FEMA Records
10
Low volume
Michigan · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Clinton County, MI
10 FEMA disaster declarations (1965-2020), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low. Most common hazard: Snowstorm.
- 10
- FEMA declarations
- 6
- Major disasters
- 47
- NRI risk · Relatively Low
- Snowstorm
- Top hazard
The verdict
Two federal records point in the busier direction for Clinton County. Its 10 FEMA declarations are 0% above the Michigan county mean and exceed the count for 10% of the 3,266 counties in this registry. Separately, FEMA's National Risk Index places it safer than 47%, based on modeled expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
- Safer than 47%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Low
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 10
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 29
- NFIP flood insurance claims filed
FEMA's National Risk Index and its declaration registry are separate measures. This county's registry includes Major Disaster (DR) and Emergency (EM) records; an EM authorizes a narrower set of federal assistance than a DR.
How does Clinton County compare?
Clinton County vs. all counties in this dataset
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time
10 10th percentile higher than 10% of 3,266 counties
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 · 2026-08-03
Clinton County's FEMA Risk Index score
FEMA National Risk Index composite score vs. the Michigan county average
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for Clinton County is led by Riverine Flooding (about $11.4M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Relatively Moderate), while Strong Wind carries the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively High). EAL and risk score use different inputs; they need not agree.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025 release) - Expected Annual Loss vs composite risk rating by hazard.
What does Clinton County's hazard record show?
FEMA National Risk Index
FEMA's data shows an elevated National Risk Index composite of 47.0/100 for this county (Relatively Low rating). Expected Annual Loss comes in at Relatively Low (roughly $24.4M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability (Very Low) and community resilience (Very High) both factor into how that raw exposure plays out on the ground. Of the 18 hazards FEMA models, Strong Wind stands out as the sharpest exposure here, rated Relatively High. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at an average of 4.7 times per year here, based on 178 historical events on record.
Declaration frequency
The FEMA register is busy by both local and national comparisons. It contains 10 entries for Clinton County, including 6 Major Disaster records, 0% above the Michigan county mean. Across the 55-year span, that works out to 0.2 declarations a year. Snowstorm leads the file with 3 entries. Declaration type records the federal action taken, not every assistance program approved.
Reading the federal records together
This county has a small entry in FEMA's NFIP paid-claims table: 29 claims and $497.4K paid in total. PlainHazard calls 1-49 claims a light registry record, a label for this dataset rather than a finding that flood exposure is low. A short claims history can also reflect insurance take-up, the period covered, or losses that were never insured.
The declaration register points in the busier direction. Clinton County's 10 federal records stand 0% above the Michigan county mean of 10.0. That comparison describes how often federal action was recorded, including any Major Disaster, Emergency, and Fire Management entries shown on this page; it does not convert the count into future probability.
50 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
Clinton County, MI · PlainHazard-derived composite from federal records
This 0–100 index is an explicit PlainHazard composite from FEMA declaration history only on the county surface (this DB has no county-level NOAA damage row) . It is not FEMA's National Risk Index, not a forecast, and not a safety, insurance, or preparedness rating. Open the calculator · Methodology
FEMA Declarations (1953–present) Low
7/30
10 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (0.5x national county average)
County Disaster Density High
13/25
10 declarations (1.0x state county average of 10)
Major Disaster Share High
15/25
6 of 10 declarations are major disasters (60%)
Hazard Diversity Very High
15/20
6 different disaster types declared in Clinton County
Historical Declaration Activity
Activity Band
High
vs. Michigan Avg
+0%
State avg: 10.0
vs. National Avg
-52%
National avg: 20.7
Avg Per Year
0.2
Over 55 years
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Clinton County
How to read this radar
Each axis: NRI risk rating (Very Low-Very High) on a 0-100 scale. Rounder = broad exposure; spiky = one or two hazards dominate.
Major Disaster share
60%
Major-heavy
NRI risk score
47
Relatively Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Clinton County?
