Hazard Plain Automated baseline

Branch County, MI

Risk-assessment baseline packet

County FIPS:
26023
Release:
2026-10
Data as of:
2026-09-30
Storm Events data through:
2026-06-30

Hazard Plain is an independent product built from public federal data. It is not a FEMA document and is not reviewed or endorsed by FEMA or any state agency.

Hazard Plain release 2026-10, as of 2026-09-30.

Summary

Plan status as of 2026-09-30: Approved, expires 2028-07-18. Plan: Branch County HMP (FEMA plan 101034), approved 2023-07-19.

Since the plan was approved on 2023-07-19: no new federal declaration.

NOAA Storm Events records since that date: 29 records (data through 2026-06-30).

Highest expected annual loss (FEMA National Risk Index, modeled total; see B1-a): Inland Flooding ($7,528,194 a year), Tornado ($2,420,910) and Cold Wave ($1,139,601).

Repetitive-loss flood properties now: FMA RL 1, SRL 0 (44 CFR 77.2); any definition: 5.

The tables that follow are organized by the items of FEMA's Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool, Element B (B1-a to B2-c); each heading says which item its tables support.

Plan clock

Status:
Approved, expires 2028-07-18
Plan:
Branch County HMP (FEMA plan 101034)
Approved:
2023-07-19
Days to expiry:
657

What changed since your last plan (approved 2023-07-19)

New federal declarations:
none
Storm Events records since approval:
29 records (data through 2026-06-30)
Repetitive loss now:
FMA RL 1, SRL 0 (44 CFR 77.2); any definition: 5
Repeat-flood change:
this release sets the baseline count.

Sources: 1, 2, 4, 6 (numbered list at the end)

Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county

Source: 1

JurisdictionTypeStatusPlanApprovedExpiresDays to expirynegative = days since expiryUpdate underwayNotes
Branch CountyCountyApproved, expires 2028-07-18Branch County HMP (FEMA plan 101034)2023-07-192028-07-18657this jurisdiction approved 2024-02-26
Bronson cityCityApproved, expires 2028-07-18Branch County HMP (FEMA plan 101034)2023-07-192028-07-18657this jurisdiction approved 2024-02-13
Coldwater cityCityApproved, expires 2028-07-18Branch County HMP (FEMA plan 101034)2023-07-192028-07-18657
Quincy villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-07-18Branch County HMP (FEMA plan 101034)2023-07-192028-07-18657this jurisdiction approved 2023-08-25
Union City villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-07-18Branch County HMP (FEMA plan 101034)2023-07-192028-07-18657this jurisdiction approved 2024-02-26
Athens Area SchoolsSchool/School DistrictApproved, expires 2029-12-10Calhoun County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 110177)2024-12-112029-12-101,167this jurisdiction approved 2025-04-14
Homer Community SchoolsSchool/School DistrictPlan 110177 approved 2024-12-11, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleCalhoun County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 110177), pending adoption here2024-12-11 by FEMA; not yet adopted here2029-12-10 once adoptedFEMA tracker shows a plan approvable pending adoptionNot yet eligible: adopt the approved plan.
Tekonsha Community SchoolsSchool/School DistrictApproved, expires 2029-12-10Calhoun County 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 110177)2024-12-112029-12-101,167this jurisdiction approved 2025-04-14

State plan status and tribal plans in this state: see the state page.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-a: hazard identification

Hazards NRI does not cover (local data needed)

  • dam failure (incl. upstream dams)
  • levee failure
  • flash flood as its own subtype
  • ice jams
  • debris flows
  • erosion (riverine and coastal)
  • land subsidence and sinkholes
  • expansive soils

The 18 National Risk Index hazards, ranked by expected annual loss (EAL)

Sources: 5, 6

Rank by EALHazardNRI risk ratingEAL ratingEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL total (see note)modeled dollars per yearStorm Events records, 1996 to 2026-06-30countStorm Events coverage note
1Inland FloodingRelatively LowRelatively Low$7,527,902$119$174$7,528,1940No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
2TornadoRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$1,589,632$5,486$825,792$2,420,9109
3Cold WaveRelatively LowRelatively Moderate$513$89,406$1,049,682$1,139,6015
4Strong WindRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$168,523$32,858$640,968$842,349200Includes 11 High Wind and 4 Strong Wind records (NOAA non-thunderstorm wind types, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition).
5HailRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$653,646$41,152$4,466$699,26359
6EarthquakeVery LowRelatively Low$232,680n/a$61,719$294,399Storm Events does not record earthquakes.
7DroughtRelatively LowRelatively Lown/a$239,377n/a$239,3770No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
8LightningRelatively LowRelatively Low$12,022n/a$206,162$218,1840No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
9Heat WaveVery LowVery Low$2,843$2$161,848$164,6940No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
10Ice StormRelatively ModerateRelatively Low$57,834n/a$53,821$111,6567
11Winter WeatherRelatively LowRelatively Low$4,226$880$27,543$32,64979
12HurricaneVery LowVery Low$8,338$8,595$23$16,9560No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
13WildfireVery LowVery Low$3,797$5$308$4,1100No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
14LandslideVery LowVery Low$44n/a$415$4590No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).

