County Hazards

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Winter in Swift County, Minnesota

131 winter storms and snow events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Winter Storm, Winter Weather, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Ice Storm, Lake-Effect Snow, Sleet.

131 events · 0 deaths recorded · peak month January · county share of state 1.1%

Winter event locations in and around Swift County. Boundaries: US Census Bureau.

NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.

NCEI records 131 winter events in Swift County, Minnesota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 28 years.

January is the busiest month, with 32 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 93 events against 38 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.

The county holds 1.1% of the 12,156 winter events recorded in Minnesota; its 17.7 per 100 square miles compares with 15.3 statewide.

Some winter weather and high wind events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county; zone-recorded events whose zone is named for the county are included and marked "Forecast zone" in the table.

Compared with Minnesota

MeasureSwift CountyMinnesotaUS
Winter events since 195013112,156287,339
Per 100 square miles17.715.38.1
Per 10,000 residents134.421.38.7
Deaths recorded0632,509
Busiest monthJanuaryDecemberJanuary

By year

195019882026
Winter events recorded in Swift County per year, 1950 to 2026 (2026 is partial).

Seasonality

Jan
32
Feb
25
Mar
24
Apr
9
May
0
Jun
0
Jul
0
Aug
0
Sep
0
Oct
2
Nov
11
Dec
28
Winter events in Swift County by month of occurrence, all years.

Recorded events

All 131 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.

DateEvent typeMagnitudeProperty damageCrop damageDeathsInjuriesGeography
1 Apr 2026Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
14 Mar 2026Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
6 Mar 2026Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
24 Feb 2026Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
18 Feb 2026Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
18 Jan 2026Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
16 Jan 2026Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
28 Dec 2025Blizzard—————Forecast zone
12 Dec 2025Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
9 Dec 2025Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
28 Nov 2025Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
25 Nov 2025Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
1 Apr 2025Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
29 Mar 2025Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
15 Mar 2025Blizzard—————Forecast zone
19 Dec 2024Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
24 Mar 2024Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
14 Feb 2024Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
13 Jan 2024Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
1 Apr 2023Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
31 Mar 2023Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
16 Mar 2023Blizzard—————Forecast zone
21 Feb 2023Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
15 Feb 2023Blizzard—————Forecast zone
3 Jan 2023Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
23 Dec 2022Blizzard—————Forecast zone
14 Jan 2022Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
4 Jan 2022Blizzard—————Forecast zone
23 Dec 2020Blizzard—————Forecast zone
20 Oct 2020Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
12 Feb 2020Blizzard—————Forecast zone
18 Jan 2020Blizzard—————Forecast zone
17 Jan 2020Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
28 Dec 2019Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
11 Apr 2019Blizzard—————Forecast zone
9 Mar 2019Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
24 Feb 2019Blizzard—————Forecast zone
20 Feb 2019Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
7 Feb 2019Blizzard—————Forecast zone
30 Dec 2018Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
26 Dec 2018Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
13 Apr 2018Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
5 Mar 2018Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
18 Nov 2016Blizzard—————Forecast zone
7 Feb 2016Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
3 Mar 2015Blizzard—————Forecast zone
8 Jan 2015Blizzard—————Forecast zone
15 Dec 2014Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
9 Nov 2014Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
18 Mar 2014Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
26 Feb 2014Blizzard—————Forecast zone
20 Feb 2014Blizzard—————Forecast zone
26 Jan 2014Blizzard—————Forecast zone
22 Jan 2014Blizzard—————Forecast zone
16 Jan 2014Blizzard—————Forecast zone
28 Dec 2013Blizzard—————Forecast zone
11 Apr 2013Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
17 Mar 2013Blizzard—————Forecast zone
18 Feb 2013Blizzard—————Forecast zone
10 Feb 2013Blizzard—————Forecast zone
9 Feb 2013Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
9 Dec 2012Blizzard—————Forecast zone
8 Dec 2012Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
28 Feb 2012Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
19 Nov 2011Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
22 Mar 2011Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
11 Mar 2011Blizzard—————Forecast zone
20 Feb 2011Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
30 Jan 2011Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
1 Jan 2011Blizzard—————Forecast zone
30 Dec 2010Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
30 Dec 2010Blizzard—————Forecast zone
15 Dec 2010Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
10 Dec 2010Blizzard—————Forecast zone
3 Dec 2010Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
28 Nov 2010Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
7 Feb 2010Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
25 Jan 2010Blizzard—————Forecast zone
6 Jan 2010Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
23 Dec 2009Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
12 Oct 2009Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
31 Mar 2009Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
10 Mar 2009Blizzard—————Forecast zone
26 Feb 2009Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
12 Jan 2009Blizzard—————Forecast zone
20 Dec 2008Blizzard—————Forecast zone
14 Dec 2008Blizzard—————Forecast zone
25 Apr 2008Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
10 Apr 2008Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
20 Mar 2008Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
1 Dec 2007Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
1 Mar 2007Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
24 Feb 2007Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
29 Dec 2005Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
28 Nov 2005Blizzard—————Forecast zone
21 Jan 2005Blizzard—————Forecast zone
1 Jan 2005Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
8 Feb 2004Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
24 Jan 2004Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
15 Dec 2003Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
22 Nov 2003Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
11 Feb 2003Blizzard—————Forecast zone
2 Feb 2003Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
14 Mar 2002Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
8 Mar 2002Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
13 Jan 2002Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
26 Nov 2001Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
11 Mar 2001Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
24 Feb 2001Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
29 Jan 2001Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
28 Dec 2000Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
20 Dec 2000Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
19 Jan 2000Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
12 Jan 2000Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
8 Mar 1999Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
17 Jan 1999Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
1 Jan 1999Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
9 Nov 1998Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
31 Mar 1998Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
22 Jan 1997Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
15 Jan 1997Blizzard—————Forecast zone
9 Jan 1997Blizzard—————Forecast zone
3 Jan 1997Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
23 Dec 1996Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
17 Dec 1996Blizzard—————Forecast zone
20 Nov 1996Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
12 Apr 1996Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
24 Mar 1996Blizzard—————Forecast zone
26 Feb 1996Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
28 Jan 1996Blizzard—————Forecast zone
17 Jan 1996Blizzard—————Forecast zone

Questions and answers

How many winter events has Swift County had?

131 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of winter storms and snow became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.

When was the last recorded winter event in Swift County?

1 Apr 2026 (Winter Weather). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.

What was the most damaging winter event recorded in Swift County?

NCEI records no damage estimate for events of this type in the county.

How does Swift County compare with Minnesota for winter?

17.7 events per 100 square miles against 15.3 statewide; the county holds 131 of the state's 12,156 recorded events.

Provenance

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Winter hub and the county page.