Lightning Risk in Michigan
All Michigan counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index lightning score
Lightning risk — electrical discharges from storms that ignite fires and cause casualties — is rated for 83 of 83 Michigan counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Wayne County carries the state's highest lightning score at 98.3, with $2M in expected annual lightning losses.
8 Michigan counties are rated High or Very High for lightning, and expected annual losses from lightning total roughly $29M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Lightning
| # | County | Lightning Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wayne County | Very High | 36.55 / yr | $2M | |
| 2 | Oscoda County | High | 25.93 / yr | $1M | |
| 3 | Genesee County | High | 32.69 / yr | $1M | |
| 4 | Washtenaw County | High | 36.85 / yr | $1M | |
| 5 | Macomb County | High | 34.45 / yr | $1M | |
| 6 | Gogebic County | High | 25.82 / yr | $563K | |
| 7 | Oakland County | High | 34.76 / yr | $1M | |
| 8 | Alger County | High | 21.62 / yr | $639K | |
| 9 | Presque Isle County | Medium | 22.87 / yr | $494K | |
| 10 | St. Joseph County | Medium | 37.73 / yr | $602K | |
| 11 | Ottawa County | Medium | 32.61 / yr | $867K | |
| 12 | Manistee County | Medium | 26.72 / yr | $493K | |
| 13 | Hillsdale County | Medium | 36.89 / yr | $502K | |
| 14 | Marquette County | Medium | 23.16 / yr | $509K | |
| 15 | Kent County | Medium | 31.87 / yr | $665K | |
| 16 | Roscommon County | Medium | 27.10 / yr | $375K | |
| 17 | Ingham County | Medium | 34.14 / yr | $573K | |
| 18 | Lenawee County | Medium | 37.70 / yr | $545K | |
| 19 | Muskegon County | Medium | 31.07 / yr | $482K | |
| 20 | Clare County | Medium | 28.62 / yr | $292K | |
| 21 | Kalamazoo County | Medium | 36.05 / yr | $539K | |
| 22 | Grand Traverse County | Medium | 25.78 / yr | $550K | |
| 23 | Ogemaw County | Medium | 27.30 / yr | $299K | |
| 24 | Gladwin County | Medium | 28.71 / yr | $312K | |
| 25 | Iosco County | Medium | 26.52 / yr | $298K | |
| 26 | Delta County | Medium | 25.14 / yr | $339K | |
| 27 | Otsego County | Medium | 24.65 / yr | $437K | |
| 28 | Menominee County | Medium | 26.49 / yr | $310K | |
| 29 | Crawford County | Medium | 25.97 / yr | $291K | |
| 30 | Berrien County | Medium | 37.75 / yr | $345K | |
| 31 | Montmorency County | Medium | 24.70 / yr | $223K | |
| 32 | Alcona County | Medium | 25.31 / yr | $216K | |
| 33 | Bay County | Medium | 30.89 / yr | $297K | |
| 34 | Jackson County | Medium | 35.70 / yr | $312K | |
| 35 | Dickinson County | Medium | 26.58 / yr | $298K | |
| 36 | Allegan County | Low | 34.19 / yr | $326K | |
| 37 | Isabella County | Low | 30.30 / yr | $245K | |
| 38 | Livingston County | Low | 34.65 / yr | $474K | |
| 39 | Monroe County | Low | 38.09 / yr | $305K | |
| 40 | Branch County | Low | 37.24 / yr | $218K | |
| 41 | Arenac County | Low | 28.45 / yr | $213K | |
| 42 | Calhoun County | Low | 36.32 / yr | $275K | |
| 43 | Midland County | Low | 30.55 / yr | $276K | |
| 44 | Lapeer County | Low | 32.14 / yr | $282K | |
| 45 | Van Buren County | Low | 35.87 / yr | $242K | |
| 46 | Huron County | Low | 27.92 / yr | $221K | |
| 47 | Mecosta County | Low | 30.25 / yr | $200K | |
| 48 | Newaygo County | Low | 30.54 / yr | $203K | |
| 49 | Tuscola County | Low | 30.79 / yr | $196K | |
| 50 | Schoolcraft County | Low | 22.76 / yr | $207K | |
| 51 | Osceola County | Low | 29.04 / yr | $173K | |
| 52 | Wexford County | Low | 26.84 / yr | $189K | |
| 53 | Cheboygan County | Low | 22.61 / yr | $158K | |
| 54 | Charlevoix County | Low | 23.07 / yr | $215K | |
| 55 | Saginaw County | Low | 32.15 / yr | $198K | |
| 56 | Montcalm County | Low | 30.93 / yr | $204K | |
| 57 | St. Clair County | Low | 32.26 / yr | $199K | |
| 58 | Antrim County | Low | 24.66 / yr | $210K | |
| 59 | Houghton County | Low | 21.55 / yr | $226K | |
| 60 | Eaton County | Low | 34.43 / yr | $209K | |
| 61 | Alpena County | Low | 23.87 / yr | $131K | |
| 62 | Iron County | Low | 25.68 / yr | $115K | |
| 63 | Lake County | Low | 29.62 / yr | $102K | |
| 64 | Emmet County | Low | 22.45 / yr | $165K | |
| 65 | Chippewa County | Low | 21.07 / yr | $127K | |
| 66 | Cass County | Low | 38.12 / yr | $112K | |
| 67 | Shiawassee County | Low | 33.56 / yr | $114K | |
| 68 | Mason County | Low | 28.80 / yr | $89K | |
| 69 | Baraga County | Low | 22.53 / yr | $88K | |
| 70 | Mackinac County | Low | 22.57 / yr | $84K | |
| 71 | Leelanau County | Low | 23.99 / yr | $114K | |
| 72 | Oceana County | Low | 30.04 / yr | $105K | |
| 73 | Sanilac County | Low | 29.76 / yr | $89K | |
| 74 | Kalkaska County | Low | 26.17 / yr | $95K | |
| 75 | Barry County | Low | 34.65 / yr | $123K | |
| 76 | Benzie County | Low | 24.94 / yr | $94K | |
| 77 | Missaukee County | Low | 27.24 / yr | $100K | |
| 78 | Ontonagon County | Low | 23.83 / yr | $79K | |
| 79 | Ionia County | Low | 32.81 / yr | $93K | |
| 80 | Luce County | Low | 21.08 / yr | $64K | |
| 81 | Gratiot County | Low | 31.96 / yr | $79K | |
| 82 | Clinton County | Very Low | 32.94 / yr | $112K | |
| 83 | Keweenaw County | Very Low | 17.85 / yr | $6K |
83 Michigan counties with measurable lightning risk. See the national lightning ranking or all Michigan counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Michigan county has the highest lightning risk?
Wayne County has the highest FEMA lightning risk score in Michigan at 98.3 (Very High), with $2M in expected annual losses and about 36.55 events per year.
How many Michigan counties face significant lightning risk?
83 Michigan counties record measurable lightning risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 8 of them are rated High or Very High.