Baraga County, Michigan
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Baraga County, Michigan has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 89% of US counties. It ranks 77th of 83 counties in Michigan. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and hail. FEMA estimates about $3.8 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $464 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (2 major disasters). The most recent was in June 2013 (flooding). Only 7 homes here carry federal flood insurance.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Baraga County
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold wave | 72.3 | $2M | ||
| Inland flooding | 13.3 | $1M | ||
| Hail | 68.9 | $403K | ||
| Strong wind | 22.2 | $154K | ||
| Lightning | 31.6 | $88K | ||
| Winter weather | 49.8 | $48K | ||
| Tornado | 6.3 | $22K | ||
| Heat wave | 7.6 | $9K | ||
| Ice storm | 12.6 | $5K | ||
| Wildfire | 15.1 | $4K | ||
| Drought | 20.6 | $3K | ||
| Coastal flooding | 29.6 | $3K | ||
| Landslide | 23.5 | $127 |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively high and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Baraga County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Michigan also had 6 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1960
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 157 storm reports in Baraga County since 1960 and about $21.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on August 22, 1968.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 22, 1968 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 8, 1980 | F0 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 18, 2022 | Hail | L Anse | $10M |
| May 15, 2025 | Flash Flood | Arnheim | $9M |
| Apr 12, 2023 | Flood | Baraga Carlson Arpt | $700K |
| May 4, 2023 | Flood | Pelkie | $500K |
| Jul 18, 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | L Anse | $200K |
| Jul 5, 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Three Lakes | $100K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 12, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Flood insurance in Baraga County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Baraga County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 5,051 housing units.
Compare in Michigan
All 83 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Wayne County | Inland flooding | |
| Oakland County | Inland flooding | |
| Macomb County | Inland flooding | |
| Kent County | Inland flooding | |
| Genesee County | Inland flooding | |
| Washtenaw County | Inland flooding | |
| Ottawa County | Inland flooding | |
| Ingham County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Marquette County | 9 | |
| Houghton County | 7 | |
| Iron County | 5 |
Common questions about Baraga County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Baraga County?
Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Baraga County, about $1.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.2 million.
How many federal disasters has Baraga County had?
Baraga County has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 2 major disasters. The most recent was Flooding in June 2013.
Is Baraga County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 77th highest of 83 in Michigan. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Baraga County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Baraga County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Baraga County had?
NOAA records list 2 tornadoes in Baraga County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on August 22, 1968. The weather service has also logged 58 hail reports and 8 floods here.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.