Natural hazards · South Branch

South Branch, MI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in South Branch comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high 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 South Branch?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in South Branch to be higher than in 79% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding73%Cold waves9%Everything else18%

By hazard

What South Branch faces

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

Inland flooding

73% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 28 years in the area

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 41% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce 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 South Branch flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Crawford County.

Disasters that hit South Branch

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into South BranchDeclared for Crawford County only

2025

Severe Winter Storm

$14K to the Township of South Branch for repairs

Crawford County has had 7 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and winter storms.

Around South Branch

South Branch and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

South Branchmostly inland floodingHigh

Au Sablemostly inland floodingModerate

Graylingmostly inland floodingModerate

Higginsmostly inland floodingLow

Beaver Creekmostly inland floodingLow

Lovellsmostly inland floodingLow

Big Creekmostly 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. South Branch covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to South Branch’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of South Branch. 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 South Branch total about $1.3M 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.