Oscoda County, Michigan severe weather history spans 113 recorded events between 1982 and 2026. The dominant hazard is hail, accounting for 45.1% of all recorded events. It ranks #2,840 nationally and #68 in Michigan.
113
Recorded events
2
Direct deaths
4
Direct injuries
$3.2M
Property damage
The record
What the Oscoda County, Michigan severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Oscoda County, Michigan severe weather history averages 2.6 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2000s, with 44 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 14 events fall before 1990 and 99 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Oscoda County, Michigan record is lightning, responsible for 2 direct deaths. The costliest is tornado, with $2.9M in reported property damage. In total, 5 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Oscoda County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 51 | 0 | $0 | 1.75 | 1983–2026 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 51 | 0 | $258K | 90 | 1982–2021 |
| Tornado | 7 | 0 | $2.9M | F2 | 1987–2007 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | $0 | 0 | 2004–2011 |
| Flash Flood | 2 | 0 | $3K | 0 | 2001–2006 |
Decade by decade
Oscoda County, Michigan severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
9 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 5 touched down inside it and 4 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991-03-27 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 21.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 2007-10-18 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 11.6 mi | Touched down here |
| 1995-05-28 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2007-10-18 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 3.2 mi | Touched down here |
| 1999-07-03 | EF1 | 0 | 2 | 12.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 1997-07-02 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 13.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 1993-04-24 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 mi | Touched down here |
| 1987-07-09 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 20.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 1974-07-03 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 6.4 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Oscoda County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 23, 2011 | Lightning | RED OAK | 2 | 1 | $0 |
| Jul 3, 1999 | Tornado | COMINS | 0 | 2 | $1.5M |
| May 16, 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | MIO | 0 | 1 | $10K |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
A family was on a tubing outing on the Au Sable River. A thunderstorm rapidly developed, and they attempted to exit the river and find shelter. They were just out of the river, when three individuals were struck by lightning. Two women were pronounced dead at the scene. A man was transported to a hospital in Saginaw in critical condition. He would survive, but require a 10-day hospital stay, and considerable physical therapy after that. The survivor had no recollection of the incident.
The Oscoda County tornado may have been the strongest of the six on the day. Thankfully, it spent almost all of its lifetime in unpopulated areas of the Huron National Forest, though that makes its strength difficult to estimate. Tens of thousands of trees were estimated to have been uprooted or otherwise downed, and many power lines were downed. About 16 structures were damaged, mostly outbuildings or cabins. Three cabins, near Cherry Lane and Cherry Creek Road, were destroyed. Winds were estimated at 115 mph, making it an EF2.
A brief tornado touchdown was evident in tree damage pattern along the nor th shore of Snyder Lake. No structural damage was noted with this tornado. The tornado occurred in a wooded area, although there were some cabins and homes within 0.50 mile of the apparent touchdown.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Very Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
8,425
Population (ACS)
$126K
Median home value
8
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 30, 2026 | Flood | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR |
| Jul 22, 2025 | Severe Ice Storm | SEVERE WINTER STORM | DR |
| Mar 27, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| Sep 7, 2005 | Hurricane | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM |
| Jan 27, 1999 | Snowstorm | MI – SEVERE WEATHER 1/2 /99 | EM |
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Oscoda County, Michigan?
113 events are on record between 1982 and 2026, causing 2 direct deaths and $3.2M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Oscoda County?
Hail, with 51 recorded events — 45.1% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Oscoda County?
9 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 5 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Oscoda County?
8 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Oscoda County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Oscoda County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Oscoda County as very low risk, placing it in the 15 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Oscoda County, Michigan severe weather history data come from?
Every figure is drawn from United States federal public-domain records: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events for the event archive, NOAA SPC SVRGIS for mapped tornado paths, FEMA for disaster declarations and risk ratings, and the U.S. Census for population context. Dates are shown in UTC and recent entries may still be revised by NOAA.
Nearby
Neighbouring counties
- Osceola County 101
- Otsego County 151
- Ontonagon County 145
- Ottawa County 340
- Ogemaw County 167
- Presque Isle County 95
Cite this page
“Oscoda County, Michigan.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/michigan/oscoda-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.