Ramsey County

Population 541,623 (2025) 152 sq mi

Property owners in Ramsey County have filed 145 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, 20th most of 87 counties in Minnesota.

Hazard fingerprint for Ramsey County Tornado: 80th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 84th percentile. Hail & wind: 99th percentile. Heat: 68th percentile. Cold: 71th percentile. Winter: 72th 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 195010

At a glance

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

Flood insurance claims

145

20th of 87 in Minnesota

$1.3 million paid since 1978

Details

Tornadoes since 1950

10

81st of 87 in Minnesota

Fewer than the typical Minnesota county, which has had 27

Details

Strongest tornado

F4

May 6, 1965, 17.3 mile path

Federal disaster declarations

19

Most recent: Covid-19 Pandemic, 2020

Details

Record high

104°F

Reached 2 times, most recently August 10, 1947

Details

Record low

−32°F

January 30, 1951

Details

Costliest event since 1996

$150.0M

Tornado, May 15, 1998

Details

Tornadoes

About one every 7.6 years since 1950, 3 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

May 6, 1965

F4, 17.3 mile path

667 yards wide; 6 killed along the whole path.

Most recent

Saturday, August 27, 2022

EF0, 3.5 mile path

4 years ago.

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

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes in Ramsey County since 1950
Aug 27, 2022EF03.510000
Jul 18, 2015EF01.97500
May 22, 2011EF113.6880481
May 15, 1998F113.035000
Jul 7, 1993F11.520000
Apr 26, 1984F35.560521
Jun 14, 1981F316.2600831
Jun 28, 1979F10.23300
May 6, 1965F417.36671586
Aug 2, 1963F16.66000
  1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Ramsey County: 1.
  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: 80 days

Heavy smoke on 26 days in 2021, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

30.6 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

22 days

Medium or heavy smoke. 44 so far in 2026.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 5 2012: 26 2013: 21 2014: 16 2015: 26 2016: 6 2017: 17 2018: 28 2019: 12 2020: 22 2021: 54 2022: 21 2023: 80 80 2024: 44 2025: 22 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

145 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, with $1.3 million paid.

Federal flood insurance claims by year 1978: 11 1979: 13 1984: 5 1997: 8 2001: 22 22 2011: 18 2013: 5 2014: 14 19782011
Claims per year since 1978. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

Most claims in one year

2001: 22 claims

$434,000 paid.

2nd most

2011: 18 claims

$105,000 paid.

3rd most

2014: 14 claims

$44,000 paid.

Claims by ZIP code

Flood insurance claims by ZIP code
5510724$717,000
5511220$103,000
5510916$26,000
5511011$26,000
5511610$11,000
551139$18,000
551069$25,000
551178$104,000
551037$263,000
551197$12,000
551276$1,228

Flood events since 1996

  • Flash Flood19
  • Heavy Rain9
  • Flood6

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

Most severe crest

April 16, 1965

Mississippi River at St. Paul, 26.01 ft

12.01 feet above the 14.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.

Most recent moderate or major crest

June 29, 2024

Mississippi River at St. Paul, 20.17 ft

Major flooding.

