Mount Pleasant

Population 20,925 (2025)

40 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Mount Pleasant since 1950, 0 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on June 26, 2021.

Hazard fingerprint for Mount Pleasant Tornado: 30th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 22th percentile. Hail & wind: 21th percentile. Heat: 4th percentile. Cold: 0th percentile. Winter: 47th percentile. TORTROPFIREFLOODSEVEREHEATCOLDWINTER

Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed

2026
  • Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 195040
  • Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger1

At a glance

Tornado paths within 25 miles, tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles and wildfire perimeters within 25 miles of the city centre. Storm events, flood insurance claims and disaster declarations are for Isabella County. Earthquakes within 50 miles, volcanoes within 100 miles and smoke days are measured from the city centre; river and tide gauges, tsunami and landslide records and the drought index are for Isabella County.

Tornadoes since 1950, within 25 mi

40

0 rated F3/EF3 or stronger

Details

Flood insurance claims

37

Isabella County

$543,000 paid since 1985

Details

Tropical cyclones within 100 mi

1

None within 50 miles since 1851

Details

Strongest tornado

F2

April 11, 1965, 15.1 mile path

Federal disaster declarations

11

Most recent: Covid-19 Pandemic, 2020

Details

Record high

105°F

July 13, 1936

Details

Record low

−39°F

February 20, 1929

Details

Snowiest season

102.4in

Winter of 1951-52

Tornadoes

About one every 1.9 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

April 11, 1965

F2, 15.1 mile path

440 yards wide.

Deadliest

May 12, 1956

1 killed, F2

4 injured along the whole path.

Most recent

Saturday, June 26, 2021

EF0, 3.7 mile path

5 years ago.

Tornadoes by decade, within 25 miles Doppler radar era² 1950s: 5 5 1960s: 7 7 1970s: 7 7 1980s: 4 4 1990s: 4 4 2000s: 9 9 2010s: 2 2 2020s: 2 2 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 0 F: 0 M: 1 A: 8 M: 10 J: 11 11 J: 6 A: 2 S: 0 O: 2 N: 0 D: 0 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes within 25 miles since 1950
Jun 26, 2021EF03.710000
Jun 26, 2021EF12.910000
Mar 12, 2012EF15.112500
Jul 24, 2011EF00.35000
Jul 30, 2008EF00.45000
Aug 23, 2007EF10.220000
May 25, 2006F00.53300
May 25, 2006F03.03300
Aug 27, 2004F00.23000
May 21, 2001F00.13000
May 21, 2001F02.55000
May 21, 2001F14.04010
May 21, 2001F13.04010
Jul 23, 1999F00.11000
Oct 6, 1998F020.05000
Jun 21, 1996F14.48000
Jun 17, 1992F01.06700
Apr 3, 1988F11.04060
Jun 29, 1987F13.04000
Jun 29, 1987F00.42000
May 26, 1985F00.11000
Jul 4, 1977F111.26700
Apr 15, 1976F14.53300
Jul 14, 1974F11.52000
Apr 14, 1974F22.53010
Jul 26, 1973F10.21000
Jun 3, 1973F00.11000
May 25, 1973F10.31700
Apr 9, 1969F10.51000
Oct 7, 1965F22.05000
Apr 11, 1965F20.15000
Apr 11, 1965F20.55000
Apr 11, 1965F21.05000
Apr 11, 1965F215.144010
Jun 23, 1960F17.91000
Jun 26, 1956F29.21020
May 12, 1956F23.880041
May 12, 1956F29.11000
Jun 7, 1955F23.810000
Jun 26, 1951F10.11000
  1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
  2. Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

1 tropical cyclone passed within 100 miles since 1851, none within 50.

Most recent

August 14, 1955

Connie, Tropical storm

96.1 miles at closest approach.

Every storm within 100 miles

Tropical cyclones within 100 miles
Connie195596.1Tropical storm41Category 4
Unnamed194125.1Post-tropical49Category 3
Unnamed193267.5Post-tropical48Category 1
Unnamed192337.6Post-tropical40Tropical storm
Unnamed190024.1Post-tropical62Category 4
  1. Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.

National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.

Wildfire and smoke

No large wildfire has been mapped within 25 miles since satellite mapping began in 1984.

Smoke overhead

Smokiest year

2023: 78 days

Heavy smoke on 18 days in 2023, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

25.7 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

28 days

Medium or heavy smoke. 41 so far in 2026.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 7 2012: 9 2013: 7 2014: 13 2015: 12 2016: 2 2017: 12 2018: 17 2019: 11 2020: 14 2021: 46 2022: 15 2023: 78 78 2024: 34 2025: 28 201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Days each year on which a satellite-traced plume of medium or heavy smoke covered the city centre, 2011 to 2025.
  1. A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.

NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Floods and flood insurance

37 federal flood insurance claims since 1985, with $543,000 paid.

Flood insurance figures are for Isabella County, the county that contains Mount Pleasant.

Federal flood insurance claims by year 2017: 20 20 2017
Claims per year since 1985. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

Most claims in one year

2017: 20 claims

$467,000 paid.

Claims by ZIP code

Flood insurance claims by ZIP code
4885822$436,000
488938$62,000

Flood events since 1996

  • Flood9
  • Flash Flood8

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

River crests

River gauges in Isabella County, the county that contains Mount Pleasant.

Most severe crest

September 12, 1986

Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant, 15.58 ft

7.58 feet above the 8.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.

Most recent moderate or major crest

May 19, 2020

Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant, 11.16 ft

Moderate flooding.

Highest river crests above flood stage
Sep 12, 1986Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant15.58+7.58Major
Jun 23, 2017Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant14.77+6.77Major
Mar 8, 1946Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant12.78+4.78Moderate
Feb 6, 1938Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant12.30+4.30Moderate
Mar 20, 1948Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant12.30+4.30Moderate
Jan 26, 1950Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant11.42+3.42Moderate
Sep 1, 1975Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant11.18+3.18Moderate
May 19, 2020Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant11.16+3.16Moderate
Mar 6, 1935Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant11.06+3.06Moderate
Apr 12, 1965Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant10.95+2.95Minor
May 19, 1974Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant10.67+2.67Minor
Apr 19, 2013Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant10.46+2.46Minor
Feb 1, 1988Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant10.44+2.44Minor
Apr 16, 2014Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant10.43+2.43Minor
Mar 21, 1976Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant10.41+2.41Minor
Apr 3, 1959Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant10.40+2.40Minor
Feb 21, 1994Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant10.29+2.29Minor
Mar 14, 2006Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant10.28+2.28Minor
May 3, 1933Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant10.20+2.20Minor
Mar 31, 1960Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant10.15+2.15Minor
Apr 5, 1956Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant10.13+2.13Minor
Mar 15, 2019Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant10.12+2.12Minor
Jul 9, 1957Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant9.92+1.92Minor
Feb 12, 2009Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant9.86+1.86Minor
Jun 2, 1945Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant9.75+1.75Minor

River gauges

River gauges and their highest listed crests
Chippewa River below Mt. Pleasant8.015.58 ftSep 12, 19862
  1. Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.

NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Drought

In severe drought or worse for 115 of 1,581 months since 1895 (7%); the longest spell lasted 19 months.

The drought index is for Isabella County, the county that contains Mount Pleasant.

115

Months in severe drought or worse since 1895

47

Months in extreme drought

7%

Share of all months, severe or worse

Lowest reading

February 1931

−5.68, extreme drought

Longest severe spell

19 months

March 1910 to September 1911.

Latest month

September 2026

−2.20, moderate drought

Last severe month: December 2025.

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 5 1896: 0 1897: 0 1898: 0 1899: 0 1900: 0 1901: 0 1902: 2 1903: 0 1904: 0 1905: 0 1906: 0 1907: 0 1908: 3 1909: 1 1910: 10 1911: 9 1912: 0 1913: 0 1914: 0 1915: 0 1916: 0 1917: 0 1918: 0 1919: 0 1920: 0 1921: 0 1922: 0 1923: 0 1924: 0 1925: 0 1926: 0 1927: 0 1928: 0 1929: 0 1930: 5 1931: 8 1932: 0 1933: 0 1934: 5 1935: 0 1936: 4 1937: 0 1938: 2 1939: 1 1940: 0 1941: 0 1942: 0 1943: 0 1944: 0 1945: 3 1946: 2 1947: 0 1948: 1 1949: 0 1950: 0 1951: 0 1952: 0 1953: 0 1954: 0 1955: 0 1956: 0 1957: 0 1958: 0 1959: 0 1960: 0 1961: 0 1962: 0 1963: 4 1964: 7 1965: 0 1966: 0 1967: 0 1968: 0 1969: 0 1970: 0 1971: 4 1972: 0 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 1 1977: 11 11 1978: 1 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 0 1987: 2 1988: 1 1989: 0 1990: 0 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 5 1999: 0 2000: 0 2001: 0 2002: 0 2003: 5 2004: 0 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 0 2008: 0 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 0 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 0 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 0 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 3 2025: 10 18951905191519251935194519551965197519851995200520152025
Months each year with a Palmer index of −3 or lower, 1895 to 2025. Twelve means the whole year.
  1. The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.

NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.

Earthquakes

No earthquake of magnitude 2.5 or more is recorded within 50 miles of the city centre in the USGS catalogue, which begins in 1900.

Severe weather and other events

261 events in the National Weather Service record for Isabella County, 213 of them since 1996.

35

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

1

Hail, 2 inches or larger

70

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

65

Winter weather events since 1996

1

Heat events since 1996

0

Cold events since 1996

Largest hail

October 4, 2006

2.00 inches

Strongest measured or estimated gust

July 10, 2007

81 mph

More event types since 1996

Other Storm Events types since 1996
Lightning100Jul 3, 2012

Costliest events since 1996

  1. Jun 23, 2017Flood$70.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    The Isabella County Road Commission reported that at one point over 100 roads across portions of Isabella county in and around Mount Pleasant were closed due to flooding. A mesonet station near Mt. Pleasant reported that 6.88 inches of rain fell from June 22nd into the early morning hours of June 23rd. The flooding resulted in over 90 million dollars worth of property damage. Numerous homes sustained flooding damage and the United States Department of Agriculture estimated that 21 million dollars worth of crop damage was incurred. A state of emergency was declared for Isabella county.

  2. Mar 8, 2017High Wind, Isabella$10.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Peak wind gusts of up to 60 mph resulted in numerous downed trees and limbs and power lines and widespread power outages.

  3. Aug 11, 2010Flash Flood$4.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Isabella county emergency management and law enforcement reported that several roads were flooded and washed out and that the Central Michigan Community Hospital also was partially flooded due to over 4 inches of rain that fell in just two and a half hours during the evening hours of August 11th. Extensive flooding damage occurred at Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, where 39 campus buildings incurred extensive damage. The flash flood damage required repairing or replacing ceilings, floors, walls, insulation, equipment, electrical and mechanical systems and storm sewers at a cost of 3.5 million dollars.

  4. Apr 17, 2013Flood$3.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Heavy rainfall caused significant flooding on rivers and streams across Isabella county.

  5. Feb 5, 2019Ice Storm, Isabella$1.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A half to three quarters of an inch of freezing rain resulted in numerous downed trees, limbs, power lines and widespread power outages.

  6. May 23, 2004Flood, Isabella$1.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    The biggest and longest duration flooding event in the past ten to twenty years occurred across southwestern and south central lower Michigan from May 20th through the third of June. Flooding in mid May resulted in very high river levels and the ground was saturated on the 20th. Numerous thunderstorm complexes and areas of heavy rainfall developed repeatedly in the vicinity of a quasi stationary frontal boundary draped across southern lower Michigan. The heaviest rain fell on Saturday, May 22nd, when over two inches of rain fell over most of the area. Total rainfall over the Grand River basin from May 20th through June 3rd varied from four to as much as seven inches.The Grand…

  7. Jun 21, 1996Tornado$500,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Numerous large trees were downed. Three homes were damaged along with 4 barns destroyed, and numerous other outbuildings, silos, and farm machinery were damaged.

  8. Dec 11, 2010Winter Storm, Isabella$250,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Around six inches of heavy wet snow was reported across much of Isabella county with pockets of around eight inches of snow across the northern part of the county. Numerous accidents were also reported across the county.

  9. May 31, 1998Thunderstorm Wind$250,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Michigan State Police EMD's Damage and Injury Assessment Report indicated wind damage to homes, businesses, barns and other outbuildings, and some public buildings. Local roads and streets were temporarily blocked in many areas. The Michigan Department of Community Health reported $89,500 in damages to the Mount Pleasant Center in Isabella County (which included damage to both structural and mechanical systems). Damage estimates were reported to be $250,000. No injuries were reported and specific counts for home and business damage were not available. Isabella County declared a local state of emergency.

  10. Apr 3, 2003Ice Storm, Isabella$200,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A major ice storm affected much of southern lower Michigan, causing hundreds of thousands of people to lose power. The weight of the ice brought down thousands of trees and limbs and hundreds of power lines. Many people across the area lost power for several days and some people who live in outlying areas were without power for a week. The ice storm resulted in several million dollars worth of damage across the area.The ice storm came in three stages. The first period of freezing rain during the afternoon hours of the 3rd resulted in up to a quarter of an inch of ice across Osceola and Isabella counties, in central lower Michigan. The second period of freezing rain came during the…

  1. Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.