FEMA's National Risk Index models a historical event count and an annualized frequency for each hazard type. Most hazards are expressed as modeled occurrences per year; FEMA expresses drought and heat-wave frequency as event-days per year. These modeled frequencies are not forecasts.
| Hazard | NRI Risk Rating | Recurrence |
|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | an average of 4.7 times per year |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 4 years |
| Hail | Relatively Low | an average of 2.5 times per year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | an average of 2.3 times per year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | an average of 1.6 times per year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | roughly once every 3 years |
| Landslide | Very Low | roughly once every 10 years |
| Hurricane | Very Low | roughly once every 53 years |
| Earthquake | Very Low | roughly once every 1,377 years |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 2.2 modeled event-days per year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | an average of 17 times per year |
| Lightning | Very Low | an average of 33 times per year |
| Wildfire | Very Low | roughly once every 62,697 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Snowstorm 3
Biological 2
Severe Storm 2
Hurricane 1
Flood 1
Tornado 1
What Snowstorm declarations mean here
Snowstorm is the most frequent declaration type on Clinton County's record, 30% of its declarations. Snow-related declarations work on a narrower basis than most other hazards: they are generally issued to reimburse the cost of snow removal and emergency protective measures, rather than to repair destroyed property.
The qualifying test is unusual too. FEMA assesses snowfall against record levels for the affected area, so the same storm total can qualify in a county where it is historically extreme and not qualify a few hundred miles north where it is an ordinary winter. A low snowstorm declaration count is therefore not evidence of mild winters.
Declaration counts describe past federal action. They are a record of what was declared, not a forecast of future hazard probability.
Declaration Types
What DR / EM / FM mean
FEMA categorizes declarations as Major Disasters (DR), Emergencies (EM), or Fire Management Assistance (FM).
Major Disaster - 6 60.0%
of all 10 declarations
Emergency - 4 40.0%
of all 10 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2005 | 1 | |
| 2001 | 1 | |
| 1998 | 1 | |
| 1986 | 1 | |
| 1978 | 1 | |
| 1976 | 1 | |
| 1972 | 1 | |
| 1965 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 10 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 10 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4494 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-27 |
| 3455 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 3225 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-07 |
| 3160 | SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 2001-01-10 |
| 1226 | SEVERE STORMS | DR | Severe Storm | 1998-06-24 |
| 774 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1986-09-18 |
| 3057 | BLIZZARDS & SNOWSTORMS | EM | Snowstorm | 1978-01-27 |
| 495 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, ICING & FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 1976-03-19 |
| 330 | SEVERE STORM & FREEZING | DR | Snowstorm | 1972-04-05 |
| 190 | TORNADOES & SEVERE STORMS | DR | Tornado | 1965-04-14 |
Storm Events in Michigan
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Clinton County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 3,010 | 10 | 18 | $173.8M |
| Winter Storm | 1,486 | 3 | 11 | $41.8M |
| Winter Weather | 1,254 | 21 | 38 | $892.0K |
| Hail | 962 | 0 | 0 | $77.1M |
| High Wind | 389 | 3 | 2 | $668.9M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
29
Total Paid
$497.4K
Avg Per Claim
$17.2K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Low
Score: 47.0/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Low
$24.4M/year
Social Vulnerability
Very Low
Community Resilience
Very High
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Strong Wind Relatively High
Tornado Relatively Moderate
Hail Relatively Low
Cold Wave Relatively Low
Ice Storm Relatively Low
Riverine Flooding Relatively Low
Landslide Very Low
Hurricane Very Low
Earthquake Very Low
Heat Wave Very Low
Winter Weather Relatively Low
Lightning Very Low
Wildfire Very Low
Drought No Rating
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) Ratings reflect relative scores among all US counties. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
The model's sharpest exposure here: Strong Wind
Strong Wind covers damaging non-thunderstorm, non-tornadic wind, the kind produced by steep pressure gradients and downslope events. It is a broad, frequent, low-drama hazard: roofs, signage, power lines and high-profile vehicles, spread across a wide area rather than concentrated on a path.
Worth noting for Clinton County: the model and the federal record do NOT point at the same hazard. Strong Wind carries the highest modeled rating (Relatively High), while the county's declaration history is led by Snowstorm. That is not a contradiction, the two measure genuinely different things. Declarations record federal ACTION, which requires damage costly enough to exceed state and local capacity; the Risk Index models EXPECTED annual loss across all 18 hazards whether or not any declaration ever followed. A hazard can be the county's largest modeled exposure and never once have driven a declaration.
National Risk Index ratings are modeled estimates of expected annual loss, not predictions of what will happen in any given year.
