Enter any address in Marquette County, Michigan to see its FEMA flood zone
Flooding from snowmelt and heavy rainfall are the dominant flood types in Marquette County. Recent events include widespread flooding in April 2023 due to rapid snowmelt, and a state of emergency declared for western Marquette County in May 2022 following flash flooding from severe thunderstorms.
While flood events have occurred, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows a mix of claim zones. Claims have been filed in Zone X, Zone A, and Zone X_Unshaded, with average payouts varying significantly by zone. A notable number of claims were also filed in Zone UNKNOWN, indicating potential underestimation of flood risk for some properties. Residents in areas identified with higher flood risk, particularly those near rivers or lakeshores, should pay close attention to flood advisories and consider flood insurance.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
9 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Marquette County, Michigan has recorded 42 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 17 flash floods and 19 river or area floods. The county has received 10 federal disaster declarations, 2 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 |
| Flooding | Flood | Apr 16, 2013 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Flooding | Flood | Apr 10, 2002 |
| Mi - Tower Lake Mountain Fire - 05/06/1999 | Fire | May 5, 1999 |
| Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 | Snowstorm | Jan 2, 1999 |
| Severe Deep Freeze | Freezing | Jan 10, 1994 |
| 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 | Apr 25, 2025 | 33.50K |
| Flood | Apr 12, 2023 | 7.00M |
| Flood | May 4, 2023 | 500.00K |
| Flood | Apr 27, 2022 | 5.00K |
| Flood | Apr 25, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 14, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 12, 2022 | 3.00M |
| Flash Flood | Sep 30, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Lakeshore Flood | Nov 27, 2019 | 100.00K |
| Flood | Apr 23, 2019 | 0.00K |
Flood — Apr 25, 2025
Snowmelt flooding caused damage to infrastructure in Marquette County on the 25th.
Flood — Apr 12, 2023
Rapid melting of much above normal snowpack caused widespread, and at times, extensive flooding over portions of west and central Upper Michigan from the 12th into the 25th. Extensive impacts from the flooding caused Governor Whitmer to declare a state of emergency declaration for eight counties in west and central Upper Michigan on the 21st.
Flood — May 4, 2023
The historic late season snowstorm of May 1-2 dumped three to more than four inches of liquid water equivalent precipitation over the higher terrain of Baraga, Marquette and western Alger counties. This significant precipitation event led to a second round of spring snowmelt flooding over portions of west and north central portions of Upper Michigan into early May.
Flood — Apr 27, 2022
Snowmelt combined with periods of heavy rain resulted in a culvert washing out northeast of Republic on the 27th.
Flood — Apr 25, 2022
Snowmelt combined with a period of heavy rain resulted in minor flooding along the Escanaba River near Humboldt in late April.
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 Marquette 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 Marquette 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.