Enter any address in Leelanau County, Michigan to see its FEMA flood zone
5 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Leelanau County, Michigan has recorded 8 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 4 flash floods and 1 river or area floods. The county has received 5 federal disaster declarations. 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 |
| Blizzards & Snowstorms | Snowstorm | Jan 27, 1978 |
| Drought | Drought | Mar 2, 1977 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Sep 6, 2023 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 10, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Lakeshore Flood | Apr 13, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Lakeshore Flood | Oct 21, 2019 | 175.00K |
| Lakeshore Flood | Oct 16, 2019 | 4.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 1, 2000 | 50K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 6, 1999 | — |
Flood — Sep 6, 2023
A relatively weak shortwave rotated over the Great Lakes during the day, setting up unidirectional southwest flow amidst a moisture-rich environment that allowed for multiple clusters of thunderstorms to track over areas near Grand Traverse Bay. There storms produced very efficient rainfall over several hours during the afternoon, leading to multiple reports of flooding and measured rainfall to...
Flash Flood — Aug 10, 2021
After a warm front mixed northward across northern Michigan during the day, a weak shortwave progressing overhead helped initiate storms along a weak boundary over Lake Michigan. This line of storms tracked eastward across the area, producing damaging winds into the early morning hours of 8-11. Training storms across parts of NW lower Michigan also produced heavy rainfall and flash flooding in ...
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 ...
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.
Lakeshore Flood — Oct 16, 2019
Northwest to north winds produced high waves and elevated water levels along the northwest lower Michigan coastline. With Great Lakes water levels at near-record levels, significant coastal flooding and beach erosion resulted.
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 Leelanau 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 Leelanau 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.