Storm hazard · NOAA Storm Events Database
Lakeshore Flood in the United States
National statistics for lakeshore flood events from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015–2025): how often they occur, where they hit hardest, and the human and property toll.
- 316
- Events recorded
- 2
- Fatalities
- $134.2M
- Property damage
- 9
- States affected
How dangerous are Lakeshore Flood events in the U.S.?
NOAA's Storm Events Database has catalogued 316 lakeshore flood events across 9 states and territories between 2015 and 2025. The cumulative human toll is 2 fatalities and 2 injuries, and the financial footprint reaches $134.2M in combined property ($134.2M) and crop ($0) damage. On a per-fatality basis this places lakeshore flood events at a low severity tier relative to other tracked hazard types in the NOAA catalog.
Where this hazard actually strikes varies sharply by region. The three states absorbing the largest share of events are MI (121 events, 2 fatalities), NY (74 events, 0 fatalities), WI (46 events, 0 fatalities), a pattern driven more by climatology than by any one state's vulnerability. At the other end, states such as MN, PA, VT report far fewer events, often reflecting hazard climatology rather than underreporting.
The annual record is uneven rather than steadily rising or falling. The peak year on record was 2020, logging 139 events and $50.0M in property damage in a single calendar year. The most recent year in the dataset is 2025 with 2 events recorded. Across the full 10-year window, annual event counts reflect natural year-to-year noise given how infrequently this hazard is recorded at all.
How to interpret this data
NOAA storm event data is filed by local National Weather Service forecast offices, so reporting intensity can vary by jurisdiction and should be interpreted alongside FEMA disaster declarations for a fuller picture.
For household and business preparedness, this state-and-year view should be paired with local-level FEMA National Risk Index ratings, flood-zone maps where applicable, and up-to-date NWS watch/warning information, population exposure and asset value matter as much as raw event frequency for estimating real-world risk.
Lakeshore Flood by State
Lakeshore Flood by Year
| Year | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| 2023 | 3 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| 2022 | 8 | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 2021 | 17 | 0 | 0 | $1.5M |
| 2020 | 139 | 0 | 2 | $50.0M |
| 2019 | 125 | 0 | 0 | $51.5M |
| 2018 | 10 | 0 | 0 | $25.9M |
| 2017 | 10 | 2 | 0 | $4.2M |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | 0 | $3.0K |
Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lakeshore flood events have occurred in the US?
Which states are most affected by lakeshore flood events?
How much damage do lakeshore flood events cause?
What year had the most lakeshore flood events?
How dangerous are lakeshore flood events?
Which states have the fewest lakeshore flood events?
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (2015-2025) NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (2015-2025) For informational purposes only
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
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Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on FEMA federal disaster data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, or report a data error.