Natural hazards · Chelsea

Chelsea, MI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chelsea comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Chelsea?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chelsea to be higher than in 6% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding44%Tornadoes26%Cold waves10%Strong wind9%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Chelsea faces

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

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 6% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

26% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Cold waves

10% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Strong wind

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Chelsea flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Chelsea.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Washtenaw County.

Disasters that hit Chelsea

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ChelseaDeclared for Washtenaw County only

2026

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2 households applied for aid

2021

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

9 households applied for aid

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $2K aid approved

2000

Snow

$8K to the City of Chelsea for repairs

1999

Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99

$6K to the City of Chelsea for repairs

Washtenaw County has had 9 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and floods.

Around Chelsea

Chelsea and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Limamostly inland floodingVery low

Sylvanmostly inland floodingVery low

Chelseamostly 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. Chelsea covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Chelsea’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Chelsea. 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 Chelsea total about $1.5M 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.