Total = buildings + agriculture + population equivalence; FEMA values each expected death (or 10 injuries) at $13.7 million (2024 dollars).

NRI risk rating combines expected annual loss with social vulnerability and community resilience; EAL rating rates expected annual loss alone. Both compare this county with all U.S. counties.

Local data needed: state and local lightning, wildfire and landslide records (Storm Events records these hazards only in part).

Not applicable to this county per NRI, with no federal declaration and no Storm Events record since 1996: avalanche, coastal flooding, tsunami and volcanic activity. That is the evidence for leaving them out of the plan.

The state hazard mitigation plan also lists hazards for this county; FEMA asks the plan to explain any hazard it leaves out.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-b: hazard location

Affects the whole county (national data give no location within it): Cold Wave, Drought, Hail, Heat Wave, Ice Storm, Lightning, Strong Wind and Winter Weather.

Inland Flooding: The FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is the required location source for flooding. See the FEMA Flood Map Service Center (https://msc.fema.gov) for this county.

Hazards that vary within the county: highest-rated census tracts

Source: 5

HazardHighest-rated census tractsNRI risk rating, score 0 to 100
Earthquaketract 9514 (Relatively Low, 61.3); tract 9508 (Relatively Low, 56.2); tract 9513.01 (Relatively Low, 56.0)
Hurricanetract 9508 (Very Low, 42.8); tract 9511 (Very Low, 42.0); tract 9512 (Very Low, 41.3)
Landslidetract 9502 (Relatively Low, 82.6); tract 9511 (Relatively Low, 81.9); tract 9501 (Very Low, 79.8)
Tornadotract 9514 (Relatively High, 89.4); tract 9508 (Relatively High, 86.8); tract 9501 (Relatively High, 81.4)
Wildfiretract 9508 (Very Low, 60.8); tract 9516 (Very Low, 58.8); tract 9511 (Very Low, 57.7)

Up to 3 census tracts per hazard, highest National Risk Index rating first, then highest score; a tract number is the Census tract number (for example 9514 is Census Tract 9514). FEMA's Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool maps the National Risk Index for every tract: https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/resilience-analysis-and-planning-tool

