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Winter in Wadena County, Minnesota
97 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.
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.
Wadena County, Minnesota, has 97 winter events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 25 different years.
December is the busiest month, with 31 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 76 events against 21 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.8% of the 12,156 winter events recorded in Minnesota; its 18.1 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
| Measure | Wadena County | Minnesota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter events since 1950 | 97 | 12,156 | 287,339 |
| Per 100 square miles | 18.1 | 15.3 | 8.1 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 68.4 | 21.3 | 8.7 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 63 | 2,509 |
| Busiest month | December | December | January |
By year
Seasonality
9Feb
11Mar
21Apr
12May
0Jun
0Jul
0Aug
0Sep
0Oct
2Nov
11Dec
31
Recorded events
All 97 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Dec 2025 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Nov 2025 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Apr 2025 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Mar 2025 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Dec 2024 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Mar 2024 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Mar 2024 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Apr 2023 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Apr 2023 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Apr 2023 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Apr 2023 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Mar 2023 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Mar 2023 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Mar 2023 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Mar 2023 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Dec 2022 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Dec 2022 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Feb 2022 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Feb 2022 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Dec 2021 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Dec 2021 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Dec 2021 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Dec 2021 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Mar 2021 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Dec 2020 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Oct 2020 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Jan 2020 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Dec 2019 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Dec 2019 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Dec 2019 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Nov 2019 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Apr 2019 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Mar 2019 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Feb 2019 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Dec 2018 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Mar 2018 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Mar 2018 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Dec 2016 | Ice Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Nov 2016 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Dec 2013 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Dec 2013 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Apr 2013 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Mar 2013 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Mar 2013 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Mar 2013 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Feb 2013 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Jan 2013 | Ice Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Dec 2012 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Feb 2012 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Mar 2011 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Jan 2011 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Dec 2010 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Dec 2010 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Dec 2010 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Nov 2010 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Oct 2010 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Feb 2010 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jan 2010 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Dec 2009 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Mar 2009 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Mar 2009 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Feb 2009 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Dec 2008 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Dec 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Dec 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Apr 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Apr 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Apr 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Dec 2007 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Dec 2007 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Nov 2007 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Apr 2007 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Mar 2007 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Feb 2007 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Feb 2007 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Dec 2005 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Nov 2005 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Nov 2005 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Jan 2005 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Dec 2004 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Dec 2004 | Ice Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Jan 2004 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Nov 2003 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Mar 2002 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Nov 2001 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Feb 2001 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Jan 2001 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Dec 2000 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Apr 2000 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Mar 2000 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Feb 2000 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Nov 1998 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Mar 1997 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Jan 1997 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Jan 1997 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Nov 1996 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
Questions and answers
How many winter events has Wadena County had?
97 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 Wadena County?
9 Dec 2025 (Heavy Snow). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging winter event recorded in Wadena County?
NCEI records no damage estimate for events of this type in the county.
How does Wadena County compare with Minnesota for winter?
18.1 events per 100 square miles against 15.3 statewide; the county holds 97 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.