Oregon

Population 12,015 (2025)

121 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Oregon since 1950, 8 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on July 15, 2024.

Hazard fingerprint for Oregon Tornado: 80th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 57th percentile. Hail & wind: 83th percentile. Heat: 84th percentile. Cold: 87th percentile. Winter: 92th 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 1950121
  • Wildfire burn scars within 25 miles since 19841
  • Major flood years since 1978, Dane County2

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 Dane 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 Dane County.

Tornadoes since 1950, within 25 mi

121

8 rated F3/EF3 or stronger

Details

Flood insurance claims

333

Dane County

$8.7 million paid since 1978

Details

Large wildfires within 25 mi

1

Largest: Cold Springs, 2009

Details

Strongest tornado

F5

June 7, 1984, 36.0 mile path

Federal disaster declarations

19

Most recent: Covid-19 Pandemic, 2020

Details

Record high

104°F

Reached 2 times, most recently July 5, 2012

Details

Record low

−37°F

January 30, 1951

Details

Snowiest season

101.4in

Winter of 2007-08

Tornadoes

About 2 tornados a year since 1950, 8 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

June 7, 1984

F5, 36.0 mile path

450 yards wide; 9 killed along the whole path.

Most recent

Monday, July 15, 2024

EF0, 1.2 mile path

2 years ago.

Tornadoes by decade, within 25 miles Doppler radar era² 1950s: 3 3 1960s: 15 15 1970s: 9 9 1980s: 16 16 1990s: 10 10 2000s: 24 24 2010s: 26 26 2020s: 18 18 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 1 F: 2 M: 8 A: 4 M: 15 J: 51 51 J: 20 A: 10 S: 5 O: 4 N: 1 D: 0 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes within 25 miles since 1950
Jul 15, 2024EF01.25000
Jun 22, 2024EF26.070000
Jun 22, 2024EF14.530000
May 26, 2024EF05.53000
May 26, 2024EF011.85000
May 21, 2024EF14.67500
Feb 8, 2024EF225.975010
Feb 8, 2024EF18.35000
Sep 25, 2023EFU0.02500
Mar 31, 2023EF01.47500
Mar 31, 2023EF14.87500
Mar 31, 2023EF05.87500
Mar 31, 2023EF110.25000
Mar 5, 2022EF16.05000
Jul 28, 2021EF03.57500
Jul 28, 2021EF12.412500
Jul 28, 2021EF04.85000
Jul 28, 2021EF12.825000
Oct 1, 2019EF07.18000
Aug 9, 2018EF00.72500
Oct 7, 2017EF09.710000
Jun 28, 2017EF00.810000
Jun 28, 2017EF12.230000
Jun 28, 2017EF10.615000
May 26, 2015EF00.12000
Jun 29, 2014EF12.350000
Jun 25, 2014EF00.33000
Jun 18, 2014EF00.23000
Jun 17, 2014EF16.864100
Jun 16, 2014EF11.530000
Jun 16, 2014EF20.220000
Jun 16, 2014EF31.010000
Jun 16, 2014EF10.512500
Jun 16, 2014EF10.412500
Aug 8, 2011EF01.22000
Jun 8, 2011EF017.110000
Jul 22, 2010EF00.23000
Jul 22, 2010EF11.57500
Jul 22, 2010EF02.87500
Jul 22, 2010EF14.27500
Jul 22, 2010EF05.73000
Jul 22, 2010EF11.53000
Jun 21, 2010EF11.310000
Jun 21, 2010EF10.24000
Jun 23, 2009EF00.83000
Jun 12, 2008EF02.65000
Jun 12, 2008EF01.35000
Jun 12, 2008EF112.210000
Jun 12, 2008EF11.65000
Jun 7, 2008EF13.815000
Jun 7, 2008EF00.22500
Jun 7, 2008EF00.52500
Jun 18, 2006F00.12000
Aug 18, 2005F11.25000
Aug 18, 2005F10.75000
Aug 18, 2005F00.55000
Aug 18, 2005F11.610000
Aug 18, 2005F02.03000
Aug 18, 2005F318.6600231
Jul 25, 2005F12.05000
Mar 30, 2005F00.25000
Jul 6, 2004F02.05000
Jun 23, 2004F17.820000
Jun 23, 2004F00.12500
May 23, 2004F01.32500
May 23, 2004F01.02500
May 30, 2003F03.12500
Aug 5, 2000F00.12000
Jun 25, 1998F22.510000
Jul 25, 1997F12.717310
Jul 25, 1997F11.010000
Jul 4, 1994F00.12300
Jun 8, 1993F04.05000
Jun 17, 1992F316.0400300
Jun 17, 1992F11.05000
May 22, 1991F00.12300
May 22, 1991F14.07300
Mar 27, 1991F232.044051
Jun 14, 1989F00.12300
Jun 14, 1989F00.25000
Jun 14, 1989F10.25000
Jun 14, 1989F10.25000
May 8, 1988F227.017300
May 8, 1988F27.010010
Jul 11, 1986F10.85000
May 30, 1985F221.010000
Jun 22, 1984F01.05000
Jun 9, 1984F00.22700
Jun 8, 1984F218.05000
Jun 7, 1984F536.04502009
Jun 15, 1981F228.75030
Jun 15, 1981F00.11000
Jun 15, 1981F21.03300
Jun 5, 1980F10.11000
Jul 20, 1978F00.510000
Jul 30, 1976F20.11000
Jun 4, 1975F32.33300
Jun 4, 1975F10.21700
May 21, 1974F12.35000
Mar 11, 1973F10.55000
Sep 4, 1971F10.55000
Jun 18, 1971F11.010000
Oct 9, 1970F214.45010
Jun 29, 1969F23.810000
Jun 12, 1969F20.35000
Jun 4, 1969F24.930000
May 31, 1969F01.05000
Apr 20, 1968F20.11000
Aug 2, 1967F30.120052
Jun 11, 1967F21.31000
Apr 16, 1967F327.850000
Jan 24, 1967F324.920000
Jul 10, 1966F10.11000
Apr 11, 1965F127.1167400
Sep 2, 1963F222.51010
Sep 2, 1963F170.71000
Sep 2, 1963F29.910000
Nov 15, 1960F23.06700
Oct 9, 1958F01.05000
May 28, 1955F10.110000
Apr 18, 1955F29.210000
  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

