15 flood insurance claims·$72,276 paid·1 federal flood & hurricane disasters
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Alcona County, Michigan. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 1 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 1986, with 3 claims and $500 paid.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
1 NOAA storm reports from Alcona County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Michigan flood stories →
8 federal disaster declarations since 1977, 1 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Mar 28, 2025 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 | Jan 2, 1999 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Sep 5, 1985 |
| Blizzards & Snowstorms | Jan 27, 1978 |
| Drought | Mar 2, 1977 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
6 since 1996: 3 flash floods, 2 river or area floods and 1 coastal floods or surges.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Lakeshore Flood | Oct 21, 2019 | $54,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 10, 2017 | $40,000 |
| Flood | Jun 22, 2008 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 22, 2008 | $100,000 |
| Flood | Jul 17, 2008 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 17, 2008 | $10,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Lakeshore Flood · Oct 21, 2019. Strong northerly to easterly winds resulted in another round of substantial coastal flooding and beach erosion, this time on both Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, for the 21st into the 22nd.
Flash Flood · Jul 10, 2017. Thunderstorms continually redeveloped over a portion of northeast lower Michigan, resulting in flash flooding.
Flood · Jun 22, 2008. Much like the day before, thunderstorms developed thanks to strong heating during the afternoon of the 22nd. Several storms became severe, producing mainly large hail. However, a few storms interacted with the Lake Huron lake breeze, resulting in a single tornado and locally excessive rainfall.
Flash Flood · Jun 22, 2008. Much like the day before, thunderstorms developed thanks to strong heating during the afternoon of the 22nd. Several storms became severe, producing mainly large hail. However, a few storms interacted with the Lake Huron lake breeze, resulting in a single tornado and locally excessive rainfall.
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Alcona County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.