Arenac County, MI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Arenac County has experienced 11 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Arenac County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, cold wave, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Arenac County has been designated in 11 declarations since 1973, covering 7 disaster types including flood (3), biological (2), snowstorm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Dam/Levee Break | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 1999 | Snowstorm | Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99 |
| 1986 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1977 | Drought | Drought |
| 1973 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 11 total declarations since 1973.
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 | 35.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 37.4 | 1 | 0 | $4.4M |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 39.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 17.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 13.8 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 31.9 | 2 | 0 | $115K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 29.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 42.8 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 48 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 69.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 26.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 55.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 53.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 29.5 | 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
Arenac County ranks in the 38th percentile (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 | 38th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 47th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 51st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 13th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 33rd | 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 | 26th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 25th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 62.8% | — |
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 Arenac County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Arenac County, Michigan are winter weather, cold wave, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Arenac County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Arenac County has received 11 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (3 declarations).
Has Arenac County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Arenac County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Arenac County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Bay County, MI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Ogemaw County, MI has the lowest (Very Low). Arenac County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Arenac County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Arenac 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. Arenac County's composite score of 20 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 20% of US counties.