Isabella County, Michigan: hazard risk
FEMA rates Isabella County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 66.1 of 100, higher than 66% of rated U.S. counties); 2 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by winter weather, strong wind. Its storm record holds 261 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 95.1 | $599K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 90.0 | $1.8M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 80.2 | $3.5M |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 79.6 | $755K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 77.5 | $2.7M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 62.7 | $132K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 71.5 | $12M |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 54.9 | $245K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 44.1 | $782 |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 38.0 | $183K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 37.0 | $110K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 33.0 | $16K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 18.4 | $6K |
| Drought | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 102 | 0 | $2.9M | 36th of 83 | 1823rd of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 65 | 0 | $2.3M | 62nd of 83 | 1350th of 3,077 |
| Hail | 50 | 0 | $635K | 46th of 83 | 2300th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 17 | 0 | $122M | 19th of 83 | 2086th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 12 | 0 | $2.1M | 39th of 83 | 1988th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 9 | 0 | $12M | 57th of 83 | 2019th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 1 | 0 | – | 55th of 83 | 2231st of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 1 | 0 | $13K | 57th of 83 | 1996th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Isabella County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.