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-c: hazard extent

Extent: scale, observed range and worst recorded event per hazard

Sources: 6, 7

HazardScaleRecordscount and yearsObserved rangeWorst recorded eventMost damaging (when different)How it applies to jurisdictionsNote
Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chillwind chill5 records, 2014 to 2024 (5 zone-level)1 day to 2 days (median 2 days); 5 with a recorded value2 consecutive days, 2022-12-23 to 2022-12-24, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).Wind chill: in event narratives only (local data needed).
Frost/Freeze (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition)crop damage0Temperature: in event narratives only (local data needed).
DroughtU.S. Drought Monitor scale (D0 to D4)0Storm Events enters a drought at D2 or worse east of the Rockies and D3 or worse from the Rockies west (NWS Instruction 10-1605); NRI drought counts D3 and D4 only.
EarthquakeModified Mercalli (local data)0Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hailhail size (inches)72 records, 1965 to 20260.75 in to 4 in (median 0.88 in); 72 with a recorded value4 in hail, 2024-05-07Hail, 1996-04-12, $1,000,000 property; crops not reported (1996 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Coldwater city (26 records), Bronson city (9 records), Quincy village (6 records), Union City village (4 records).
Excessive Heat, Heatheat index (in event narratives)0Heat index: in event narratives only (local data needed).
Hurricane, Tropical Storm, Tropical DepressionSaffir-Simpson0Storm Events files every zone of a storm's episode under the storm's type; flooding from the storm is filed as Flood or Flash Flood records.
Ice StormSperry-Piltz ice scale (local data)7 records, 1997 to 2023 (7 zone-level)No damage reported in 7 records.Countywide (zone-level records).Ice thickness: in event narratives only (local data needed).
Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flooddamage and flood days (flood depth: FIRM)0Flood depth: see the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map. Storm Events damage is often $0 or blank for floods, major ones included; FEMA Public Assistance by declaration (B1-d) shows which floods cost the most.
Debris Flownone (count and damage only)0Physical measure: in event narratives only (local data needed).
Lightningannualized frequency (the measure FEMA's Local Mitigation Planning Handbook names)0Storm Events lists lightning with damage or casualties; physical measure in event narratives only (local data needed).
High Wind and Strong Wind (outside NRI's Strong Wind definition)wind speed (kt and mph)15 records, 1997 to 2026 (15 zone-level)40 kt (46 mph) to 56 kt (64 mph) (median 50 kt (58 mph)); 12 with a recorded value56 kt (64 mph) measured gust, High Wind, 2003-11-12; NWS zone MIZ080Strong Wind, 2011-06-15, $25,000 property; $0 crops, reported for the zone (2011 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).
Thunderstorm Windwind speed (kt and mph)235 records, 1965 to 202650 kt (58 mph) to 70 kt (81 mph) (median 55 kt (63 mph)); 168 with a recorded value70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust, Thunderstorm Wind, 2010-05-07Thunderstorm Wind, 2024-08-27, $150,000 property; $0 crops (2024 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Coldwater city (58 records), Union City village (23 records), Bronson city (17 records), Quincy village (8 records).
TornadoEnhanced Fujita (Fujita before Feb 2007)24 records, 1954 to 2026F/EF0 to F/EF4 (median F/EF1); 24 with a recorded valueF4 tornado, 1965-04-11, 15.5 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 1,333 yd wide, $250,000,000 property; crops not recorded (1965 dollars), 9 direct deaths, 200 direct injuriesEvent records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Union City village (2 records), Coldwater city (1 record).Before 1996 a tornado is listed once, under the county where it began, with its whole path's rating and length; from 1996 on, each county lists its own segment. Length is not used to rank tornadoes (see Methods).
Wildfireacres burned (local data)0Acres burned: in event narratives only (local data needed).
Winter Storm, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Lake-Effect Snow, Winter Weather, Sleetnone in data (snowfall: local data)79 records, 1996 to 2026 (79 zone-level)No damage reported in 79 records.Countywide (zone-level records).Snow depth: in event narratives only (local data needed).

Storm Events records are more complete after 1996; before 1996 only Tornado (from 1950), Hail and Thunderstorm Wind (from 1955) exist. Zone-level records whose zone no NWS zone-county file places in this county (mostly before 2020) are not counted here (the Methods page explains the zone matching).

Dollars are nominal (as reported), labeled with the year; not adjusted for inflation.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-d: previous occurrences

Federal declarations for this county: 6 declarations covering 3 separate hazard incidents counted in this packet (declarations for the same incident count once; non-natural and evacuation-only declarations are not counted).

Federal disaster declarations for this county

Sources: 1, 2, 3

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazardCounty Public Assistancefederal share obligated, nominal dollarsNotes
2020-03-272020-01-20DR-4494-MIMajor disasterCOVID-19 PandemicNon-natural, not counted$26,599.87
2020-03-132020-01-20EM-3455-MIEmergencyCOVID-19Non-natural, not countedno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4494
2005-09-072005-08-29EM-3225-MIEmergencyHurricane Katrina EvacuationHurricane: evacuation support, not a local hazard event; not countedno Public Assistance recorded
2001-01-102000-12-11EM-3160-MIEmergencySnowWinter Weather$61,870.50
1978-01-271978-01-27EM-3057-MIEmergencyBlizzards & SnowstormsWinter Weatherno Public Assistance recorded
1965-04-141965-04-14DR-190-MIMajor disasterTornadoes & Severe StormsTornadono Public Assistance recorded

County Public Assistance: applicants the FEMA record places in this county, including any state agencies FEMA files there; statewide rows are listed on the state page; federal share obligated, nominal dollars.

Statewide declarations

Source: 2

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazard
1956-04-051956-04-05DR-53-MIMajor disasterTornadoTornado
1953-06-091953-06-09DR-6-MIMajor disasterTornadoTornado
1953-06-021953-06-02DR-4-MIMajor disasterTornadoTornado

FEMA recorded these with designated area Statewide and no county, so they are listed on every county page in the state and not counted with county rows. Local data needed: whether each one affected this county.

