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Ogemaw County, Michigan

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

Very Low overall risk
55th of 83highest risk in Michigan
$8Mexpected losses a year
5federal declarations
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Ogemaw County, Michigan has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 63% of US counties. It ranks 55th of 83 counties in Michigan. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hail and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $8.1 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $391 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (1 major disaster). The most recent was in June 2026 (severe storms, tornadoes and flooding). No 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 Ogemaw County

$3.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 7 years.
  • 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.

Hail

Moderate
$1.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
  • Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
$996,796 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 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 floodingLow43.1
$4M
HailModerate92.4
$1M
Cold waveLow60.6
$997K
Strong windModerate75.6
$788K
TornadoLow36.2
$504K
LightningModerate66.2
$299K
Winter weatherModerate81.8
$159K
WildfireVery Low61.4
$64K
Heat waveVery Low17.3
$33K
EarthquakeVery Low18.2
$16K
Ice stormVery Low23.1
$15K
HurricaneVery Low27.8
$8K
LandslideLow65.4
$3K

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

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Snowstorm2
Drought1
Hurricane1
Flood1

Most recent

Jun 30, 2026Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jan 27, 1999Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99Emergency
Jan 27, 1978Blizzards & SnowstormsEmergency
Mar 2, 1977DroughtEmergency

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

Storm history since 1956

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 167 storm reports in Ogemaw County since 1956, with 2 deaths and 29 injuries and about $40.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on March 30, 1976.

16tornadoes
51hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
95damaging thunderstorm winds
3floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 30, 1976F3–7 / 1
Mar 27, 1991F3–0 / 0
Mar 27, 1991F3–0 / 0
Mar 30, 1976F3–10 / 0
Mar 27, 1991F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 2, 2015HailWest Branch$33M
Mar 27, 1991Tornado–$3M
Mar 27, 1991Tornado–$3M
Jul 13, 1995TornadoWest Branch To$500K
May 18, 2020FloodPrescott$450K
Mar 30, 1976Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 1, 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.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Hurricane risk by county ›

Since 1955, 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm have passed within 65 miles of the center of Ogemaw County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Connie (1955), with top winds near 45 mph about 63 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
1tropical storms
1955most recent: Connie

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 14, 1955ConnieTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 14, 1955ConnieTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi

Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.

Flood insurance in Ogemaw County

Check your address flood zone ›
0%of homes have federal flood insurance (0 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$0paid on 0 flood claims since 1978
n/acostliest year

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 Ogemaw County

$154,900median home value (Michigan $231,600, US $332,700)
1976median year homes were built (Michigan 1972, US 1980)
58%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
7.5%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; 15,325 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
Gladwin CountyVery Low10
Iosco CountyVery Low9
Roscommon CountyLow5
Arenac CountyVery Low9
Crawford CountyVery Low7
Alcona CountyVery Low7
Oscoda CountyVery Low6

Common questions about Ogemaw County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Ogemaw County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Ogemaw County, about $3.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hail is second at $1.5 million.

How many federal disasters has Ogemaw County had?

Ogemaw County has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 1 major disaster. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding in June 2026.

Is Ogemaw County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 55th 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 Ogemaw County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Ogemaw County had?

NOAA records list 16 tornadoes in Ogemaw County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on March 30, 1976. The weather service has also logged 51 hail reports and 3 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Ogemaw County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm passing within 65 miles of the center of Ogemaw County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Connie (1955), with winds near 45 mph.

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.