Highest river crests above flood stage
Apr 16, 1965Mississippi River at St. Paul26.01+12.01Major
Apr 15, 1969Mississippi River at St. Paul24.52+10.52Major
Apr 18, 2001Mississippi River at St. Paul23.76+9.76Major
Apr 30, 2001Mississippi River at St. Paul23.20+9.20Major
Apr 13, 1997Mississippi River at St. Paul22.37+8.37Major
Apr 16, 1952Mississippi River at St. Paul22.02+8.02Major
Mar 31, 2019Mississippi River at St. Paul20.19+6.19Major
Jun 29, 2024Mississippi River at St. Paul20.17+6.17Major
Jun 26, 2014Mississippi River at St. Paul20.13+6.13Major
Jun 26, 1993Mississippi River at St. Paul19.15+5.15Major
Mar 29, 2011Mississippi River at St. Paul19.02+5.02Major
Apr 16, 1951Mississippi River at St. Paul18.79+4.79Major
Apr 10, 2011Mississippi River at St. Paul18.71+4.71Major
Mar 24, 2010Mississippi River at St. Paul18.38+4.38Major
Apr 26, 2023Mississippi River at St. Paul18.13+4.13Major
Apr 6, 1987Mississippi River at St. Paul18.00+4.00Major
Jun 2, 1908Mississippi River at St. Paul16.80+2.80Moderate
Oct 2, 2010Mississippi River at St. Paul16.70+2.70Moderate
Jun 29, 1957Mississippi River at St. Paul16.68+2.68Moderate
Apr 6, 1916Mississippi River at St. Paul16.60+2.60Moderate
May 16, 1986Mississippi River at St. Paul16.10+2.10Moderate
Apr 8, 1917Mississippi River at St. Paul16.00+2.00Moderate
May 4, 1975Mississippi River at St. Paul15.67+1.67Moderate
Apr 10, 1994Mississippi River at St. Paul15.10+1.10Moderate
May 20, 2023Mississippi River at St. Paul14.93+0.93Minor

River gauges

River gauges and their highest listed crests
Mississippi River at St. Paul14.026.01 ftApr 16, 196516
  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 123 of 1,581 months since 1895 (8%); the longest spell lasted 13 months.

123

Months in severe drought or worse since 1895

58

Months in extreme drought

8%

Share of all months, severe or worse

Lowest reading

August 1934

−7.37, extreme drought

Longest severe spell

13 months

August 1933 to August 1934.

Latest month

September 2026

−2.67, moderate drought

Last severe month: August 2023.

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 0 1896: 0 1897: 0 1898: 0 1899: 0 1900: 1 1901: 0 1902: 0 1903: 0 1904: 0 1905: 0 1906: 0 1907: 0 1908: 0 1909: 0 1910: 7 1911: 5 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: 3 1932: 0 1933: 5 1934: 8 1935: 0 1936: 6 1937: 11 11 1938: 3 1939: 0 1940: 0 1941: 0 1942: 0 1943: 0 1944: 0 1945: 0 1946: 0 1947: 0 1948: 4 1949: 0 1950: 0 1951: 0 1952: 0 1953: 0 1954: 0 1955: 0 1956: 0 1957: 0 1958: 1 1959: 8 1960: 0 1961: 0 1962: 0 1963: 2 1964: 7 1965: 0 1966: 0 1967: 0 1968: 2 1969: 3 1970: 1 1971: 0 1972: 0 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 5 1977: 6 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 0 1987: 2 1988: 6 1989: 2 1990: 2 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: 1 2004: 4 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 0 2008: 0 2009: 3 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 0 2013: 0 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 0 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 0 2021: 4 2022: 9 2023: 2 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 and landslides

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

Mapped landslides

67

Landslides mapped, probable or better

19

With a recorded date

2

Source inventories

Mapped by USGS MN (62), NASA (5).

Deadly landslides

Landslides with recorded deaths
May 22, 2013Earth Slide-Rotational2USGS MN
Aug 14, 1954Rock Fall1USGS MN
  1. Landslides mapped in the USGS compilation of landslide inventories across the United States (version 3.0, 2025), rated probable or better. The compilation joins inventories made by federal and state agencies for different purposes and areas, so the number mapped in a county reflects how closely it has been surveyed as much as how often its slopes fail. An area with few records may simply not have been mapped. Deaths are as recorded in the inventories; a slide listed in two inventories is counted once.

USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0, retrieved October 27, 2026.

Severe weather and other events

630 events in the National Weather Service record, 560 of them since 1996.

