27 flood insurance claims·$173,581 paid·3 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 Lapeer 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.
River and flash flooding from heavy rainfall events dominate the flood profile in Lapeer County, with the NOAA Storm Events Database recording 8 floods and 8 flash floods over the last 30 years. Heavy precipitation systems have historically caused significant local impacts. For example, a stalled frontal boundary in April 2013 dropped 3 to 6 inches of rain, resulting in road closures and flooded basements across multiple counties, including Lapeer. Similarly, heavy rainfall of 3 to 5 inches over a May 2011 weekend led to flooding, marked notably by Mill Creek overflowing its banks.
National Flood Insurance Program records show claims across multiple zones, indicating that flood risk extends beyond designated high-risk areas. Zone A accounts for 14 claims with an average recorded water depth of 8 inches and an average payout of $11,095. Meanwhile, Zone X recorded 6 claims with an average water depth of 1 inch and an average payout of $22,815, and Zone X_UNSHADED recorded 4 claims with an average water depth of 1 inch and an average payout of $493. Zone UNKNOWN recorded 2 claims with an average water depth of 1 inch and an average payout of $2,683, and Zone X_SHADED recorded 1 claim with an average water depth of 0 inches and a $0 payout.
Properties located near rivers, streams, and low-lying areas—particularly those in Zone A where deeper average water depths have been documented—should pay the closest attention to flood risks, alongside homeowners in moderate-to-low risk zones who have also experienced historical claims.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 4 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 2009, with 8 claims and $116,315 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.
6 NOAA storm reports from Lapeer County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Michigan flood stories →
11 federal disaster declarations since 1975, 3 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Power Outage | Aug 14, 2003 |
| Snow | Dec 11, 2000 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Jun 21, 1996 |
| Severe Storms & Flooding | Sep 10, 1986 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Sep 5, 1985 |
| Blizzards & Snowstorms | Jan 27, 1978 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Icing & Flooding | Mar 19, 1976 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
16 since 1996: 8 flash floods and 8 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jan 11, 2020 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 13, 2017 | — |
| Flood | Apr 10, 2013 | $100,000 |
| Flood | May 15, 2011 | — |
| Flood | Jun 17, 2009 | $100,000 |
| Flood | Aug 9, 2009 | $3.0M |
| Flash Flood | Jul 16, 2008 | $20,000 |
| Flood | Sep 14, 2008 | $125,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Jan 11, 2020. A winter storm tracking through southeast Michigan brought heavy rain and freezing rain, with about a quarter of an inch ice from US-10 south to about M-57. Many accidents and spin outs occurred across the Tri-Cities region and Flint vicinity due to the icy roads. In addition, strong northeast winds lead to high water levels and large waves causing significant lakeshore flooding and erosion along Bay, Tuscola, and…
Flash Flood · Jul 13, 2017. Localized heavy rain up to 3 inches produced flash flooding in Lapeer and Gensess counties.
Flood · Apr 10, 2013. A frontal boundary stalled over Michigan dropping 3 to 6 inches of rain. This resulted in the flooding of some rivers, streams and low-lying areas. Dozens of roads were closed across the following counties: Midland, Bay, Saginaw, Tuscola, Lapeer, and St. Clair. Several roads were also reported to be damaged. Hundreds of basements were flooded, with some property damage also reported.||Here are some of the higher 5…
Flood · May 15, 2011. Three to five inches of rain over the weekend lead to flooding. Several roads were closed, mostly from Mill Creek overflowing its banks.
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 Lapeer 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.