No tropical storm or hurricane has tracked within 100 miles since records began in 1851.

Wildfire and smoke

1 large fire burned within 25 miles since 1984.

Largest

April 12, 2009

Cold Springs Fire, 551 acres

20.9 miles from the city centre.

Most recent

April 12, 2009

Cold Springs Fire

551 acres in total.

Acres burned by large fires within 25 miles, cumulative 2009: 551 551 acres 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Running total of acres burned (line) and each year’s acres (bars).

Every large fire

Large wildfires since 1984
Cold Springs200920.9551
  1. Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.

Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.

Smoke overhead

Smokiest year

2023: 75 days

Heavy smoke on 23 days in 2021, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

26.7 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

18 days

Medium or heavy smoke. 38 so far in 2026.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 9 2012: 18 2013: 14 2014: 12 2015: 19 2016: 6 2017: 12 2018: 21 2019: 13 2020: 26 2021: 45 2022: 18 2023: 75 75 2024: 33 2025: 18 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

333 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $8.7 million paid.

Flood insurance figures are for Dane County, the county that contains Oregon.

Federal flood insurance claims by year 1978: 11 1981: 10 1993: 18 1996: 17 2000: 10 2001: 16 2006: 5 2007: 20 2008: 53 2010: 5 2013: 12 2016: 6 2017: 5 2018: 85 85 2019: 12 2024: 5 1978200120132024
Claims per year since 1978. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

Most claims in one year

2018: 85 claims

$5.1 million paid.

2nd most

2008: 53 claims

$1.5 million paid.

3rd most

2007: 20 claims

$299,000 paid.