Data-matched county comparisons
Clinton County's closest FEMA peer: Polk County, WI
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Clinton County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Clinton County shows 10 FEMA declarations, led by Snowstorm.
Similar Major-disaster share
Clinton County: 6 of 10 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Clinton County: NRI composite 47.0 (Relatively Low).
How these peers are chosen
Cohort: Published U.S. county equivalents outside the source state or territory. Each metric keeps six ETL candidates; three unique destinations are shown after de-duplicating across axes. Declaration-volume ranking combines count and Major-disaster share and prefers a different leading incident type; Major-share ranks the Major fraction adjusted for volume; NRI ranks the modeled composite score only.
Retained FEMA snapshot feed for Clinton County - capture-dated entries only.
Further reading for this county
Most disaster-prone counties
With 10 FEMA declarations, Clinton County sits in the high-volume declaration band - see how that count ranks against other U.S. counties.
More PlainHazard guides
- Most disaster-prone counties - U.S. counties ranked by FEMA declaration totals.
- Understanding disaster data - declarations vs storm events vs NRI scores.
- Preparing for natural disasters - household checklist (not county-specific advice).
Related
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common disaster type in Clinton County?
The most common disaster type in Clinton County is Snowstorm, with 3 declarations. Other disaster types include Biological (2), Severe Storm (2), Hurricane (1).
How does Clinton County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Michigan average?
FEMA lists 10 declaration records for Clinton County. That is 0% above the Michigan county mean of 10.0. Its count is also 52% below the national county mean of 20.7. A larger declaration history records more federal actions; it is not a forecast of the county's next hazard.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Clinton County received?
Clinton County has received 6 major disaster declarations, representing 60% of all 10 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Clinton County filed?
Clinton County has 29 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $497.4K in payments, with an average of $17.2K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Clinton County?
No. In Clinton County, Strong Wind has the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively High), while Riverine Flooding leads Expected Annual Loss at about $11.4M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Clinton County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Clinton County was 2020, with 2 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1965 to 2020.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Clinton County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Clinton County, Michigan has an overall risk score of 47.0 out of 100 (Relatively Low). On social vulnerability the county rates Very Low; on community resilience, Very High. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Low, representing $24.4M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Clinton County?
Based on FEMA NRI data, the highest-risk natural hazard in Clinton County is Strong Wind (risk rating: Relatively High). Other significant hazards include Tornado (Relatively Moderate) and Hail (Relatively Low). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts strong wind here at an average of 4.7 times per year, drawn from 178 historical events on record. These scores are based on FEMA's analysis of historical event frequency, exposed assets, and community vulnerability.
Data Sources & Methodology
Disaster declaration data comes from the FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 API, which includes all federally declared disasters, emergencies, and fire management assistance grants.
Storm event data is sourced from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025), which tracks significant weather events including thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, and winter storms.
Flood insurance data comes from the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA claims dataset.
This data is provided for informational purposes only. FEMA disaster declarations represent federal response actions and may not capture all local emergencies or weather events.
What this means for Clinton County
Clinton County, MI has 10 federal declaration records, 0% more than the Michigan county mean of 10; its history sits in PlainHazard's high activity band.
- Within this above-state-average declaration file, major disaster leads with 6 of 10 records; the category describes past federal action, not the next likely hazard. Michigan overview
- The state benchmark and national rank point the same way: this count tops the Michigan mean and the totals for 10% of 3,266 U.S. counties. Most-disaster rankings
- A short NFIP claims file cannot establish low flood exposure; the data guide explains the limits of each federal measure. Disaster-data guide
An above-average declaration count records past federal responses; it does not predict the next event. Current warnings come from the National Weather Service and local emergency officials.
PlainHazard derives this profile from FEMA's Disaster Declarations Summaries and National Risk Index data. The declaration comparison covers 3,266 U.S. counties and county equivalents in this database, refreshed as of 2026-08-03. Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 - all federally-declared disasters for this county. fema.gov/openfema/disaster-declarations
- FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) - per-county per-hazard risk ratings and expected annual loss. hazards.fema.gov/nri
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database - state-level storm/severe-weather event records, 2015-2025. ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainHazard Editorial
Verify with FEMA → · Verify with FEMA NRI → · Verify with NOAA →
Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, the data & editorial changelog, or report a data error.