6 flood insurance claims·$8,898 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 Mackinac 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 2 claims and $2,257 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 Mackinac County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Michigan flood stories →
7 federal disaster declarations since 1977.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Mar 28, 2025 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Deep Freeze | Jan 10, 1994 |
| Blizzards & Snowstorms | Jan 27, 1978 |
| Drought | Mar 2, 1977 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
6 since 1996: 5 flash floods and 1 coastal floods or surges.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Lakeshore Flood | Oct 21, 2019 | $150,000 |
| Flash Flood | Sep 24, 2010 | $18,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 2, 2004 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 2, 2004 | $40,000 |
| Flash Flood | Apr 12, 2001 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 31, 1999 | — |
— = 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 · Sep 24, 2010. Two days of heavy rain produced localized flooding in Eastern Upper Michigan. Rainfall amounts of 2 to 5 inches were common, most of which fell on the night of the 23rd. Raber picked up 4.75 inches of rain, Cedarville 4.10 inches, and St Ignace 3.40 inches.
Flash Flood · Aug 2, 2004. Numerous thunderstorms developed in a warm, moist, and unstable atmosphere ahead of a cold front. A number of storms became severe, mainly in Northeast Lower Michigan. A cluster of storms that moved through Eastern Upper Michigan in the morning produced locally heavy rain and some flooding.
Flash Flood · Apr 12, 2001. A combination of runoff from snowmelt and rainfall resulted in minor flooding primarily along the Pine River in the Upper Peninsula. Heavy rainfall was responsible for high water on the Manistee, Au Sable, Boardman, and Thunder Bay Rivers. No damage was reported though flood waters did rise onto some private property. Primarily, the water rose into yards and did not damage any structures.
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 Mackinac 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.