8 flood insurance claims·$31,718 paid
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 Emmet 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 2026, with 3 claims and $18,167 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.
3 NOAA storm reports from Emmet County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Michigan flood stories →
6 federal disaster declarations since 1977.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Mar 28, 2025 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Blizzards & Snowstorms | Jan 27, 1978 |
| Drought | Mar 2, 1977 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
5 since 1996: 2 flash floods, 1 river or area floods and 2 coastal floods or surges.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Sep 3, 2022 | $5,000 |
| Lakeshore Flood | Oct 23, 2020 | $5,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 18, 2020 | $80,000 |
| Lakeshore Flood | Apr 13, 2020 | $150,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 21, 2011 | $18,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Sep 3, 2022. A line of strong thunderstorms formed along an advancing cold front early in the morning on 9/3, eventually tracking into northern lower Michigan and producing heavy rainfall. Additional storms initiated just behind the line and continued to produce heavy rainfall in the vicinity of Little Traverse Bay, leading to significant erosion of the shoulder of M-119. A 24 hour rainfall total of 2.80 inches was measured 1…
Lakeshore Flood · Oct 23, 2020. Low pressure lifted across northern lower Michigan early in the morning of the 23rd. Very heavy rain fell just in advance of this low, late on the 22nd and early on the 23rd. 24 hour rainfall totals were 5.00 in Suttons Bay, 4.98 in Lake Ann, and 4.73 in Gaylord. Following a period of relatively dry weather, most flooding issues were minor. However, more significant road flooding occurred in and near Traverse City…
Flash Flood · Jul 18, 2020. Thunderstorm activity earlier in the day laid down an outflow boundary across far northern lower Michigan. Severe thunderstorms reignited along that boundary by mid afternoon. Damaging winds and excessive rainfall were the primary hazards.
Lakeshore Flood · Apr 13, 2020. Strong low pressure passed just north of eastern upper Michigan on the morning of the 13th. Gusty west to northwest winds developed during the day, in the wake of the low. Gusts of 40 to 50 mph were common across northern Michigan, especially during the afternoon. The highest measured wind gust was 58 mph at the airport in Gaylord. Some localized power outages resulted. Lakeshore flooding also occurred along porti…
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 Emmet 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.