Weather records

From Gladwin, 29.8 miles from the city centre, with records from 1892.

All-time high
105°FJul 13, 1936
All-time low
−39°FFeb 20, 1929
Warmest night
83°FJul 9, 1911
Coldest day
−3°FJan 11, 1912
Wettest day
5.00 inMay 20, 1912
Snowiest day
15.0 inDec 11, 1895
Hottest year
2024mean 49.3°F
Coldest year
1904mean 42.1°F
Wettest year
195945.51 in
Driest year
191015.40 in
Snowiest season
102.4 in1951-52
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Gladwin 32°F 29° 13° 2.0 Jan 33° 13° 1.8 Feb 43° 21° 2.1 Mar 56° 32° 3.5 Apr 68° 43° 3.6 May 78° 53° 3.5 Jun 82° 57° 3.4 Jul 80° 56° 3.2 Aug 74° 49° 2.7 Sep 60° 38° 3.1 Oct 46° 29° 2.2 Nov 35° 20° 2.3 Dec Precipitation, inches
Average daily high and low by month, and average monthly precipitation, over the last 30 years.
Nights at or below freezing per year 1978: 151 1981: 156 1983: 167 1984: 170 1985: 162 1986: 169 1987: 158 1988: 171 1989: 185 185 1990: 166 1991: 164 1992: 177 1993: 179 1994: 171 1995: 169 1996: 177 1997: 173 1998: 140 1999: 150 2000: 151 2001: 149 2002: 185 2003: 164 2004: 151 2005: 161 2006: 149 2007: 155 2008: 167 2009: 168 2010: 165 2011: 165 2012: 167 2013: 175 2014: 155 2015: 143 2016: 150 2018: 181 2019: 172 2020: 180 2021: 159 2022: 165 2023: 147 2024: 146 2025: 168 19781991200120112022
Nights at or below freezing each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 161.3.
Snowfall by winter 1977: 56.5 in 1981: 48.0 in 1983: 30.9 in 1984: 68.5 in 1985: 63.6 in 1986: 28.3 in 1987: 41.4 in 1989: 40.0 in 1990: 47.1 in 1991: 55.3 in 1992: 48.6 in 1993: 55.7 in 1995: 52.6 in 1996: 69.6 in 1997: 53.4 in 1998: 34.0 in 1999: 29.0 in 2000: 36.5 in 2001: 48.0 in 2002: 29.1 in 2003: 52.0 in 2004: 53.7 in 2005: 50.0 in 2006: 47.5 in 2007: 76.0 in 2008: 78.5 in 78.5 2009: 26.7 in 2010: 69.7 in 2011: 39.5 in 2012: 47.7 in 2013: 67.9 in 2014: 30.5 in 2015: 50.4 in 2016: 49.3 in 2017: 47.2 in 2018: 72.9 in 2019: 37.4 in 2020: 44.1 in 2021: 37.3 in 2022: 43.9 in 2023: 34.0 in 2024: 39.4 in 2025: 42.1 in 19771992200320132023
Total snowfall each winter (July to June), last 50 winters.

Median first snow

November 19

Earliest: October 13, 1936

Median last snow

April 5

Latest: May 4, 1935

0 of 91 winters had no measurable snow.

Station Gladwin (USW00014828), 775 ft elevation, 29.8 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1892 to October 28, 2026; 97.7% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.

NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.

Federal disaster declarations

11 since 1953. The most recent: Covid-19 Pandemic, March 27, 2020.

Declarations for Isabella County.

Federal disaster declarations
Mar 27, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4494-MI
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3455-MI
Aug 2, 2017Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4326-MI
Sep 7, 2005HurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3225-MI
Jan 10, 2001SnowstormSnowEmergencyEM-3160-MI
Sep 18, 1986FloodSevere Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-774-MI
Sep 18, 1985FloodSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-744-MI
Jan 27, 1978SnowstormBlizzards & SnowstormsEmergencyEM-3057-MI
Mar 2, 1977DroughtDroughtEmergencyEM-3035-MI
Mar 19, 1976Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Icing & FloodingMajor disasterDR-495-MI
Sep 30, 1975FloodSevere Storms, High Winds & FloodingMajor disasterDR-486-MI

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.

Sources and vintage

Every number on this page comes from these public records.

  • Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
  • Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
  • Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
  • Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
  • Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
  • Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00014828.
  • River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
  • Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.

Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.