States › Michigan › Ottawa County
Ottawa County, Michigan
Recorded hazard history: storm events since 1950, federal disaster declarations since 1953, flood insurance claims since 1978, and FEMA's risk index.
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. NCEI storm records through 30 Jun 2026; OpenFEMA declarations refreshed 1 Oct 2026; NFIP claims as of 8 Sep 2026.
Between 1950 and 2026, NCEI recorded 529 storm events in Ottawa County, Michigan, led by damaging wind.
That is 93.9 events per 100 square miles, above the Michigan figure of 64.2, and 17.7 per 10,000 residents against 36.1 statewide.
27 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 21 deaths and 258 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $121M and crop damage at $12M.
FEMA has designated the county in 16 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Covid-19 Pandemic (major disaster, 27 Mar 2020).
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 336 claims since 1978, of which 232 were paid, totalling $3.4M (about $14K per paid claim). FEMA counts 318 residential flood policies in force.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Relatively Moderate" and its expected annual loss as "Relatively Moderate" ($68M a year across 18 hazards).
2 tropical storm or hurricane tracks in the HURDAT2 record passed within 100 miles of the county's centre at tropical-storm strength or more, 0 of them within 50 miles at hurricane strength.
Compared with Michigan and the United States
| Measure | Ottawa County | Michigan | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 529 | 36,322 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 93.9 | 64.2 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 17.7 | 36.1 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 27 | 1,078 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 21 | 451 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $121M | $6.7B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.5 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $14K | $15K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 22.6 | 21.2 | 16.1 |
County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county. State and US rows include events recorded only by forecast zone. Rates use 2021 Census population and land area.
Events by decade
Trend: 212 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 229 in the 20 years before. Reporting practice changed in 1996 and again with automated reports in the 2000s, so decade totals measure the record as much as the weather.
Events by type
Hazard pages exist for hail, tornado, flood, wind and winter where the county has at least 10 recorded events. "Other" covers heavy rain, debris flow, dust, funnel clouds and similar reports.
Largest recorded events
| Date | Event type | Group | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Apr 1956 | Tornado | Tornado | F5 | $250K | — | 14 | 200 | County |
| 31 May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | — | $35M | $10M | 1 | 20 | County |
| 8 Jun 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 70 mph | — | — | 1 | 1 | County |
| 7 Jun 2008 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $1.0M | $1.5M | 1 | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 87 mph | $250K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2008 | Flood | Flood | — | $5K | $5K | 1 | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 69 mph | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 63 mph | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 10 Feb 2008 | Blizzard | Winter | — | $250K | — | — | 20 | Forecast zone |
| 18 Jan 2026 | Winter Storm | Winter | — | — | — | — | 10 | Forecast zone |
| 19 Jun 2009 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $34M | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1997 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $1.4M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 8 Mar 2017 | High Wind | Wind | 60 mph | $15M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Mar 1976 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 20 May 1996 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $100K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 22 Sep 1961 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 27 Aug 1990 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 6 May 1998 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 17 Apr 2013 | Flood | Flood | — | $5.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2019 | High Wind | Wind | 60 mph | $5.0M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
Ranked by deaths, then injuries, then NCEI's damage estimate. Deaths and injuries are NCEI counts (direct plus indirect); no personal details are recorded here.
Federal disaster declarations
| Declared | Number | Type | Incident | Title | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Mar 2020 | DR-4494 | Major disaster | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Mar 2020 | EM-3455 | Emergency | Biological | Covid-19 | Public assistance |
| 18 Jun 2013 | DR-4121 | Major disaster | Flood | Flooding | Public assistance |
| 14 Jul 2008 | DR-1777 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 7 Sep 2005 | EM-3225 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Public assistance |
| 30 Jun 2004 | DR-1527 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Individual assistance |
| 10 Jan 2001 | EM-3160 | Emergency | Snowstorm | Snow | Public assistance |
| 27 Jan 1999 | EM-3137 | Emergency | Snowstorm | Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 | Public assistance |
| 24 Jun 1998 | DR-1226 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms | Public assistance |
| 18 Sep 1986 | DR-774 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance |
| 8 Sep 1980 | DR-631 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Public assistance |
| 27 Jan 1978 | EM-3057 | Emergency | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms | Public assistance |
| 5 Feb 1977 | EM-3030 | Emergency | Snowstorm | Snowstorms | Public assistance |
| 19 Mar 1976 | DR-495 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Icing & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 30 Sep 1975 | DR-486 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms, High Winds & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 14 Apr 1965 | DR-190 | Major disaster | Tornado | Tornadoes & Severe Storms | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
Declarations in which FEMA designated this county, from the OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). DR: major disaster; EM: emergency; FM: fire management assistance. Programs show whether individual or public assistance was made available.
