Newaygo County

Population 51,622 (2025) 839 sq mi

Newaygo County has recorded 14 tornadoes since 1950, 36th most of 83 counties in Michigan; the most recent was on March 30, 2025.

Hazard fingerprint for Newaygo County Tornado: 24th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 15th percentile. Hail & wind: 15th percentile. Heat: 4th percentile. Cold: 0th percentile. Winter: 67th 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 since 195014
  • Major flood years since 19783

At a glance

The record for Newaygo County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.

Tornadoes since 1950

14

36th of 83 in Michigan

About as many as the typical Michigan county

Details

Flood insurance claims

153

16th of 83 in Michigan

$4.3 million paid since 1980

Details

Strongest tornado

F2

September 26, 1951, 2.3 mile path

Federal disaster declarations

13

Most recent: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding, 2026

Details

Record high

99°F

Reached 3 times, most recently July 6, 2012

Details

Record low

−30°F

February 11, 1899

Details

Snowiest season

173.9in

Winter of 1981-82

Costliest event since 1996

$10.0M

High Wind, March 8, 2017

Details

Tornadoes

About one every 5.4 years since 1950, none rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

September 26, 1951

F2, 2.3 mile path

440 yards wide; 1 killed along the whole path.

Most recent

Sunday, March 30, 2025

EF0, 2.8 mile path

Within the past year.

Tornadoes by decade Doppler radar era² 1950s: 1 1 1960s: 1 1 1970s: 3 3 1980s: 1 1 1990s: 4 4 2000s: 2 2 2010s: 1 1 2020s: 1 1 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 0 F: 0 M: 2 A: 2 M: 1 J: 3 3 J: 1 A: 2 S: 2 O: 0 N: 1 D: 0 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes in Newaygo County since 1950
Mar 30, 2025EF02.85000
Nov 17, 2013EF036.79500
Jun 29, 2005F00.12500
Aug 1, 2002F015.01500
Jul 1, 1999F05.02000
Mar 27, 1991F00.51000
Sep 14, 1990F17.03000
Jun 2, 1990F11.55000
May 24, 1989F10.65000
Apr 12, 1979F118.21000
Jun 17, 1975F21.56001
Aug 10, 1971F10.15000
Apr 28, 1964F10.11000
Sep 26, 1951F22.344031
  1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Newaygo County: 2.
  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

No large wildfire has been mapped here since satellite mapping began in 1984.

Smoke overhead

Smokiest year

2023: 75 days

Heavy smoke on 20 days in 2023, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

26.2 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

29 days

Medium or heavy smoke. 40 so far in 2026.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 4 2012: 12 2013: 9 2014: 14 2015: 15 2016: 6 2017: 13 2018: 16 2019: 11 2020: 15 2021: 43 2022: 17 2023: 75 75 2024: 37 2025: 29 201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Days each year on which a satellite-traced plume of medium or heavy smoke covered the county’s population 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

153 federal flood insurance claims since 1980, with $4.3 million paid.

Federal flood insurance claims by year 1986: 25 2004: 6 2011: 6 2013: 16 2014: 56 56 2026: 29 19862026
Claims per year since 1980. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

Most claims in one year

2014: 56 claims

$1.8 million paid.

2nd most

2026: 29 claims

$1.5 million paid.

3rd most

1986: 25 claims

$501,000 paid.

Claims by ZIP code

Flood insurance claims by ZIP code
4932782$2.1 million
4933762$1.9 million
494126$243,000

Flood events since 1996

  • Flash Flood7
  • Flood7

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

Most severe crest

September 12, 1986

Muskegon River near Croton Dam, 16.80 ft

7.80 feet above the 9.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.

Most recent moderate or major crest

January 31, 2019

Muskegon River at Newaygo, 14.59 ft

Moderate flooding.

Highest river crests above flood stage
Sep 12, 1986Muskegon River near Croton Dam16.80+7.80Major
Feb 21, 2018Muskegon River at Newaygo15.13+4.13Major
Apr 15, 2014Muskegon River near Croton Dam12.89+3.89Major
Feb 21, 2018Muskegon River at Bridgeton16.82+3.82Moderate
Jan 31, 2019Muskegon River at Newaygo14.59+3.59Moderate
Feb 21, 2018Muskegon River near Croton Dam11.55+2.55Moderate
Apr 19, 2013Muskegon River near Croton Dam11.11+2.11Moderate
May 19, 2020Muskegon River at Bridgeton15.81+2.81Minor
Mar 16, 2019Muskegon River at Bridgeton15.80+2.80Minor
May 19, 2020Muskegon River at Newaygo13.53+2.53Minor
Mar 16, 2019Muskegon River at Newaygo13.46+2.46Minor
Oct 3, 2019Muskegon River at Bridgeton14.74+1.74Minor
Apr 29, 2011Muskegon River near Croton Dam10.64+1.64Minor
Dec 5, 1982Muskegon River at Bridgeton14.55+1.55Minor
May 24, 2004Muskegon River near Croton Dam10.45+1.45Minor
May 19, 2020Muskegon River near Croton Dam10.33+1.33Minor
Oct 2, 2019Muskegon River at Newaygo12.18+1.18Minor
Apr 30, 2020Muskegon River at Bridgeton14.09+1.09Minor
Oct 25, 2017Muskegon River at Bridgeton14.09+1.09Minor
Mar 15, 2019Muskegon River near Croton Dam10.08+1.08Minor
Feb 20, 1984Muskegon River at Bridgeton14.02+1.02Minor
Apr 2, 1979Muskegon River at Bridgeton13.98+0.98Minor
Feb 5, 2019Muskegon River at Bridgeton13.97+0.97Minor
Jan 30, 2013Muskegon River near Croton Dam9.88+0.88Minor
Oct 25, 2017Muskegon River at Newaygo11.87+0.87Minor

