PlainHazard

Lakeshore Flood

NOAA Storm Events type · 359 records since 2006 · 10 states and territories

The National Weather Service defines lakeshore flood as: "Flooding of lakeshore areas due to the vertical rise of water above normal level caused by strong, persistent onshore wind and/or low atmospheric pressure, resulting in damage, erosion, flooding, fatalities, or injuries." NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 359 lakeshore flood records from 2006 through June 30, 2026, the most in Michigan (125), with 2 deaths recorded.

How the National Weather Service files lakeshore flood

Flooding of lakeshore areas due to the vertical rise of water above normal level caused by strong, persistent onshore wind and/or low atmospheric pressure, resulting in damage, erosion, flooding, fatalities, or injuries. Lakeshore areas are defined as those portions of land zones (coastal county/parish) adjacent to the waters of the Great Lakes and other lakes with specific assigned Marine Zones.
National Weather Service Instruction 10-1605, Storm Data Preparation (July 26, 2021), Appendix A, entry 27

Source: National Weather Service Instruction 10-1605. Read the instruction (PDF).

Lakeshore Flood, 2006 to 2026

Records per year (2026 to June 30, 2026).

  • recorded, no damage figure
  • under $10 million
  • $10 million or more
  • $100 million or more
  • $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
  • $10 billion or more, or 1,000 deaths
  • a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
  • a year with a death
Records
3592006 to June 30, 2026
Deaths
22 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$156Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Counties with a record
76of 3,266

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026. Search the record at NCEI.

Where do lakeshore flood records happen?

States

  1. Michigan 125
  2. New York 78
  3. Wisconsin 46
  4. Ohio 37
  5. Vermont 20
  6. Indiana 15
  7. Illinois 15
  8. South Dakota 13
  9. Minnesota 6
  10. Pennsylvania 4

Counties

  1. Erie County, NY 31
  2. Wayne County, MI 22
  3. Monroe County, MI 18
  4. Chautauqua County, NY 15
  5. Ottawa County, OH 11
  6. St. Clair County, MI 11
  7. Macomb County, MI 10
  8. Cook County, IL 10
  9. Erie County, OH 9
  10. Lake County, IN 9

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (forecast-zone records count on every county the zone covers).

When do lakeshore flood records happen?

The busiest month is October.

The values, month by month

Jan 24 · Feb 14 · Mar 21 · Apr 57 · May 60 · Jun 33 · Jul 12 · Aug 1 · Sep 8 · Oct 66 · Nov 39 · Dec 24 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.

The deadliest lakeshore flood records

The lakeshore flood records with the most deaths
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2017-10-24 Lakeshore FloodMarquette County, MI · forecast zone Marquette Extensive lake shore flooding was reported along Lake Superior from Marquette to Shot Point from north storm force winds building waves as high as 25 to 30 feet. Two people drowned when they were swept off Black Rocks at Presque Isle Park in Marquette during the storm. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter from Air Station ... 2 0 $722K

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, deaths direct and indirect as filed.

The most recent lakeshore flood records

To June 30, 2026
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2025-12-29 Lakeshore FloodKeweenaw County, MI · forecast zone Keweenaw 0 0 –
2022-12-23 Lakeshore FloodErie County, NY · forecast zone Southern Erie 0 0 $504K
2021-12-11 Lakeshore FloodChautauqua County, NY · forecast zone Chautauqua 0 0 $545K
2021-12-11 Lakeshore FloodErie County, NY · forecast zone Southern Erie 0 0 $545K
2021-12-11 Lakeshore FloodErie County, NY · forecast zone Northern Erie 0 0 $545K
2020-05-18 Lakeshore FloodBay County, MI · forecast zone Bay 0 0 $2.3M
2020-05-18 Lakeshore FloodMenominee County, MI · forecast zone Menominee 0 0 $1.1M
2020-05-17 Lakeshore FloodOzaukee County, WI · forecast zone Ozaukee 0 2 –

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

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