005 | 12 | 1 |
| 2004 | 12 | 0 |
| 2003 | 6 | 0 |
| 2002 | 24 | 0 |
| 2001 | 14 | 0 |
| 2000 | 13 | 0 |
| 1999 | 8 | 0 |
| 1998 | 7 | 0 |
| 1997 | 10 | 0 |
| 1996 | 13 | 0 |
| 1995 | 2 | 0 |
| 1994 | 1 | 0 |
| 1993 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 | 2 | 1 |
| 1991 | 1 | 0 |
| 1989 | 1 | 0 |
| 1988 | 5 | 0 |
| 1987 | 1 | 1 |
| 1986 | 1 | 0 |
| 1983 | 1 | 0 |
| 1982 | 1 | 0 |
| 1980 | 1 | 0 |
| 1978 | 1 | 0 |
| 1968 | 2 | 0 |
| 1964 | 1 | 1 |
| 1958 | 1 | 1 |
| 1953 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Alger County, measured to its path.
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