Presque Isle County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Presque Isle County: 0.
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.

Every storm within 100 miles

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.

Smoke overhead

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.

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.

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.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Jul 13, 2004Hail$3.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A devastating hailstorm caused extensive damage in the small town of Posen. The hail was driven at times by wind gusts around 60 mph. Most buildings and vehicles in the community suffered some sort of damage. Holes were punched in roofs and siding; cars were dented, and windows broken. Buildings that had siding damage were damaged almost exclusively on their south side. The storm spawned hundreds of insurance claims. A local church had to patch 300 holes in its roof. Damage to a school roof was estimated at nearly $200,000, and a local greenhouse lost over a thousand two-foot by two-foot window panes. One individual suffered a badly bruised back as he tried to move his vehicle to…

2. Mar 2, 2012Heavy Snow, Presque Isle$250,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   One of the highest-impact snowstorms in recent memory pounded Northern Michigan on the night of the 2nd. Low pressure tracked from Missouri, to southern Lower Michigan, and on to eastern Canada, while rapidly strengthening. Precipitation surged northward into the region on the evening of the 2nd. This was primarily snow, except in parts of east central Lower Michigan (especially near Lake Huron), where temperatures were mild enough for rain. Snow wound down on the morning of the 3rd, and though somewhat blustery winds occurred behind the system on the 3rd, blowing snow was limited because the snowfall was so wet.|Snow totals ranged from 6 to 14 inches across most of Northern…

3. Jul 18, 2020Thunderstorm Wind$95,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Areas of wind damage, mainly downed trees, occurred just east and southeast of Black Lake. A number of trees were downed at Onaway State Park, damaging multiple camping trailers. One occupant of a trailer suffered two broken ribs when his trailer was struck by a falling tree.

4. Aug 2, 2015Thunderstorm Wind$12,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A number of trees and power lines were downed in and west of Rogers City. A boater at harbor in Rogers City measured a 66 mph gust.

5. Nov 13, 2005High Wind, Presque Isle$12,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Another big wind storm, as another strong low pressure system moved northeast across Lake Superior. Winds gusted to 66 mph at Sleeping Bear Dunes, 63 mph at Northport, 62 mph at Point Iroquois, 59 mph at Pellston, and 58 mph in Gaylord. Hundreds of trees were downed, and power outages were widespread. A number of homes lost shingles, and several homes and vehicles saw substantial damage when struck by falling trees. A dock on Houghton Lake was flipped over. Business signs and billboards were blown over in Chippewa County. The Mackinac Bridge was closed to all trucks and trailers, causing tremendous backups during this very busy travel period (the lead-up to deer firearms season).

6. Aug 23, 2008Thunderstorm Wind$12,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A weighted picnic table was blown into the side of a house. Part of the table penetrated the siding and sheeting of the home, and entered some cabinetry.

7. Nov 9, 2005High Wind, Presque Isle$10,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Numerous trees and a few power lines were downed.

8. Dec 16, 2021High Wind, Presque Isle$10,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Trees down/power outages through the county.

9. May 31, 2011Thunderstorm Wind$8,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Strong to severe thunderstorms developed along and just ahead of an incoming cold front.

10. Aug 2, 2015Thunderstorm Wind$8,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Multiple trees and power lines were downed in western Presque Isle 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.

All-time high

106°FJul 13, 1936

All-time low

−37°FFeb 17, 1979

Warmest night

79°FJun 23, 2025

Coldest day

−5°FFeb 9, 1933

Wettest day

5.14 inSep 3, 1937

Snowiest day

18.2 inFeb 22, 1922

Hottest year

2024mean 48.4°F

Coldest year

1917mean 39.6°F

Wettest year

201740.15 in

Driest year

192517.05 in

Snowiest season

166.3 in1970-71

Station Alpena County Regional Airport (USW00094849), 683 ft elevation, 24.6 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1916 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.

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.

Neighbouring counties

• 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 USW00094849.
• 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.