Claims by ZIP code

Flood insurance claims by ZIP code
5356034$1.8 million
5371628$247,000
5353427$1.1 million
5357520$214,000
5351519$285,000
5352817$917,000
5371117$48,000
5370416$85,000
5371315$784,000
5353214$520,000
5356212$1.5 million
5359011$36,000
5370311$26,000
5358311$624,000
5370510$34,000
10$25,000
535278$57,000
535937$62,000
535556$4,632
535585$58,000
537155$5,197
537195$1,097

Flood events since 1996

  • Flash Flood47
  • Flood36
  • Heavy Rain33

1 death recorded in flood events since 1996.

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 Dane County, the county that contains Oregon.

Most severe crest

August 21, 2018

Black Earth Creek at Mazomanie, 16.60 ft

6.60 feet above the 10.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.

Most recent moderate or major crest

August 21, 2018

Black Earth Creek at Black Earth, 9.81 ft

Major flooding.

Highest river crests above flood stage
Aug 21, 2018Black Earth Creek at Mazomanie16.60+6.60Major
Aug 21, 2018Black Earth Creek at Black Earth9.81+4.31Major
Aug 2, 2001Black Earth Creek at Black Earth7.08+1.58Moderate
Jun 9, 2008Black Earth Creek at Mazomanie11.91+1.91Minor
Mar 15, 2019Black Earth Creek at Mazomanie11.66+1.66Minor
Mar 14, 2019Black Earth Creek at Black Earth6.75+1.25Minor
Jul 3, 1954Black Earth Creek at Black Earth6.58+1.08Minor
Oct 2, 2019Black Earth Creek at Mazomanie10.95+0.95Minor
Oct 2, 2019Black Earth Creek at Black Earth6.34+0.84Minor
Feb 21, 2018Black Earth Creek at Black Earth6.21+0.71Minor
Jul 6, 1993Black Earth Creek at Black Earth6.13+0.63Minor
Jul 12, 2008Black Earth Creek at Mazomanie10.55+0.55Minor
Jun 8, 2008Black Earth Creek at Black Earth6.02+0.52Minor
Jul 20, 2017Black Earth Creek at Black Earth5.97+0.47Minor
Jun 11, 1957Black Earth Creek at Black Earth5.96+0.46Minor
Jun 23, 2024Black Earth Creek at Black Earth5.90+0.40Minor
Jun 16, 2016Black Earth Creek at Mazomanie10.37+0.37Minor
Jun 15, 2016Black Earth Creek at Black Earth5.86+0.36Minor
Jun 23, 2024Black Earth Creek at Mazomanie10.34+0.34Minor
Apr 1, 1959Black Earth Creek at Black Earth5.83+0.33Minor
Jul 11, 2008Black Earth Creek at Black Earth5.80+0.30Minor
Jul 3, 1960Black Earth Creek at Black Earth5.80+0.30Minor
May 22, 2004Black Earth Creek at Black Earth5.72+0.22Minor
Jul 25, 1985Black Earth Creek at Black Earth5.65+0.15Minor
Oct 2, 2018Black Earth Creek at Black Earth5.51+0.01Minor

River gauges

River gauges and their highest listed crests
Black Earth Creek at Black Earth5.59.81 ftAug 21, 20181
Black Earth Creek at Mazomanie10.016.60 ftAug 21, 20181
Yahara River at Windsor8.06.97 ftJun 9, 20080
  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 111 of 1,581 months since 1895 (7%); the longest spell lasted 28 months.

The drought index is for Dane County, the county that contains Oregon.

111

Months in severe drought or worse since 1895

50

Months in extreme drought

7%

Share of all months, severe or worse

18

Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996

Lowest reading

April 1902

−6.00, extreme drought

Longest severe spell

28 months

December 1962 to March 1965.

Latest month

September 2026

−0.76, incipient dry spell

Last severe month: February 2022.

