Alcona County, MI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Alcona County has experienced 9 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Alcona County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, landslide, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (13th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Alcona County has been designated in 9 declarations since 1977, covering 6 disaster types including flood (2), biological (2), snowstorm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1999 | Snowstorm | Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 |
| 1985 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 1978 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 41.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 41.3 | 1 | 0 | $40K |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 30 | 1 | 0 | $54K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 7.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 11.5 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 20.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 29.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 26 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 14.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 4.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 11.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 45 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 57.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 53.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Alcona County ranks in the 13th percentile (Very low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 13th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 42nd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 22nd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 11th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 3rd | Very low |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 36th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 36th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 86.4% | — |
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Alcona County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Alcona County, Michigan are lightning, landslide, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Alcona County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Alcona County has received 9 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (2 declarations).
Has Alcona County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Alcona County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Alcona County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Iosco County, MI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Oscoda County, MI has the lowest (Very Low). Alcona County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Alcona County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Alcona County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Alcona County's composite score of 18 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 18% of US counties.