170

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

11

Hail, 2 inches or larger

147

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

108

Winter weather events since 1996

16

Heat events since 1996

21

Cold events since 1996

Largest hail

July 26, 2019

3.00 inches

Strongest measured or estimated gust

June 20, 1974

99 mph

More event types since 1996

Other Storm Events types since 1996
Lightning310Aug 8, 2005
Dense fog and smoke200Nov 19, 2007

Costliest events since 1996

  1. May 15, 1998Tornado$150 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Tornado touched down in Roseville, and travelled straight north through Shoreview, North Oaks, Lino Lakes, eventually lifting off in Blaine in Anoka County. 7 houses destroyed, 102 severely damaged. Damaged estimate for entire county including widespread wind driven hail.

  2. Sep 21, 2005Thunderstorm Wind$25.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A severe storm moved out of Anoka County and across northern Ramsey County, from Moundsview and New Brighton to White Bear Lake and North St Paul, knocking down tens of thousands of trees in those cities, as well as in Little Canada, Arden Hills, Maplewood, Vadnais Heights, Roseville, and St. Anthony. An NWS damage survey indicated damage from both the inflow and the rear flank downdraft as the mesocyclone moved through New Brighton. The St. Paul ASOS (Holman Field) measured 62 mph at 1837 CST. Several cities declared a state of emergency. Numerous roads were blocked. One child was injured in New Brighton from a tree limb crashing down. One person died in Moundsview while clearing…

  3. Sep 21, 2010Hail$5.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Several reports of large hail, up to the size of half dollars, occurred from the Highland Park area of St. Paul, northeast across the north side of the city.

  4. Mar 20, 2010Flood$2.4 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Several communities along the Mississippi River from Mendota Bridge to Hastings had flooding problems related to the flood crest on the Mississippi River in Ramsey County. Monetary costs were based on FEMA, State, and Local assistance which includes the following categories; debris removal, emergency protective measures, road systems and bridges, buildings, utilities and parks.

  5. May 1, 2001Hail$2.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Observed at the Univeristy of Minnesota St. Paul campus. Damage estimate pertains to all the hail reports from Ramsey County. Numerous vehicles and buildings damaged.

  6. Jun 18, 2014Flood$1.9 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Several sources in Ramsey County compiled a summary of flood related damages and locations for the flood of June 2014.||Due to the flood waters affecting downtown St. Paul, and covering Harriet Island, the Taste of Minnesota and the 4th of July Fireworks were moved to a different location. In addition, the St. Paul Airport deployed a flood wall, which closed two of their shorter runways.||High water on the Mississippi River had forced the Minnesota Centennial Showboat to postpone a week of shows.

  7. Aug 27, 2022Tornado$750,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A tornado touched down just southeast of the intersection of I-94 and Highways 10/61 and moved north-northeast. It tracked just east of Harding High School, crossing White Bear Avenue near Case Avenue, and continuing beyond Larpenteur Avenue, then dissipated near Goodrich Park in Maplewood. The tornado uprooted or broke dozens of trees, with some falling on sheds, houses, and a few vehicles.

  8. Jul 16, 2011Flash Flood$500,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Several main highways, and secondary roads had significant flooding, with up to four feet of standing water in northern Ramsey County.

  9. Jul 18, 2015Tornado$500,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A storm survey indicated that an EF-0 tornado touch downed in the northwest portion of North Oaks, near Charley Lake, and moved east-northeast to the southern side of Deep Lake, where the greatest number of trees were toppled and snapped. Some of the trees fell on houses, vehicles and other structures. The tornado had a path length of 1.9 miles with maximum winds of 80 mph.

  10. May 9, 2004Thunderstorm Wind$330,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A wind gust of 72 MPH was recorded by an automated sensor at Holman Field at 6:00 PM CDT. Numerous trees and power lines were downed from St. Anthony Park to the State Fairgrounds to the State Capitol including the southern portion of Como Park and the Midway area. A handful of buildings and signs at the fairgrounds were damaged. Four homes, a large porch, a fence, and a car near Como Park were significantly damaged by felled trees. In downtown about 60 windows were broken on buildings and skyways and a large billboard was downed onto power lines. Two of four clock faces were damaged on top of Landmark Center. The high winds also caused two barges to break loose on the Mississippi…

  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 St. Paul Dwtn Airport, 4.9 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1937.