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 4 1896: 3 1897: 0 1898: 0 1899: 0 1900: 0 1901: 6 1902: 4 1903: 0 1904: 0 1905: 0 1906: 0 1907: 0 1908: 0 1909: 0 1910: 2 1911: 3 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: 0 1931: 7 1932: 0 1933: 0 1934: 8 1935: 0 1936: 1 1937: 2 1938: 0 1939: 4 1940: 4 1941: 0 1942: 0 1943: 0 1944: 0 1945: 0 1946: 0 1947: 0 1948: 0 1949: 0 1950: 0 1951: 0 1952: 0 1953: 0 1954: 1 1955: 0 1956: 3 1957: 0 1958: 1 1959: 0 1960: 0 1961: 0 1962: 1 1963: 12 12 1964: 12 1965: 5 1966: 0 1967: 0 1968: 0 1969: 0 1970: 0 1971: 0 1972: 0 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 4 1977: 6 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 0 1987: 0 1988: 5 1989: 5 1990: 0 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 0 2000: 0 2001: 0 2002: 0 2003: 0 2004: 0 2005: 3 2006: 0 2007: 0 2008: 0 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 2 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 0 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 0 2021: 1 2022: 2 2023: 0 2024: 0 2025: 0 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

1,793 events in the National Weather Service record for Dane County, 1,553 of them since 1996.

390

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

67

Hail, 2 inches or larger

366

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

246

Winter weather events since 1996

52

Heat events since 1996

39

Cold events since 1996

Largest hail

July 2, 1960

4.00 inches

Strongest measured or estimated gust

May 31, 1998

100 mph

More event types since 1996

Other Storm Events types since 1996
Lightning54412Apr 24, 2026
Dust storms and dust devils200Aug 17, 2013
Dense fog and smoke6736Feb 12, 2018

Costliest events since 1996

  1. Aug 18, 2005Tornado$34.3 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A strong and destructive tornado spun up at 1715CST about 2.8 miles southeast of the geographic center of Fitchburg (or 2.0 miles north of center of Oregon), about 400 yards southwest of the intersection of CTH MM and Schnieder Rd. It continued east-southeast to the southern edge of Lake Kegonsa and tore through residential neighborhoods about 1/3 to 1/2 mile north of CTH B (Civil Towns of Dunn and Pleasant Springs, and far-northern Stoughton). It moved over the crossing of CTH A with Interstate 90/39, and stayed close to CTH A to its exit point at 1905CST where CTH A crosses into Jefferson County, about 2.8 miles south-southwest of Rockdale. One person was crushed to death in…

  2. Aug 20, 2018Flood$32.8 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Black Earth Creek crested at 9.73 feet at Black Earth around 2:00 AM on 8/21/18, and at 16.6 feet at Mazomanie around 7:00 AM. The Sugar River and many other creeks and low lying areas continued to flood. The historic flooding resulted in hundreds of citizens rescued, evacuated, or stranded, especially along the highway 14 corridor which parallels Black Earth Creek and then continues into Middleton and Madison. Homes and businesses in Cross Plains, Black Earth, Mazomanie, Middleton, and the west side of Madison were most impacted. Overall, Dane County had 380 homes with affected damage, 857 homes with minor damage, 302 homes with major damage, and 5 homes destroyed. 27 businesses…

  3. Jun 16, 2014Tornado$14.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A Tornado severely damaged the Country View Elementary school, which will have to be rebuilt. At least 30 homes sustained major damage, 19 of which were rendered uninhabitable. Many trees down. Estimated winds up to 140 mph.

