16 flood insurance claims·$615,518 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 Wexford 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 6 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 9 claims and $595,420 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 Wexford 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 Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Jun 6, 2008 |
| 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.
11 since 1996: 9 flash floods and 2 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Apr 14, 2014 | $110,000 |
| Flash Flood | Nov 17, 2013 | $10,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 27, 2012 | $12,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 25, 2012 | $40,000 |
| Flood | Jun 13, 2008 | $40,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 12, 2008 | $750,000 |
| Flash Flood | May 9, 2004 | $20,000 |
| Flash Flood | May 19, 2001 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Apr 14, 2014. A tardy spring thaw was enhanced by a widespread 1 to 2 inches of rain that fell on the 13th and 14th. This resulted in areas of high water in the mid portion of the month.
Flash Flood · Nov 17, 2013. An unusual November severe weather outbreak - including an extremely rare tornado - impacted northern Michigan. Thunderstorms ignited along and ahead of a strong cold front that crossed the region.
Flash Flood · Jul 27, 2012. A small cluster of thunderstorms dumped very heavy rain on the city of Cadillac.
Flash Flood · Jul 25, 2012. Thunderstorms developed ahead of low pressure in Wisconsin. Some storms became severe, producing large hail, damaging winds, and heavy rain.
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 Wexford 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.