NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Crystal Falls, MI
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
1 tropical system has passed within 75 miles of Crystal Falls, Michigan since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Cristobal in 2020. Since 1950, 14 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 1
- Tornadoes
- 14
- EF3 or stronger
- 0
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
no recorded deaths
What the records show for Crystal Falls
None of the 1 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Crystal Falls; the strongest was Cristobal in 2020, a tropical storm with 40 mph winds when its centre passed 4 miles away. Of the 546 Michigan cities on this site, 85% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Crystal Falls. The strongest of the 14 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F2 on June 14, 1981; its path came within 10 miles. Of the 14, none had a path within 5 miles of the city centre, and 6 have come since 2000. June and August have had the most tornadoes, 4 each. The most recent tornado was on August 9, 2020. Of the 546 Michigan cities, 91% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Crystal Falls. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 23 times since 1966, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 546 Michigan cities, 74% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Crystal Falls.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Crystal Falls
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | CristobalJun 10 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Crystal Falls: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of Crystal Falls
By decade
- 2020s2
- 2010s3
- 2000s1
- 1990s1
- 1980s2
- 1970s3
- 1950s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 14, 1981 | F2 | 10 mi | 2.6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 9, 2020 | EF1 | 9 mi | 3.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 9, 2020 | EF1 | 17 mi | 4.59 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 24, 2016 | EF1 | 25 mi | 3.78 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 30, 2002 | F1 | 25 mi | 5.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 15, 1978 | F1 | 17 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Aug 9, 1958 | F1 | 19 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 14, 1957 | F1 | 14 mi | 7.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 6, 2014 | EF0 | 18 mi | 5.65 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 30, 2010 | EF0 | 14 mi | 0.4 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 14, 1995 | F0 | 6 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 8, 1980 | F0 | 17 mi | 0.1 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 14, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Crystal Falls
The Storm Prediction Center has 23 hail reports within 10 miles of Crystal Falls since 1966, made on 19 separate days. Of these, 14 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 4 days, most recently April 24, 2009. The most recent report is from July 8, 2025. April and July have the most reports, 6 each.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Crystal Falls
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Stambaugh 2SSE, MI, 14 miles west of Crystal Falls at 1,450 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 77°F and low of 50°F; January is the coolest, at 21°F and 0°F. July is the wettest at 4.2 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 1.0 inches; the year adds up to 30.8 inches over 72 days with at least a tenth of an inch. Highs reach 90°F on about 2 days a year. Lows fall below freezing on about 211 nights a year. Snowfall averages 67.4 inches a year, most of it in January. That 30.8 inches is more than at 18 of the 131 Michigan stations used on this site (14%). Florence, WI, 18 miles south, has its own station (Florence, WI): 30.5 inches a year, 0.3 less than here, and a July average high of 78°F against 77°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21 | 0 | 1.1 | 4 | 14.6 |
| Feb | 26 | 0 | 1.0 | 3 | 12.5 |
| Mar | 37 | 9 | 1.5 | 4 | 8.7 |
| Apr | 50 | 24 | 2.6 | 7 | 7.4 |
| May | 64 | 37 | 3.2 | 7 | 0.3 |
| Jun | 73 | 47 | 4.0 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 77 | 50 | 4.2 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 75 | 48 | 3.1 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 67 | 41 | 3.5 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 53 | 31 | 3.3 | 7 | 2.1 |
| Nov | 38 | 21 | 1.8 | 5 | 8.2 |
| Dec | 26 | 9 | 1.5 | 5 | 13.6 |
| Year | 51 | 26 | 30.8 | 72 | 67.4 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Stambaugh 2SSE, MI (1,450 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Crystal Falls
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 34 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Crystal Falls: 26 thunderstorm wind reports, 3 floods, 3 heavy rain events, 1 flash flood and 1 lightning strike. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $528,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 85 mph, on August 9, 2020.
April 13, 2026: flood 10 miles from the centre of Crystal Falls — $379,000 damage.
NWS: “County emergency management reported that the M-69 bridge was closed on the 21st and advised residents to evacuate if they resided near flooded waters. On the 18th, social media reports showed inundation for low lying areas in the town of Amasa including damage to local parks and residential septic systems.”
October 17, 2016: flash flood 6 miles from the centre of Crystal Falls — $100,000 damage.
NWS: “Heavy rain caused washouts or partial washouts of several roads in Iron County. The more significant road damage was reportedly in the Alpha area along County Road 424.”
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
Iron County, which includes Crystal Falls, has been named in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 3 of them major disasters (by incident: 2 biological emergencies, 2 floods, 1 drought, 1 hurricane). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding, on June 30, 2026. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Iron County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hail; Relatively Low for strong wind and lightning; Very Low for tornadoes, inland flooding and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $13.1 million a year, the 48th highest of 83 Michigan counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $2.1 million (16%), is from inland flooding.
Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 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).
Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets 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).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.
Cities near Crystal Falls
- Iron River, MI17 mi
- Florence, WI18 mi
- Iron Mountain, MI25 mi
- Kingsford, MI26 mi
- Norway, MI32 mi
- Niagara, WI33 mi
- Vulcan, MI37 mi
- Ishpeming, MI38 mi
- Lanse, MI44 mi
- Eagle River, WI45 mi
- Gwinn, MI46 mi
- Negaunee, MI46 mi
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