  4. Jun 12, 2008Flash Flood$13.5 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Heavy rains resulted in flash flooding as water reached depths of 3 feet or more and several cars stalled. This was the last of 6 flash floods in Dane County on 3 different days. The first one occurred on June 7th, the next two on June 8th, and the last three on June 12th. In all six cases, damage to homes, businesses, and crops was noted. It was nearly impossible to break down the damages by flash flood event. Therefore, the collective breakdown is provided in this last June 12th flash flood StormData entry for Dane County.||Some farm fields remained flooded into early July. The breakdown for residential home losses were: 2020 minimally affected, 248 with minor damage, 109 with…

  5. Jul 27, 2006Flash Flood$10.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A 1-in-a-100-year flash flood occurred from the west side of Madison to around the Capitol Square after 3 to 5 inches of rain fell within a 90 minute timeframe. There were no reports of injuries or deaths. The heavy rain resulted from slow-moving and back-building thunderstorms that essentially remained nearly stationary over the city of Madison. The hilly terrain and a typical urban setting of a lot of concrete and asphalt enable the runoff water to quickly overwhelm the storm sewers and concentrate water in low-lying areas of the city. Water depths reach to the top of small vehicles - 4 to 5 feet deep in spots. Many roads became impassable due to the flood waters, and many…

  6. Sep 19, 2013Thunderstorm Wind$7.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Large tree uprooted and many smaller trees snapped.

  7. Aug 18, 2007Flash Flood$6.8 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Although general flooding affected all of Dane County, significant flash flooding affected the community areas of Mt. Horeb, Oregon, Sun Prairie, and Dane. At least 798 homes in Dane County sustained water damage to basement contents and/or basement walls, with damage totals of about $3.96 million. Thirteen homes had major water damage and two were destroyed, while 783 had minor damage. At least 10 businesses reported minor water damage totaling about $380,000. Crop losses were an estimated $5 million. Livestock losses were about $200,000, and farm building losses were about $500,000. Additionally, road damages were about $538,000, water control facility damage was about $320,000,…

  8. Jun 1, 2000Flash Flood$6.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    One would be hard pressed to find another day like June 1, 2000 in terms of depth and range of severe, convective weather events across south-central and southeast Wisconsin. Tornadoes, widespread and localized flash flooding, funnel clouds, damaging hurricane-force, straight-line winds associated with a wicked squall-line, large hail stones, urban/small flooding, lightning strikes, and significant mainstem river flooding were reported. As in the preceding weeks, a quasi-stationary front over northern Illinois served as a boundary for warm, moist, unstable air to be pulled north over the cooler air over Wisconsin. Leftover flooding (from the evening of May 31, 2000) and isolated…

  9. Apr 13, 2006Hail$5.5 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Wild weather occurred over parts of south-central and southeast Wisconsin on April 13, 2005. Wisconsin's most-costly hailstorm pummeled a large swath from around Mineral Point (Iowa Co.) to north of Milwaukee (Milwaukee Co.), while hurricane-force thunderstorm winds raked parts of Fond du Lac and Sheboygan Counties. Here's what happened: scattered supercells developed in eastern Iowa during the late afternoon hours of April 13th and pushed east-northeastward through southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois during the evening. Three main hailstorms affected southern Wisconsin. The first hailstorm left a swath of hail and hail damage from southern Iowa County (around 1945CST),…

  10. Apr 13, 2006Hail$5.5 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Hail size ranged from 1.25 to 3.00 inches in diameter.

  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 Madison Dane County Regional Airport, 15.1 miles from the city centre, with records from 1939.

