Natural hazards · Alpena

Alpena, MI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Alpena comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1985. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Alpena?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Alpena to be higher than in 8% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding70%Cold waves20%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Alpena faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

70% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 32% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 14 years in the area

Cold waves

20% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Alpena flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Alpena, from FEMA’s records.

3paid claims since 1985

$18Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19852026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Alpena isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Alpena County.

Disasters that hit Alpena

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Alpena itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Township of Alpena.

Brought FEMA money into AlpenaDeclared for Alpena County only

2025

Severe Winter Storm

$70K to the Township of Alpena for repairs

Alpena County has had 5 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and ice storms.

Around Alpena

Alpena and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Maple Ridgemostly inland floodingLow

Presque Islemostly inland floodingVery low

Wilsonmostly inland floodingVery low

Alpenamostly inland floodingVery low

Sanbornmostly inland floodingVery low

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Alpena covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Alpena’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Alpena. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Alpena total about $1.9M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.