All-time high
104°F2 times, most recently Aug 10, 1947
All-time low
−32°FJan 30, 1951
Warmest night
85°FAug 16, 1937
Coldest day
−13°F2 times, most recently Jan 30, 2019
Wettest day
5.57 inMay 29, 1942
Snowiest day
11.9 inMar 22, 1952
Hottest year
2024mean 50.7°F
Coldest year
1950mean 42.0°F
Wettest year
194237.72 in
Driest year
200114.69 in
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, St. Paul Dwtn Airport 32°F 25° 10° 0.2 Jan 29° 13° 0.3 Feb 43° 25° 1.2 Mar 57° 37° 2.4 Apr 70° 49° 3.7 May 79° 60° 4.3 Jun 84° 65° 3.3 Jul 81° 62° 3.9 Aug 74° 54° 2.7 Sep 59° 41° 2.0 Oct 44° 28° 0.9 Nov 29° 15° 0.5 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 1998: 123 1999: 136 2000: 137 2002: 171 2003: 142 2004: 146 2005: 148 2006: 141 2007: 139 2008: 149 2009: 141 2010: 126 2011: 140 2012: 129 2013: 165 2014: 157 2015: 130 2016: 127 2017: 137 2018: 174 174 2019: 159 2020: 160 2021: 135 2022: 155 2023: 145 2024: 123 2025: 137 199820092019
Nights at or below freezing each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 143.4.

Station St. Paul Dwtn Airport (USW00014927), 700 ft elevation, 4.9 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1937 to October 26, 2026; 97.8% 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 7, 2020.

Federal disaster declarations
Apr 7, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4531-MN
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3453-MN
Jun 12, 2019FloodSevere Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4442-MN
Jul 21, 2014FloodSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesMajor disasterDR-4182-MN
May 10, 2011FloodSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1982-MN
Apr 19, 2010FloodFloodingMajor disasterDR-1900-MN
Mar 19, 2010FloodFloodingEmergencyEM-3310-MN
Sep 13, 2005HurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3242-MN
May 16, 2001FloodSevere Winter Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disasterDR-1370-MN
Jun 27, 2000Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1333-MN
Jun 23, 1998TornadoSevere Storms, Straight Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disasterDR-1225-MN
Aug 25, 1997Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, High Winds, FloodingMajor disasterDR-1187-MN
Apr 8, 1997FloodSevere Flooding, High Winds,Severe StormsMajor disasterDR-1175-MN
Jun 11, 1993Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disasterDR-993-MN
Aug 6, 1987Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disasterDR-797-MN
Jul 8, 1978Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, Hail & TornadoesMajor disasterDR-560-MN
Jun 17, 1976DroughtDroughtEmergencyEM-3013-MN
Apr 18, 1969FloodFloodingMajor disasterDR-255-MN
Apr 11, 1965FloodFloodingMajor disasterDR-188-MN

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 Ramsey County stands among 87 counties in Minnesota and 3,143 in the United States.

Ranks
Tornadoes since 19501081 / 872,235 / 3,143
Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger310 / 87571 / 3,143
Tropical cyclones within 50 mi0——
Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi0——
Wildfire acres since 19840——
Flood insurance claims14520 / 871,093 / 3,143
Flood insurance paid$1.3 million25 / 871,346 / 3,143
Disaster declarations1928 / 871,704 / 3,143
Flood events since 19963442 / 871,944 / 3,143
Hail and wind events since 199637519 / 87824 / 3,143
Winter storm events since 199610868 / 87866 / 3,143
Reported damage since 1996$189 million7 / 87313 / 3,143
River crests at major flood stage1610 / 87297 / 3,143
High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years0.0——
Months in severe drought since 189512372 / 871,664 / 3,143
Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years30.667 / 87178 / 3,143
Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 19000——
Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 19730——

Neighbouring counties

Neighbouring counties
Anoka County2802,90496
Dakota County4101,437181
Hennepin County3300682
Washington County2700533

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 USW00014927.
  • 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.
  • Landslides USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0 (2025).
  • 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.