All-time high
104°F2 times, most recently Jul 5, 2012
All-time low
−37°FJan 30, 1951
Warmest night
83°FJul 14, 1995
Coldest day
−14°FFeb 2, 1996
Wettest day
4.51 inJun 17, 1996
Snowiest day
17.3 inDec 3, 1990
Hottest year
2012mean 51.4°F
Coldest year
1972mean 43.0°F
Wettest year
201850.64 in
Driest year
194320.78 in
Snowiest season
101.4 in2007-08
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Madison Dane County Regional Airport 32°F 27° 12° 1.4 Jan 32° 15° 1.5 Feb 44° 26° 2.5 Mar 58° 36° 3.7 Apr 69° 47° 4.1 May 79° 58° 5.5 Jun 83° 62° 4.4 Jul 80° 60° 4.1 Aug 74° 52° 3.3 Sep 61° 41° 2.6 Oct 46° 29° 2.0 Nov 33° 19° 1.7 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 1976: 184 184 1977: 146 1978: 174 1979: 160 1980: 170 1981: 162 1982: 154 1983: 164 1984: 166 1985: 148 1986: 155 1987: 157 1988: 163 1989: 173 1990: 157 1991: 160 1992: 149 1993: 150 1994: 147 1995: 154 1996: 174 1997: 162 1998: 125 1999: 143 2000: 143 2001: 134 2002: 163 2003: 155 2004: 138 2005: 146 2006: 144 2007: 140 2008: 147 2009: 151 2010: 145 2011: 145 2012: 125 2013: 152 2014: 150 2015: 133 2016: 124 2017: 131 2018: 171 2019: 155 2020: 159 2021: 145 2022: 151 2023: 144 2024: 124 2025: 146 19761986199620062016
Nights at or below freezing each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 145.5.
Snowfall by winter 1976: 26.3 in 1977: 56.7 in 1978: 76.1 in 1979: 31.0 in 1980: 26.5 in 1981: 49.9 in 1982: 41.4 in 1983: 42.2 in 1984: 53.7 in 1985: 72.4 in 1986: 34.5 in 1987: 62.2 in 1988: 36.2 in 1989: 34.8 in 1990: 55.0 in 1991: 42.5 in 1992: 71.2 in 1993: 73.7 in 1994: 52.8 in 1995: 60.5 in 1996: 50.0 in 1997: 53.9 in 1998: 38.1 in 1999: 34.1 in 2000: 52.2 in 2001: 31.8 in 2002: 28.8 in 2003: 31.6 in 2004: 43.9 in 2005: 47.9 in 2006: 55.1 in 2007: 101.4 in 101.4 2008: 72.0 in 2009: 51.6 in 2010: 73.1 in 2011: 31.4 in 2012: 70.6 in 2013: 59.2 in 2014: 33.7 in 2015: 32.7 in 2016: 44.0 in 2017: 44.4 in 2018: 57.2 in 2019: 53.7 in 2020: 45.3 in 2021: 31.3 in 2022: 71.8 in 2023: 43.3 in 2024: 22.1 in 2025: 50.6 in 19761986199620062016
Total snowfall each winter (July to June), last 50 winters.

Median first snow

November 12

Earliest: October 6, 1964

Median last snow

April 11

Latest: May 16, 1940

0 of 87 winters had no measurable snow.

Station Madison Dane County Regional Airport (USW00014837), 859 ft elevation, 15.1 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1939 to October 27, 2026; 100.0% 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

19 since 1953. The most recent: Covid-19 Pandemic, April 4, 2020.

Declarations for Dane County.

Federal disaster declarations
Apr 4, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4520-WI
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3454-WI
Oct 18, 2018FloodSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and LandslidesMajor disasterDR-4402-WI
Apr 5, 2011SnowstormSevere Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disasterDR-1966-WI
Jun 14, 2008Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1768-WI
Mar 19, 2008SnowstormRecord Snow and Near Record SnowEmergencyEM-3285-WI
Aug 26, 2007Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1719-WI
Sep 13, 2005HurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3249-WI
Jun 18, 2004Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1526-WI
Jan 24, 2001SnowstormSnowEmergencyEM-3163-WI
Jun 24, 2000Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1332-WI
Jul 2, 1993Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disasterDR-994-WI
Sep 18, 1992TornadoSevere Storms & TornadoesMajor disasterDR-963-WI
Aug 6, 1991Severe StormSevere Storms & HailMajor disasterDR-912-WI
Jul 13, 1990Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disasterDR-874-WI
Jun 12, 1984TornadoSevere Storms & TornadoesMajor disasterDR-710-WI
Jul 7, 1978Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, Hail & TornadoesMajor disasterDR-559-WI
Jun 17, 1976DroughtDroughtEmergencyEM-3014-WI
Mar 23, 1976FloodSevere Storms, Icing, Wind & FloodingMajor disasterDR-496-WI

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 USW00014837.
  • 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.