Cook County, Minnesota
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1983 and 2025, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
4
Tornado reports
25
Hail reports
20
Floods since 1996
86
All events
2
Deaths
$1.1M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Cook County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 4 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.
A large tree trunk was snapped several feet above ground level and the tree landed on a man and his son who were camping on Duncan Lake. The tree killed the father, Craig Walz, the brother of Minnesota Representative Tim Walz, as well as seriously injuring Craig's son. The son wa…
Lightning Lightning
A lightning strike near the Gunflint Trail and Soderberg Lane damaged about 2,000 feet of underground fiber optic cable causing a loss of phone and internet service to customers from that point to the end of the Gunflint Trail. Service was restored after about 14 hours.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Fast moving water was running over County Road 14 and scouring out the road.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
One large tree was uprooted as well as a couple of cedar trees snapped in half.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
A culvert on Trout Lake Road (Forest Road 308) between Marsh Lake and Trout Lake was washed out leading to the closure of Forest Road 308 until repairs were able to be made.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
A stretch of Forest Road 323 was washed out for a length of 20 to 30 yards where it runs adjacent to an unnamed creek just west of Mit Lake. This led to the closure of Forest Road 323 west of Forest Road 323J until repairs could be completed.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A video was received of extensive tree damage in Tofte Park including several large trees that were uprooted or snapped. Per the Tofte Town Board Supervisor, approximately two-thirds of the trees in Tofte Park, around 40, were lost and two of the trees fell onto the Tofte Town Ha…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A medium to large spruce tree was down partially blocking Sawbill Trail.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Several medium trees of mixed types were down across The Grade near Rice Lake Road.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Two large trees were down at the spotter's home. The spotter also recorded a gust of 74 mph during the storm from a personal weather station.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Numerous spruce and poplar trees were snapped along the lake side of Highway 61. The area of damaged trees appeared to be fairly localized.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
A small creek flowing between two houses was outside of its banks flowing downhill.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Video was received showing flash flooding affecting Minnesota Highway 61 east of Lutsen in multiple locations leading to its closure.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Multiple large trees were down and the power was out.
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A few fresh trees were downed along the Cascade River.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Multiple trees were uprooted by the storm.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Many large pine trees were down with several broken halfway up.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Flash Flood Flash Flood
A photo was received showing Moose Valley Road flooded at Carlson Creek with water flowing over the road surface. A later report indicated the Cook County Highway Department closed the road at 6:30 AM CDT.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Water was over Cook County Road 60 and County State Aid Highway 14 with multiple culvert washouts. A No Travel Advisory was issued by the county for this area due to the water and damage.
Flood Flood
Heavy rainfall led to the Poplar River becoming swollen and raging. Trees and other debris significantly damaged two covered bridges near the mouth of the river at the Lutsen Resort. The older of the two bridges was built in 1930 with the other dating from the 1950s. The resort o…
Hail Hail
A search and rescue crew in the area had to take cover near Eagle Mountain due to the large hail.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Multiple trees were downed along County Highway 57 on the north side of Devil Track Lake by the storm.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Multiple trees were down along Ball Club Road from the storm.
Tornado EF2 Tornado
A rare late-season strong tornado caused tree damage across parts of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Cook County. The tornado appeared to begin on Alder Lake, initially causing damage near Campsite #3 where a small swath of trees were downed, several snapped…
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A tree was knocked down near Baker Lake Campground on the Grade Road.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A large tree was downed near the end of the Gunflint Trail.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A large tree was knocked down approximately 5 miles north of Grand Marais along the Gunflint Trail.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Multiple 2 to 3 inch tree branches were downed due to the winds.
Tornado EFU Tornado
A fishing party on Elbow Lake observed a funnel cloud and took a photo of it. They reported there was a brief period of debris being lofted into the air. The party contacted a local pilot who performed a flyover and confirmed tree damage in the woods north of Elbow Lake. This tor…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A large tree was blown down near the intersection of Highway 61 and Temperance Road.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Water was flowing over some roads while other roads were under water.
Flood Flood
Water covered the west bound lane on Pike Lake Road near County Road 7.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A few trees were blown down along Minnesota Highway 61 by mile marker 100.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
There were many trees blown down. The largest diameter trees were 16 to 20. There were some trees uprooted and sheared off.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Three trees were blown down. One downed tree was a 2 to 3 foot diameter pine tree.
Cook County authorities received a report that a tree fell on a man at Clove Lake, along the Canadian border northwest of Gunflint Lake. The man suffered injuries to his upper body and was transported by ambulance to the hospital in Grand Marais.
Hail Hail
The largest hail was dime sized. One inch of rain fell in a few minutes.
Hail Hail
The hail fell for 10 minutes.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
There was widespread tree damage near the end of the Gunflint Trail near Seagull Lake. Most damaged trees were blown down.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 | 3 | 0 |
| 2022 | 7 | 0 |
| 2021 | 6 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | 5 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 | 4 | 0 |
| 2016 | 5 | 0 |
| 2015 | 4 | 0 |
| 2014 | 4 | 0 |
| 2013 | 2 | 0 |
| 2012 | 2 | 0 |
| 2011 | 5 | 0 |
| 2010 | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 | 1 | 0 |
| 2007 | 1 | 0 |
| 2006 | 3 | 0 |
| 2004 | 2 | 0 |
| 2003 | 1 | 0 |
| 2001 | 1 | 0 |
| 2000 | 1 | 0 |
| 1999 | 2 | 0 |
| 1998 | 1 | 0 |
| 1996 | 4 | 0 |
| 1992 | 2 | 1 |
| 1991 | 1 | 1 |
| 1988 | 1 | 0 |
| 1985 | 1 | 0 |
| 1984 | 1 | 0 |
| 1983 | 1 | 0 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Cook County, measured to its path.
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