Natural hazards · Elberta

Elberta, MI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Elberta comes from cold waves, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Elberta?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Elberta to be higher than in 21% of U.S. communities, mostly from cold waves and inland flooding.

Cold waves46%Inland flooding45%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Elberta faces

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

Cold waves

46% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 18% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Inland flooding

45% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years 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 Elberta flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Benzie County.

Disasters that hit Elberta

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ElbertaDeclared for Benzie County only

2026

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $8K aid approved

Benzie County has had 4 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and hurricanes.

Around Elberta

Elberta and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Elbertamostly cold wavesLow

Gilmoremostly cold wavesLow

Frankfortmostly inland floodingVery low

Crystal Lakemostly 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. Elberta is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

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

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.