Flood insurance claims
| Year of loss | Claims | Paid claims | Amount paid | Average paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8 | 6 | $48,669 | $8,112 |
| 2023 | 3 | 2 | $34,111 | $17,055 |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2020 | 29 | 19 | $286,978 | $15,104 |
| 2019 | 19 | 14 | $215,734 | $15,410 |
| 2018 | 10 | 9 | $175,563 | $19,507 |
| 2017 | 2 | 1 | $3,166 | $3,166 |
| 2016 | 2 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2014 | 5 | 1 | $6,762 | $6,762 |
| 2013 | 61 | 49 | $658,265 | $13,434 |
| 2011 | 1 | 1 | $4,320 | $4,320 |
| 2009 | 28 | 25 | $506,475 | $20,259 |
| 2008 | 20 | 17 | $139,174 | $8,187 |
| 2006 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2005 | 10 | 10 | $303,473 | $30,347 |
| 2004 | 4 | 3 | $44,125 | $14,708 |
| 2001 | 2 | 1 | $517 | $517 |
| 2000 | 3 | 2 | $2,458 | $1,229 |
| 1997 | 20 | 13 | $102,472 | $7,882 |
| 1996 | 7 | 5 | $18,567 | $3,713 |
| 1994 | 3 | 2 | $32,135 | $16,068 |
| 1993 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 1992 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 1990 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 1989 | 2 | 0 | $0 | — |
OpenFEMA NFIP claims (v3, as of 8 Sep 2026), aggregated by year of loss; amounts are building, contents and increased-cost-of-compliance payments as recorded. Repetitive-loss counts from the NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (2 Aug 2026); policies in force from the NFIP Residential Penetration Rates file (3 Aug 2026).
National Risk Index
| Hazard (NRI) | Risk rating | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | $44,619,175 | |
| Tornado | $8,474,363 | |
| Strong wind | $6,910,969 | |
| Cold wave | $3,423,185 | |
| Hail | $1,505,406 | |
| Heat wave | $939,173 | |
| Lightning | $866,857 | |
| Earthquake | $665,410 | |
| Ice storm | $468,911 | |
| Winter weather | $316,985 | |
| Wildfire | $25,644 | |
| Hurricane | $14,589 | |
| Coastal flooding | $11,572 | |
| Landslide | $2,083 |
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. Ratings are FEMA's relative comparison of counties; expected annual loss is FEMA's modelled estimate of average yearly building, population and agriculture loss. See how to read the NRI.
Hurricane and tropical storm passes
| Storm | Year | Closest approach | Max wind while within 100 mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1941 | 48 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1932 | 86 mi | 46 mph |
HURDAT2 best-track positions at tropical-storm strength (34 kt) or more, measured from the county's Census centre point; through the 2025 season. Distance from a track is not the same as the extent of the storm's wind, rain or surge.
ZIP codes with flood claims
ZIP codes whose NFIP claims carry this county's code, with the number of claims. Five or more claims are needed for a ZIP page to be indexed.
Questions and answers
How often does it hail in Ottawa County, MI?
NCEI records 108 hail events in Ottawa County since 1950, in 39 different years; that is about 1.4 recorded events a year. 31 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Ottawa County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 25 tornadoes in Ottawa County since 1950, 8 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 14.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Ottawa County?
27 Mar 2020: Covid-19 Pandemic, a major disaster declaration for biological. The county appears in 16 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Ottawa County, and how much was paid?
336 NFIP claims since 1978, 232 of them paid, for $3.4M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Ottawa County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Relatively Moderate" for overall risk, "Relatively Moderate" for expected annual loss, "Very Low" for social vulnerability and "Very High" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Ottawa County compare with the rest of Michigan?
93.9 recorded events per 100 square miles against 64.2 statewide, and 1.1 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 1.5. The comparison table on this page shows each measure beside the state and national figures.
Provenance
Storm events: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026 (public domain). Declarations: OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, refreshed 1 Oct 2026. Flood claims: OpenFEMA NfipClaims v3 as of 8 Sep 2026; NfipMultipleLossProperties v1 (2 Aug 2026); NfipResidentialPenetrationRates v1 (3 Aug 2026). Risk index: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Hurricane tracks: NHC HURDAT2 through 2025. Population and area: US Census Bureau, 2021 vintage. Built 1 Oct 2026; see the methodology and corrections pages. Hazard hubs: Hail · Tornado · Flood · Wind · Winter.