River gauges

River gauges and their highest listed crests
Muskegon River at Bridgeton13.016.82 ftFeb 21, 20180
Muskegon River at Newaygo11.015.13 ftFeb 21, 20181
Muskegon River near Croton Dam9.016.80 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 92 of 1,581 months since 1895 (6%); the longest spell lasted 13 months.

92

Months in severe drought or worse since 1895

27

Months in extreme drought

6%

Share of all months, severe or worse

Lowest reading

February 1931

−6.16, extreme drought

Longest severe spell

13 months

August 1930 to August 1931.

Latest month

September 2026

+1.03, slightly wet

Last severe month: December 2007.

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 5 1896: 4 1897: 0 1898: 0 1899: 0 1900: 0 1901: 5 1902: 2 1903: 0 1904: 0 1905: 0 1906: 0 1907: 0 1908: 0 1909: 0 1910: 9 9 1911: 1 1912: 0 1913: 0 1914: 0 1915: 0 1916: 0 1917: 0 1918: 0 1919: 0 1920: 0 1921: 2 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: 3 1937: 0 1938: 0 1939: 0 1940: 0 1941: 0 1942: 0 1943: 0 1944: 1 1945: 3 1946: 0 1947: 0 1948: 0 1949: 0 1950: 0 1951: 0 1952: 0 1953: 0 1954: 1 1955: 0 1956: 1 1957: 1 1958: 0 1959: 0 1960: 0 1961: 0 1962: 0 1963: 4 1964: 6 1965: 0 1966: 0 1967: 0 1968: 0 1969: 0 1970: 0 1971: 4 1972: 4 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 2 1977: 7 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 0 1987: 1 1988: 1 1989: 0 1990: 0 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 1 1999: 0 2000: 0 2001: 0 2002: 0 2003: 3 2004: 0 2005: 1 2006: 0 2007: 2 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: 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 county in the USGS catalogue, which begins in 1900.

Severe weather and other events

292 events in the National Weather Service record, 242 of them since 1996.

26

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

1

Hail, 2 inches or larger

69

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

96

Winter weather events since 1996

1

Heat events since 1996

0

Cold events since 1996

Largest hail

August 29, 2019

2.50 inches

Strongest measured or estimated gust

April 12, 2014

85 mph

More event types since 1996

Other Storm Events types since 1996
Lightning100Jun 5, 2008

Costliest events since 1996

  1. Mar 8, 2017High Wind, Newaygo$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.

  2. Apr 17, 2013Flood$5.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Heavy rain caused significant flooding on rivers and streams across Newaygo county.

  3. Apr 12, 2014Flood$4.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Four hundred and three homes were impacted by flooding along the Muskegon River as a result of melting of a significant snow cover and significant rainfall on April 12. Significant damage was also incurred to area roads. Governor Synyder declared Newaygo county to be in a state of disaster.

  4. Mar 14, 2019Flood$1.7 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    The combination of rain and snowmelt resulted in flooding and closure of more than a hundred roads. 30 roads were completely washed out.

  5. May 31, 1998Thunderstorm Wind$1.2 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Michigan State Police EMD's Damage and Injury Assessment Report indicated $1,237,000 in public damage costs, 48 homes destroyed, 690 homes damaged, and 15 businesses damaged across Newaygo County. Damage estimates for private property were not available. Newaygo County declared a local state of emergency and was granted a Governor's disaster declaration to activate state assistance for the county. On June 24th, President Clinton granted a Major Disaster Declaration for Newaygo County, making federal disaster assistance available.

  6. May 23, 2004Flood, Newaygo$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. Feb 5, 2019Ice Storm, Newaygo$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.

  8. Apr 3, 2003Ice Storm, Newaygo$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…

  9. Apr 12, 2014Thunderstorm Wind$200,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Roofs were blown off multiple structures and campers were blown over. Several trees were blown down across southern Newaygo county.

  10. Jun 25, 2023Thunderstorm Wind$150,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A 911 call center reported that numerous trees and power lines were blown down across the county.

  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 Muskegon County Airport, 29.6 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1896.

