Lake County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Lake 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.

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.

Claims by ZIP code

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.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

1. Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the county boundary (or inside the county).
2. Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Apr 11, 2019Blizzard, Lake$2.9 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Blizzard conditions led to a shutdown of government offices and schools, and travel was not recommended due to the widespread whiteout conditions. Storm-total snowfall reached 6 to 15 inches, with 12.5 inches at Madison. With winds gusting at times to 40 to 50 mph, snow drifts to several feet made many roads impassable. Ice accumulated to one-quarter to one-half inch, with numerous power lines brought down as wind increased. The city of Madison was without power from late April 10 into the morning of April 11. Property damage costs include damage utilities.

2. May 5, 2012Flash Flood$2.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Heavy rainfall of up to 6 inches caused flash flooding of numerous roads, parks, fields, other low areas, and buildings including homes. At least 90 homes were heavily damaged in Madison by the flooding, including at least two with basement walls washed out. A basement wall of a dentists business was also washed out and the basement flooded with 9 feet of water. Numerous personal possessions in flooded homes and businesses were destroyed. The flash flooding included Memorial Creek, and there was a fatality when an out of state visitor drowned when attempting to cross the flooded creek. While this fatality and most of the damage was in Madison, many rural roads and fields were…

3. Sep 12, 2019Flood$1.4 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Heavy rain from September 10-12 (as much as 8.81 inches 2 miles north of Chester, 7.36 inches 4 miles west northwest of Rutland, and 7.01 inches 2 miles south of Winfred) led to widespread areal flooding. Flooding was most significant around Madison, where ponding waters led to the evacuation of 30 people by boat and payloader. As many as 200 residences were inundated by water in Madison. Highway 34 was closed both east and west of Madison, Highway 19 was closed south of Madison, and travel was not advised across most of the county with water over most township and county roads. Lake Herman State Park was closed due to high water and remained so for most of the month. No wake…

4. Jun 20, 2024Flood$750,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Rainfall amounts across Lake County from June 20-22 ranged from 3 to 9 inches. Overland flooding ensued with the majority of road damage to areas south of South Dakota Highway 34 and west of South Dakota Highway 19. County wide, nine homes reported minor to major flood damage with the majority of the impacts being water or sewer backup into basements. Preliminary damage assessments estimate loss to public infrastructure across the county to be in excess of 750 thousand dollars.

5. Jul 11, 2000Thunderstorm Wind$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Thunderstorm winds caused widespread tree damage, damaged 90 to 95 trailers along the shore of Lake Madison, damaged more trailers near Wentworth, and damaged farm buildings.

6. Jul 11, 2000Hail$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Large hail severely damaged buildings mobile homes, vehicles, and crops. Walls and vehicles were dented, paint was stripped, many windows were broken, holes were punched in roofs, and trees were severely damaged. There was also widespread damage to crops, especially corn crops which had previously been in excellent condition. Damage was especially notable in the Nunda, Madison, Lake Madison, Wentworth, and Chester areas.

7. Feb 21, 2023Blizzard, Lake$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Over the two-day period, snowfall accumulated to 13.0 inches at Madison. Whiteout conditions became widespread, especially in rural areas, due to winds which peaked at 44 mph at Madison. The weight of the resulting 10 to 15 foot snow drifts snapped a gas line near the meter, which resulted in an explosion that destroyed one home and damaged another. There were three indirect injuries in the incident.

8. Oct 16, 1996Thunderstorm Wind$400,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Thunderstorm winds destroyed two homes and damaged several others along the southwest shore of Lake Madison about 6 miles southeast of Madison. Power lines, trees, and docks were also damaged. A garage was lifted off of its foundation 8 miles northeast of Madison. Other scattered damage to trees, signs, power lines, and farm buildings occurred in the area.

9. Mar 14, 2019Flood$310,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Water was flowing across SD Highway 34/U.S. 81 west of 447th Avenue, just west of Junius. Other flooding resulted in damage to public infrastructure including county and township roads and culverts.

10. Jul 20, 2004Thunderstorm Wind$200,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Thunderstorm winds damaged businesses and blew down road signs, as well as power poles and lines. Numerous trees were damaged and uprooted. Most of the damage was localized over a few blocks.

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

105°FJun 22, 1988

All-time low

−33°FJan 15, 1972

Warmest night

83°FJul 18, 2011

Coldest day

−20°FDec 24, 1983

Wettest day

4.81 inMay 6, 2012

Snowiest day

12.0 in4 times, most recently Feb 25, 2001

Hottest year

2012mean 48.8°F

Coldest year

1985mean 40.6°F

Wettest year

201944.58 in

Driest year

197613.63 in

Snowiest season

71.7 in1968-69

Station Madison 2SE (USC00395090), 1,643 ft elevation, 0.8 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1961 to October 23, 2026; 90.9% 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 USC00395090.
• 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.