Previous occurrences by hazard, with explicit no-event rows

Sources: 2, 6, 7

HazardStorm Events records, all years on file(years in the Period column)Since plan approvalrecordsIn the 12 months before plan approvalrecordsLast 5 yearsrecordsDeclared incidents, all yearsseparate disastersDeclared since approvalseparate disastersPeriodStatement
Cold Wave5112001996 to 2026-06-30
Drought0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Earthquake000000Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hail72404001955 to 2026-06-30
Heat Wave0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Hurricane0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Ice Storm7011001996 to 2026-06-30
Inland Flooding0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Landslide0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Lightning0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Strong Wind25012216001955 to 2026-06-30Includes 11 High Wind and 4 Strong Wind records.
Tornado24617101950 to 2026-06-30
Wildfire0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Winter Weather796413201996 to 2026-06-30

Notable Storm Events records

Sources: 1, 6, 7

DateEvent typeMagnitude or extentDamagenominal dollarsDeaths, injuriesdirect onlyLocationFlagsWhy listed
2026-03-06TornadoEF3, 5.23 mi within this county, 500 yd wide$0 property; $0 crops (2026 dollars)3, 12SHERWOOD to UNION CITYnew since last plan; within last 5 yearsdeaths or injuries recorded
2024-08-27Thunderstorm Wind61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust$150,000 property; $0 crops (2024 dollars)0, 0COLDWATER ARPTnew since last plan; within last 5 yearsB1-c most damaging: Thunderstorm Wind
2024-05-07Hail4 in$0 property; $0 crops (2024 dollars)0, 0UNION CITYnew since last plan; within last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: Hail
2022-12-23Cold/Wind Chill$0 property; $0 crops, reported for the zone (2022 dollars)0, 0NWS zone MIZ080 (BRANCH), zone-levelin the 12 months before plan approval; within last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
2011-06-15Strong Wind49 kt (56 mph) estimated gust$25,000 property; $0 crops, reported for the zone (2011 dollars)0, 0NWS zone MIZ080 (BRANCH), zone-levelB1-c most damaging: High Wind and Strong Wind
2010-05-07Thunderstorm Wind70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust$10,000 property; $0 crops (2010 dollars)0, 0QUINCYB1-c worst recorded: Thunderstorm Wind
2003-11-12High Wind56 kt (64 mph) measured gust$0 property; crops not reported, reported for the zone (2003 dollars)0, 0NWS zone MIZ080 (BRANCH), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: High Wind and Strong Wind
1996-04-12Hail1.75 in$1,000,000 property; crops not reported (1996 dollars)0, 0BRONSON to QUINCYB1-c most damaging: Hail
1991-03-27Thunderstorm Windspeed not recordeddamage not recorded (pre-1996 record)0, 18location not recordeddeaths or injuries recorded
1965-04-11TornadoF4, 9.2 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 33 yd widedamage not recorded (pre-1996 record)9, 200location not recordeddeaths or injuries recorded
1965-04-11TornadoF4, 15.5 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 1,333 yd wide$250,000,000 property; crops not recorded (1965 dollars)9, 200location not recordeddeaths or injuries recorded
1963-04-17TornadoF1, 1 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 33 yd wide$25,000 property; crops not recorded (1963 dollars)1, 0location not recordeddeaths or injuries recorded

The full list is in the Excel file, sheet "B1-d Storm Events history" (437 rows).

Location is the place NOAA recorded, as written in its data; it need not be a jurisdiction in this plan.

Local data needed: state-declared emergencies, from your state emergency management agency (federal data do not include them).

Tribal and special-area declarations in this state are listed on the state page.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-e: probability of future events

