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Storms That Hit

NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Iron River, 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 Iron River, Michigan since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Cristobal in 2020. Since 1950, 12 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
0

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
1

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
12

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
1

no recorded deaths

What the records show for Iron River

None of the 1 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Iron River; the strongest was Cristobal in 2020, a tropical storm with 40 mph winds when its centre passed 10 miles away. Of the 546 Michigan cities on this site, 85% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Iron River. The strongest of the 12 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F3 on July 7, 1970; its path came within 25 miles. Of the 12, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 4 have come since 2000. August has had the most tornadoes, 4. The most recent tornado was on August 9, 2020. Of the 546 Michigan cities, 92% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Iron River. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 35 times since 1955, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 546 Michigan cities, 49% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Iron River.

Compare Iron River's storm record with another city →

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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Iron River

Tropical systems that passed within 75 miles of Iron River, Michigan, newest first
YearStormClosestStrength when closestPeak
2020CristobalJun 1010 miTropical storm (40 mph)Tropical storm

Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Iron River: 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 Iron River

By decade

  • 2020s2
  • 2010s2
  • 1990s3
  • 1970s3(1 EF3+)
  • 1950s2
Strongest tornadoes near Iron River, Michigan
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
Jul 7, 1970F325 mi37.9 mi0 / 0
Apr 10, 2011EF225 mi11.97 mi0 / 0
Aug 9, 2020EF123 mi3.8 mi0 / 0
Aug 9, 2020EF18 mi4.59 mi0 / 0
Jul 14, 1995F116 mi3.5 mi0 / 0
Apr 26, 1994F123 mi4.5 mi0 / 0
Aug 15, 1978F14 mi0.5 mi0 / 2
Aug 9, 1958F13 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
Jun 14, 1957F122 mi7.8 mi0 / 0
Apr 30, 2010EF02 mi0.4 mi0 / 0
Jul 14, 1995F021 mi0.1 mi0 / 0
Jun 20, 1979F010 mi0.1 mi0 / 0

The strongest 12 of 12, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

Hail in Iron River

The Storm Prediction Center has 35 hail reports within 10 miles of Iron River since 1955, made on 23 separate days. Of these, 22 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 18, 2004. The most recent report is from April 28, 2025.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.

Weather by month in Iron River

The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Stambaugh 2SSE, MI, 5 miles southeast of Iron River 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, 26 miles southeast, 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.

Monthly climate normals 1991–2020 at Stambaugh 2SSE, MI
MonthHigh °FLow °FPrecip. inDays ≥ 0.1"Snow in
Jan2101.1414.6
Feb2601.0312.5
Mar3791.548.7
Apr50242.677.4
May64373.270.3
Jun73474.080.0
Jul77504.280.0
Aug75483.170.0
Sep67413.580.0
Oct53313.372.1
Nov38211.858.2
Dec2691.5513.6
Year512630.87267.4

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.

Michigan weather by month, station by station →

Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Iron River

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 43 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Iron River: 39 thunderstorm wind reports, 2 floods, 1 flash flood and 1 heavy rain event. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $1.1 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 92 mph, on August 9, 2005.

  • July 9, 2020: flash flood 7 miles from the centre of Iron River — $1.0 million damage.

    NWS: “Spotters reported that following roads were washed out across the county due to flash flooding: Idlewild Road southwest of Bewabic State Park, Hunter Street in Iron River between River Avenue and Highway US-2 and Smoky Lake Road between Homan Lake and Forest Highway 16.”

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 Iron River, 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 Iron River

All Michigan cities →All hurricanes since 1851 →Compare Iron River with another place →

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