Enter any address in Cass County, Michigan to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Cass County, MI. Between 2000 and 2023, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 9 flash flood events and 6 flood events. Recent examples include urban flooding from 1 to 2 inches of rainfall on June 25, 2024, and river rises due to snowmelt and rain between February 19-21, 2018.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that properties in Zone X have experienced the majority of flood claims, with an average payout of $11,086 and an average water depth of 0.8 feet. While Zone A has seen fewer claims, homeowners in areas designated as Zone A or Zone X should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
3 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Cass County, Michigan has recorded 15 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 9 flash floods and 6 river or area floods. The county has received 9 federal disaster declarations, 1 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1977–2020)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 20, 2004 |
| Snow | Snowstorm | Dec 11, 2000 |
| Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 | Snowstorm | Jan 2, 1999 |
| Severe Storms & Flooding | Flood | Sep 8, 1980 |
| Blizzards & Snowstorms | Snowstorm | Jan 27, 1978 |
| Snowstorms | Snowstorm | Feb 5, 1977 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jun 25, 2024 | 5.00K |
| Flood | Jun 25, 2024 | 10.00K |
| Flood | Jul 17, 2022 | 1.00K |
| Flood | Feb 20, 2018 | 550.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 9, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 16, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jul 18, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 23, 2014 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Sep 13, 2008 | 500.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 7, 2007 | 0.00K |
Flood — Jun 25, 2024
An anomalously moist environment was conducive to drenching thunderstorms. This resulted in two instances of urban flooding from 1 to 2 inches of rainfall.
Flood — Jul 17, 2022
Isolated severe thunderstorms over southeast Lake Michigan arrived onshore and produced periodic wind damage and hail.
Flood — Feb 20, 2018
A slow release of a snow pack, containing one to over two inches of water, occurred in the days leading to the event which started the process of river rises in many areas. Low pressure tracked from northwest Iowa into northern Lower Michigan, which ushered in a rapid warmup and equally rapid release of any remaining water in the snowpack. Several rounds of rain occurred between the 19th and 21...
Flash Flood — Jun 9, 2018
Slow moving, compact MCV moved off of Lake Michigan during the afternoon hours of the 9th. A residual stationary boundary stretched roughly from Michigan City southeastward to Van Wert in the morning of the 9th. As the MCV moved further off Lake Michigan, the boundary lifted northward as a warm front adding to the copious amounts of moisture in the atmosphere. Flash flooding impacted portions o...
Flash Flood — Aug 16, 2016
A tropical air mass worked north out of the Gulf States as weak low pressure deepened and moved into the western Great Lakes. The high moisture content, combined with very efficient rainfall processes allowed for a period of widespread rain across the forecast area. Rainfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches were recorded.
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Individual Claims (2.25M records analyzed).
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Cass County, Michigan:
AE High Risk — 1% annual chance of flooding. Insurance required.
VE Very High Risk — Coastal flooding with wave action.
X (Shaded) Moderate Risk — 500-year floodplain.
X Low Risk — Outside major floodplains.
Properties in Cass County, Michigan that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with federally backed mortgages are required to carry flood insurance.
Even outside high-risk zones, flood insurance is recommended. From 2014 to 2024, nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area.
Visit FloodSmart.gov to find an agent and get a quote.