Probability: FEMA annualized frequency and descriptor per hazard

Sources: 5, 6

HazardFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)unit per rowUnitIn plain termsDescriptorDescriptor basisNRI events or days in its record period (hail, wind and tornado are area-weighted, so can be fractional)NRI periodLocationNote
Cold Wave3.05event-days per yearabout 3.05 days per yearLikely (from Storm Events: 5 of 30 years)event-days in 5 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (16.7%)582005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Drought0.837event-days per yearabout 0.837 days per yearevent-days in 0 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (0%)282000 to 2025 (25.25 years; D3 and D4 only)countywideNo Storm Events drought record, 1996 to 2025
Earthquake0.00113annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county has at least minor-damage shaking in a year: 0.113%not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor (Storm Events does not record earthquakes).
Hail2.88events per yearabout 2.88 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)109.3 (modeled)1986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Heat Wave3.47event-days per yearabout 3.47 days per yearevent-days in 0 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (0%)542005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywideNo Storm Events heat wave record, 1996 to 2025
Hurricane0.015events per yearabout 1 in 67 yearsPossibleFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)61851 to 2024 (Atlantic)see B1-fNRI counts hurricane and tropical storm tracks passing within storm-force wind range; federal declarations are in B1-d.
Ice Storm1.59event-days per yearabout 1.59 days per yearLikely (from Storm Events: 7 of 30 years)event-days in 7 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (23.3%)1071946-12-31 to 2014-02-12 (67 years)countywide
Inland Flooding0.01event-days per yearabout 0.01 days per yearevent-days in 0 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (0%)01996 to 2023 (28 years)see B1-fNo Storm Events inland flooding record, 1996 to 2025
Landslide0.0743events per year (modeled)about 1 in 13 yearsPossibleFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shownmodeledsee B1-f
Lightning37.2days per year with a strikeabout 37.2 days per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1995 to 2023 (29 years; CONUS)countywide
Strong Wind5.15events per yearabout 5.15 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)1961986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Tornado0.259events per yearabout 1 in 4 yearsLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1950 to 2023 (EF2+); 1986 to 2023 (EF0-1)see B1-f
Wildfire0.0000132annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county burns in a year: 0.00132%Storm Events records in 0 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (0%)not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor: no Storm Events record 1996 to 2025
Winter Weather12.8event-days per yearabout 12.8 days per yearHighly likely (from Storm Events: 27 of 30 years)event-days in 27 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (90%)2432005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide

FEMA annualized frequency (modeled) is the National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025) estimate of how often a hazard affects this county in a year; it is not recorded events divided by years, and its unit differs by hazard (events, event-days, or days with a lightning strike per year). For earthquake, wildfire, coastal flooding and tsunami the value is the chance (or number of events) at a location in the county, not across the county, so no "1 in N years" is given and the descriptor comes from Storm Events where it has a record (none for earthquake). The Methods page gives each hazard's method, from FEMA's National Risk Index Technical Documentation v1.20.

Where NRI gives event-days, the descriptor comes from the share of years with a Storm Events record; NRI's source records more events, so the two differ.

Descriptor scale used in this packet (defined per unit)

Sources: 5, 6

UnitDescriptorDefinition
events per yearHighly likely1 or more per year
events per yearLikelyabout once in 1 to 10 years
events per yearPossibleabout once in 10 to 100 years
events per yearUnlikelyless than once in 100 years
annual probabilityLikely10% to under 100% chance in a given year
annual probabilityPossible1% to under 10% chance in a given year
annual probabilityUnlikelyunder 1% chance in a given year
event-days (share of years)Highly likelyevent-days recorded in 90% or more of years
event-days (share of years)Likelyevent-days recorded in 10% to under 90% of years
event-days (share of years)Possibleevent-days recorded in some years but under 10% of years
lightning strike-daysHighly likelycloud-to-ground strikes on 1 or more days per year

Intensity bands: historical frequency (Storm Events)

Source: 6

HazardBandYearsEventscounty-coded recordsYears in periodEvents per yearevents / years
Hail1.00-1.99 in1996 to 202520300.667
Hail2.00 in+1996 to 20253300.1
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)50-64 kt1996 to 2025150305
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)65 kt+1996 to 20251300.0333
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)unmeasured or below 50 kt1996 to 202530301
TornadoEF0-11996 to 20256300.2
TornadoEF2-31996 to 20251300.0333
TornadoEF4-51996 to 20250300
Tornadounrated (EFU)1996 to 20250300

The bands show how often events of each severity were recorded in this county, to profile how severe events have been (FEMA's probability item asks for the range of intensities).

Hail smaller than 1 inch is not counted: on 2010-01-05 the National Weather Service raised its severe-hail threshold from 3/4 inch to 1 inch, so smaller reports became less common after 2009 (NWS Service Change Notice 09-52). NRI hail frequency uses a 0.75 inch threshold.

Optional: future conditions. Not a required item in the 2025 FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide; some states ask for it. The federal Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation (CMRA) site gives county exposure to future climate conditions (https://resilience.climate.gov/).

