Cold Wave Risk in Michigan
All Michigan counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index cold wave score
Cold Wave risk — prolonged spells of dangerously low temperatures — is rated for 83 of 83 Michigan counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Wayne County carries the state's highest cold wave score at 99.7, with $60M in expected annual cold wave losses.
16 Michigan counties are rated High or Very High for cold wave, and expected annual losses from cold wave total roughly $448M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Cold Wave
| # | County | Cold Wave Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wayne County | Very High | 2.68 / yr | $60M | |
| 2 | Oakland County | Very High | 2.63 / yr | $55M | |
| 3 | Macomb County | Very High | 2.63 / yr | $41M | |
| 4 | Genesee County | High | 2.84 / yr | $21M | |
| 5 | Dickinson County | High | 5.37 / yr | $14M | |
| 6 | Marquette County | High | 4.63 / yr | $13M | |
| 7 | Iron County | High | 6.26 / yr | $10M | |
| 8 | Sanilac County | High | 3.00 / yr | $10M | |
| 9 | Grand Traverse County | High | 0.89 / yr | $16M | |
| 10 | Saginaw County | High | 2.89 / yr | $11M | |
| 11 | St. Clair County | High | 3.00 / yr | $10M | |
| 12 | Washtenaw County | High | 2.79 / yr | $11M | |
| 13 | Leelanau County | High | 0.79 / yr | $9M | |
| 14 | Bay County | High | 2.89 / yr | $7M | |
| 15 | Kent County | High | 1.32 / yr | $8M | |
| 16 | Ingham County | High | 2.26 / yr | $7M | |
| 17 | Menominee County | Medium | 4.00 / yr | $5M | |
| 18 | Berrien County | Medium | 2.26 / yr | $6M | |
| 19 | Huron County | Medium | 3.00 / yr | $5M | |
| 20 | Delta County | Medium | 3.63 / yr | $5M | |
| 21 | Tuscola County | Medium | 3.00 / yr | $5M | |
| 22 | Shiawassee County | Medium | 2.79 / yr | $5M | |
| 23 | Midland County | Medium | 2.89 / yr | $5M | |
| 24 | Monroe County | Medium | 2.89 / yr | $5M | |
| 25 | Lapeer County | Medium | 3.00 / yr | $5M | |
| 26 | Lenawee County | Medium | 2.89 / yr | $5M | |
| 27 | Livingston County | Medium | 2.63 / yr | $7M | |
| 28 | Emmet County | Medium | 1.95 / yr | $4M | |
| 29 | Kalamazoo County | Medium | 1.79 / yr | $4M | |
| 30 | Jackson County | Medium | 2.42 / yr | $3M | |
| 31 | Charlevoix County | Medium | 1.41 / yr | $3M | |
| 32 | Isabella County | Medium | 2.21 / yr | $3M | |
| 33 | Gogebic County | Medium | 6.05 / yr | $2M | |
| 34 | Antrim County | Medium | 1.26 / yr | $3M | |
| 35 | Calhoun County | Medium | 2.26 / yr | $3M | |
| 36 | Wexford County | Medium | 1.32 / yr | $2M | |
| 37 | Benzie County | Medium | 0.84 / yr | $3M | |
| 38 | Ottawa County | Medium | 1.00 / yr | $3M | |
| 39 | Kalkaska County | Medium | 1.37 / yr | $2M | |
| 40 | Baraga County | Medium | 4.79 / yr | $2M | |
| 41 | Clare County | Medium | 2.16 / yr | $1M | |
| 42 | Cheboygan County | Medium | 2.00 / yr | $2M | |
| 43 | Iosco County | Medium | 2.16 / yr | $1M | |
| 44 | Eaton County | Medium | 2.11 / yr | $2M | |
| 45 | Houghton County | Medium | 2.72 / yr | $2M | |
| 46 | Cass County | Medium | 2.42 / yr | $2M | |
| 47 | Gratiot County | Medium | 2.21 / yr | $2M | |
| 48 | Gladwin County | Medium | 2.16 / yr | $1M | |
| 49 | Mecosta County | Medium | 2.00 / yr | $1M | |
| 50 | Manistee County | Low | 0.84 / yr | $1M | |
| 51 | Hillsdale County | Low | 3.11 / yr | $1M | |
| 52 | St. Joseph County | Low | 2.53 / yr | $2M | |
| 53 | Montcalm County | Low | 2.16 / yr | $2M | |
| 54 | Roscommon County | Low | 2.05 / yr | $1M | |
| 55 | Alpena County | Low | 1.95 / yr | $1M | |
| 56 | Clinton County | Low | 2.26 / yr | $3M | |
| 57 | Ionia County | Low | 2.05 / yr | $2M | |
| 58 | Otsego County | Low | 1.74 / yr | $2M | |
| 59 | Ogemaw County | Low | 2.21 / yr | $997K | |
| 60 | Branch County | Low | 3.05 / yr | $1M | |
| 61 | Chippewa County | Low | 1.97 / yr | $1M | |
| 62 | Van Buren County | Low | 1.26 / yr | $1M | |
| 63 | Muskegon County | Low | 0.89 / yr | $1M | |
| 64 | Allegan County | Low | 1.05 / yr | $2M | |
| 65 | Arenac County | Low | 2.16 / yr | $929K | |
| 66 | Missaukee County | Low | 1.79 / yr | $1M | |
| 67 | Osceola County | Low | 2.00 / yr | $852K | |
| 68 | Newaygo County | Low | 1.42 / yr | $961K | |
| 69 | Barry County | Low | 1.63 / yr | $1M | |
| 70 | Crawford County | Low | 1.89 / yr | $742K | |
| 71 | Ontonagon County | Low | 4.11 / yr | $676K | |
| 72 | Alcona County | Low | 2.05 / yr | $553K | |
| 73 | Mackinac County | Low | 2.18 / yr | $534K | |
| 74 | Presque Isle County | Low | 2.05 / yr | $506K | |
| 75 | Mason County | Low | 0.89 / yr | $540K | |
| 76 | Montmorency County | Low | 2.16 / yr | $423K | |
| 77 | Oscoda County | Low | 2.16 / yr | $406K | |
| 78 | Alger County | Low | 1.69 / yr | $464K | |
| 79 | Lake County | Low | 1.47 / yr | $382K | |
| 80 | Schoolcraft County | Low | 2.14 / yr | $392K | |
| 81 | Oceana County | Low | 0.89 / yr | $371K | |
| 82 | Luce County | Very Low | 1.53 / yr | $125K | |
| 83 | Keweenaw County | Very Low | 1.53 / yr | $62K |
83 Michigan counties with measurable cold wave risk. See the national cold wave ranking or all Michigan counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Michigan county has the highest cold wave risk?
Wayne County has the highest FEMA cold wave risk score in Michigan at 99.7 (Very High), with $60M in expected annual losses and about 2.68 events per year.
How many Michigan counties face significant cold wave risk?
83 Michigan counties record measurable cold wave risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 16 of them are rated High or Very High.