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Flood in Bay County, Michigan
21 floods and flash floods events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Flood, Flash Flood, Coastal Flood, Lakeshore Flood.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Bay County, Michigan, has 21 flood events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 14 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 4 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 15 events against 6 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.6% of the 1,305 flood events recorded in Michigan; its 4.7 per 100 square miles compares with 2.3 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to floods and flash floods.
Compared with Michigan
| Measure | Bay County | Michigan | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 21 | 1,305 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.7 | 2.3 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 2.0 | 1.3 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 12 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | April | May | June |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
1Mar
1Apr
4May
4Jun
4Jul
1Aug
2Sep
1Oct
1Nov
1Dec
0
Recorded events
All 21 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Sep 2021 | Lakeshore Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 May 2020 | Lakeshore Flood | — | $2.0M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 May 2020 | Flood | — | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2020 | Lakeshore Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Jan 2020 | Lakeshore Flood | — | $200K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Nov 2019 | Flood | — | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Oct 2019 | Lakeshore Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Apr 2018 | Lakeshore Flood | — | $2.0M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Jun 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2017 | Flash Flood | — | $3.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 2017 | Lakeshore Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Aug 2014 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2013 | Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2012 | Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Mar 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Apr 1998 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Feb 1997 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1996 | Flash Flood | — | $2.2M | — | 1 | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Bay County had?
21 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of floods and flash floods became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded flood event in Bay County?
22 Sep 2021 (Lakeshore Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Bay County?
The flash flood of 22 Jun 2017, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $3.0M.
How does Bay County compare with Michigan for flood?
4.7 events per 100 square miles against 2.3 statewide; the county holds 21 of the state's 1,305 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Flood hub and the county page.