PlainHazard

If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

The data below is historical (NOAA Storm Events / FEMA), not a live alert. For current warnings and evacuation orders, check the National Weather Service, Ready.gov, or FEMA.gov.

Storm hazard · NOAA Storm Events Database

Seiche in the United States

National statistics for seiche events from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015–2025): how often they occur, where they hit hardest, and the human and property toll.

29
Events recorded
0
Fatalities
$110.0K
Property damage
7
States affected

How dangerous are Seiche events in the U.S.?

NOAA's Storm Events Database has catalogued 29 seiche events across 7 states and territories between 2015 and 2025. The cumulative human toll is 0 fatalities and 0 injuries, and the financial footprint reaches $110.0K in combined property ($110.0K) and crop ($0) damage. On a per-fatality basis this places seiche 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 (10 events, 0 fatalities), WI (6 events, 0 fatalities), NY (5 events, 0 fatalities), a pattern driven more by climatology than by any one state's vulnerability. At the other end, states such as LA, IL, IN 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 2015, logging 6 events and $95.0K in property damage in a single calendar year. The most recent year in the dataset is 2025 with 4 events recorded. Across the full 8-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.

Seiche by State

# State EventsFatalitiesProperty Damage
1 Michigan MI 10 0 $9.0K
2 Wisconsin WI 6 0 $6.0K
3 New York NY 5 0 $95.0K
4 American Samoa AS 2 0 $0
5 Louisiana LA 2 0 $0
6 Illinois IL 2 0 $0
7 Indiana IN 2 0 $0

Seiche by Year

Year Events Fatalities Injuries Property Damage
2025 4 0 0 $0
2024 3 0 0 $0
2022 4 0 0 $0
2020 4 0 0 $0
2019 4 0 0 $13.0K
2018 2 0 0 $2.0K
2016 2 0 0 $0
2015 6 0 0 $95.0K

Related Guides

Preparing for Natural Disasters

Essential steps to prepare your household for common natural hazards.

Hazard Risk by Region

How natural disaster risk varies across different US regions.

Climate Change & Disasters

How climate trends are changing the frequency and severity of natural disasters.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many seiche events have occurred in the US?
The NOAA Storm Events Database has recorded 29 seiche events across 7 states from 2015 to 2025. These events caused 0 fatalities and 0 injuries.
Which states are most affected by seiche events?
The states most affected by seiche include MI (10 events), WI (6 events), NY (5 events). These three states account for a significant share of all recorded seiche incidents in the US.
How much damage do seiche events cause?
Seiche events have caused an estimated $110.0K in combined property and crop damage from 2015 to 2025. Property damage alone accounts for $110.0K, with crop damage at $0.
What year had the most seiche events?
The year with the most recorded seiche events was 2015, with 6 events resulting in 0 fatalities and $95.0K in property damage.
How dangerous are seiche events?
Seiche events have a low severity rating based on 0 fatalities and 0 injuries recorded from 2015 to 2025 across 7 states. Preparedness and early warning systems are critical for reducing risk.
Which states have the fewest seiche events?
The states with the fewest seiche events include LA (2 events), IL (2 events), IN (2 events). Geographic and climatic factors largely determine regional vulnerability to this hazard type.

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.

Related

Browse all → | Rankings →

Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA →

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.