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Lenawee County, Michigan

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Relatively Low overall risk
22nd of 83highest risk in Michigan
$30Mexpected losses a year
4federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Lenawee County, Michigan has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 70% of US counties. It ranks 22nd of 83 counties in Michigan. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $30 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $306 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 4 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (1 major disaster). The most recent was in September 2005 (Hurricane Katrina Evacuation). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (59 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $345,000 on 60 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Lenawee County

$14.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$5.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 years.
  • Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
  • Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.

Cold wave

Moderate
$4.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow71.4
$15M
TornadoModerate84.4
$5M
Cold waveModerate83.0
$5M
Strong windHigh90.6
$2M
HailModerate83.6
$1M
EarthquakeLow62.2
$550K
LightningModerate70.9
$545K
Heat waveLow55.2
$509K
Ice stormModerate76.9
$343K
Winter weatherLow58.8
$92K
DroughtLow36.4
$51K
HurricaneVery Low36.6
$25K
WildfireVery Low21.2
$9K
LandslideVery Low55.3
$2K

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 low and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Lenawee County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Snowstorm2
Tornado1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jan 27, 1999Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99Emergency
Jan 27, 1978Blizzards & SnowstormsEmergency
Apr 14, 1965Tornadoes & Severe StormsMajor disaster

Michigan also had 6 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1954

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 519 storm reports in Lenawee County since 1954, with 10 deaths and 98 injuries and about $35.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 11, 1965.

33tornadoes
136hail reports, largest 3 inches
319damaging thunderstorm winds
13floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 11, 1965F4–42 / 5
Apr 11, 1965F4–41 / 4
Aug 22, 1964F3–2 / 0
Mar 12, 1976F2–0 / 0
Jun 20, 1979F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 11, 1965Tornado–$25M
Apr 12, 1996Thunderstorm WindHudson$1M
Apr 12, 1996HailAdrian$1M
Apr 12, 1996HailClayton$1M
Apr 12, 1996Thunderstorm WindAdrian$1M
May 9, 2000Thunderstorm WindAdrian$960K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 3, 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 Lenawee County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (59 policies)
18%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$345,026paid on 60 flood claims since 1978
2015costliest year, with $129,812 paid

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 Lenawee County

$196,800median home value (Michigan $231,600, US $332,700)
1968median year homes were built (Michigan 1972, US 1980)
66%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
5.9%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

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; 43,761 housing units.

Compare in Michigan

All 83 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Wayne CountyHighInland flooding
Oakland CountyHighInland flooding
Macomb CountyHighInland flooding
Kent CountyModerateInland flooding
Genesee CountyModerateInland flooding
Washtenaw CountyModerateInland flooding
Ottawa CountyModerateInland flooding
Ingham CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Lucas County, OHModerate13
Washtenaw CountyModerate9
Jackson CountyLow8
Monroe CountyModerate8
Hillsdale CountyLow6
Fulton County, OHVery Low7

Common questions about Lenawee County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Lenawee County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Lenawee County, about $14.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $5.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Lenawee County had?

Lenawee County has been included in 4 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 1 major disaster. The most recent was Hurricane Katrina Evacuation in September 2005.

Is Lenawee County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 22nd 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 Lenawee County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Lenawee 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 Lenawee County had?

NOAA records list 33 tornadoes in Lenawee County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 11, 1965. The weather service has also logged 136 hail reports and 13 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.