Natural hazards · Owosso

Owosso, MI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Owosso comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 18 claims here since 1981. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Owosso?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Owosso to be higher than in 43% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding39%Tornadoes23%Cold waves21%Strong wind11%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Owosso faces

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

Inland flooding

39% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

23% of expected damage

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

Cold waves

21% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Strong wind

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% 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 Owosso flood?

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

18paid claims since 1981

$59Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19812026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Shiawassee County.

Disasters that hit Owosso

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OwossoDeclared for Shiawassee County only

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

22 households applied for aid $16K aid approved

2000

Snow

$13K to the City of Owosso for repairs

Shiawassee County has had 11 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Owosso

Owosso and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Owossomostly inland floodingModerate

Caledoniamostly inland floodingLow

Owossomostly inland floodingLow

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. Owosso covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Owosso’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Owosso. 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 Owosso total about $4.7M 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.