Natural hazards · Ferndale

Ferndale, MI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ferndale comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 2014. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ferndale?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ferndale to be higher than in 15% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding43%Tornadoes29%Cold waves17%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Ferndale faces

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 24% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

29% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Cold waves

17% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 52% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Ferndale flood?

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

3paid claims since 2014

$207Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20142026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Oakland County.

Disasters that hit Ferndale

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FerndaleDeclared for Oakland County only

2023

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

325 households applied for aid $789K aid approved

2021

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

68 households applied for aid $75K aid approved

2014

Severe Storms and Flooding

1,514 households applied for aid $1.7M aid approved $222K to the City of Ferndale for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

98 households applied for aid $24K aid approved

2000

Snow

$9K to the City of Ferndale for repairs

1999

Mi - Severe Weather 1/2 /99

$15K to the City of Ferndale for repairs

Oakland County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Ferndale

Ferndale and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Royal Oakmostly inland floodingLow

Oak Parkmostly inland floodingLow

Pleasant Ridgemostly inland floodingLow

Detroitmostly inland floodingLow

Hazel Parkmostly inland floodingLow

Ferndalemostly inland floodingVery low

Royal Oakmostly 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. Ferndale covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ferndale’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Ferndale. 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 Ferndale total about $4.8M 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.