All-time high
99°F3 times, most recently Jul 6, 2012
All-time low
−30°FFeb 11, 1899
Warmest night
83°FJul 5, 1911
Coldest day
−5°FFeb 9, 1899
Wettest day
5.08 inJun 27, 1921
Snowiest day
22.0 inJan 10, 1982
Hottest year
2024mean 53.2°F
Coldest year
1917mean 43.1°F
Wettest year
201947.97 in
Driest year
193016.57 in
Snowiest season
173.9 in1981-82
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Muskegon County Airport 32°F 32° 21° 2.4 Jan 34° 21° 2.1 Feb 44° 27° 2.6 Mar 56° 37° 3.5 Apr 68° 47° 3.4 May 77° 57° 3.1 Jun 81° 62° 2.6 Jul 80° 61° 3.1 Aug 74° 54° 3.1 Sep 61° 43° 3.8 Oct 48° 34° 2.6 Nov 37° 26° 2.5 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: 153 1977: 136 1978: 150 1979: 139 1980: 140 1981: 138 1982: 142 1983: 138 1984: 141 1985: 133 1986: 139 1987: 125 1988: 141 1989: 156 1990: 132 1991: 141 1992: 140 1993: 146 1994: 142 1995: 147 1996: 158 158 1997: 152 1998: 103 1999: 126 2000: 119 2001: 124 2002: 141 2003: 130 2004: 129 2005: 133 2006: 116 2007: 129 2008: 137 2009: 129 2010: 129 2011: 121 2012: 103 2013: 136 2014: 142 2015: 118 2016: 110 2017: 114 2018: 146 2019: 127 2020: 122 2021: 120 2022: 126 2023: 91 2024: 81 2025: 141 19761986199620062016
Nights at or below freezing each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 125.1.
Snowfall by winter 1976: 143.9 in 1977: 164.8 in 1978: 122.8 in 1979: 75.4 in 1980: 107.6 in 1981: 173.9 in 173.9 1982: 35.5 in 1983: 94.2 in 1984: 115.7 in 1985: 109.8 in 1986: 62.4 in 1987: 91.4 in 1988: 91.1 in 1989: 136.8 in 1990: 68.6 in 1991: 85.5 in 1992: 92.1 in 1993: 132.5 in 1994: 91.5 in 1995: 116.2 in 1999: 43.4 in 2000: 88.4 in 2001: 51.2 in 2002: 56.5 in 2003: 65.7 in 2004: 91.1 in 2005: 74.1 in 2006: 86.8 in 2007: 110.3 in 2008: 148.2 in 2009: 73.6 in 2010: 104.7 in 2011: 55.7 in 2012: 98.6 in 2013: 132.7 in 2014: 92.1 in 2015: 61.8 in 2016: 49.0 in 2017: 105.3 in 2018: 77.2 in 2019: 51.9 in 2020: 41.8 in 2021: 58.0 in 2022: 60.1 in 2023: 55.5 in 2024: 75.7 in 2025: 108.5 in 19761986199920092019
Total snowfall each winter (July to June), last 50 winters.

Median first snow

November 13

Earliest: October 7, 1978

Median last snow

April 7

Latest: May 10, 1902

0 of 111 winters had no measurable snow.

Station Muskegon County Airport (USW00014840), 624 ft elevation, 29.6 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1896 to October 26, 2026; 99.9% 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

13 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding, June 30, 2026.

Federal disaster declarations
Jun 30, 2026FloodSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4925-MI
Mar 27, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4494-MI
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3455-MI
Jun 18, 2013FloodFloodingMajor disasterDR-4121-MI
Sep 7, 2005HurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3225-MI
Jun 30, 2004Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1527-MI
Jan 27, 1999SnowstormMi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99EmergencyEM-3137-MI
Jun 24, 1998Severe StormSevere StormsMajor disasterDR-1226-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 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.

How this compares

Where Newaygo County stands among 83 counties in Michigan and 3,143 in the United States.

Ranks
Tornadoes since 19501436 / 831,935 / 3,143
Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger0——
Tropical cyclones within 50 mi0——
Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi0——
Wildfire acres since 19840——
Flood insurance claims15316 / 831,065 / 3,143
Flood insurance paid$4.3 million11 / 83804 / 3,143
Disaster declarations1316 / 832,537 / 3,143
Flood events since 19961438 / 832,764 / 3,143
Hail and wind events since 199612648 / 832,578 / 3,143
Winter storm events since 19969638 / 831,012 / 3,143
Reported damage since 1996$27.1 million36 / 831,239 / 3,143
River crests at major flood stage313 / 831,106 / 3,143
High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years0.0——
Months in severe drought since 18959275 / 832,584 / 3,143
Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years26.233 / 83513 / 3,143
Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 19000——
Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 19730——

Neighbouring counties

Neighbouring counties
Kent County4400676
Lake County4073446
Mason County50013
Mecosta County120064
Montcalm County12009
Muskegon County800131
Oceana County50030
Osceola County140066

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 USW00014840.
  • 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.