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-f: hazards that vary across jurisdictions

Range of census tract risk within the county

Source: 5

HazardTractsrated of allNRI risk score, 0 to 100Tracts by rating
MinMedianMax
Cold Wave13 of 1351.466.182.3Relatively High 2, Relatively Moderate 11
Drought11 of 1372.187.994.8Relatively Moderate 4, Relatively Low 5, Very Low 2, No Rating 2
Earthquake13 of 1331.144.661.3Relatively Low 7, Very Low 6
Hail13 of 1376.385.589.3Relatively High 2, Relatively Moderate 11
Heat Wave13 of 139.717.838.1Relatively Low 9, Very Low 4
Hurricane13 of 1327.334.542.8Very Low 13
Ice Storm13 of 1357.865.881.7Relatively Moderate 5, Relatively Low 8
Inland Flooding13 of 1313.959.278.8Relatively High 1, Relatively Moderate 7, Relatively Low 4, Very Low 1
Landslide13 of 1316.969.682.6Relatively Low 2, Very Low 11
Lightning13 of 1347.462.284.4Relatively High 3, Relatively Moderate 8, Relatively Low 2
Strong Wind13 of 1376.384.694.1Relatively High 9, Relatively Moderate 4
Tornado13 of 1367.274.789.4Relatively High 7, Relatively Moderate 6
Wildfire13 of 1342.455.360.8Very Low 13
Winter Weather13 of 1341.249.967.1Relatively Moderate 9, Relatively Low 4

Drought: Agriculture is all of NRI's expected annual loss for this hazard in the county, so the tract range mostly reflects where crop and livestock value is.

Rated tracts only: No Rating (score 0.0), Not Applicable and Insufficient Data tracts are counted but not used for the minimum, median and maximum.

The score ranks a tract against all U.S. tracts (100 = highest). The rating is FEMA's category for the tract's risk value, computed differently, so the two can disagree.

Frequency data for cold wave, drought, hail, heat wave, ice storm, lightning, strong wind and winter weather are county-wide or coarse (49 km grid or NWS zone), the same for every jurisdiction; the tract range mostly reflects where buildings and people are (crop and livestock value where a line above names agriculture).

Each jurisdiction (starting figures from federal data)

Sources: 1, 3, 4, 6

JurisdictionTypePlan statusRepetitive lossFMA RL and SRL (44 CFR 77.2); repeat-flood, any definitionPublic Assistance to this jurisdictionFEMA records matched by applicant name; federal share obligated, nominal dollarsEvent records naming this placeall years; since its planNotes
Branch CountyCountyApproved, expires 2028-07-18$15,902.370 total; 0 since its planNo NFIP community ID on this jurisdiction's plan row. Includes $15,902.37 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4494-MI).
Bronson cityCityApproved, expires 2028-07-18FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$2,958.7526 total; 0 since its plan
Coldwater cityCityApproved, expires 2028-07-18FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 3$16,895.2585 total; 1 since its plan
Quincy villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-07-18FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$3,400.5014 total; 0 since its plan
Union City villageVillageApproved, expires 2028-07-18FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$2,231.2529 total; 5 since its plan

Repetitive-loss counts are for whole NFIP communities, which can extend beyond this county (see the note in B2-c).

School districts and special districts get a plan clock row only.

County Public Assistance in B1-d also includes applicants filed under the county that are not jurisdictions in this plan (for example state agencies, special districts and nonprofits), so the jurisdiction rows add up to less.

Supports FEMA checklist items B2-a and B2-b: vulnerability and potential impacts

Local data needed

The table below gives county-level starting figures; the plan describes impacts for each jurisdiction and its own assets.

  • Critical facilities and lifelines per hazard
  • A problem statement per jurisdiction per hazard
  • Changes in development in hazard-prone areas since the last approval, or a statement of none (E1-a)
  • Future assets

County-level starter: exposure, expected annual loss and damage since the plan

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

HazardBuilding exposuremodeled dollarsAgriculture exposuremodeled dollarsPopulation exposedpeopleEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL as % of exposurebuildings; agriculture where notedStorm Events damage since 2023-07-19county-coded records, property plus crops, nominal dollarsZone-level damage since planproperty plus crops, reported for the zonePublic Assistance since plannominal dollars; see noteNote
Cold Wave$10,584,387,326$208,920,23244,842$513$89,406$1,049,682under 0.0001%$0
Droughtn/a$89,022,152n/an/a$239,377n/a0.269% (agriculture)NRI has no building exposure for this hazard; agriculture shown
Earthquake$18,275,365,781n/a44,862$232,680n/a$61,7190.00127%
Hail$10,584,387,326$208,920,23244,842$653,646$41,152$4,4660.00618%$15,500
Heat Wave$10,584,387,326$208,920,23244,842$2,843$2$161,848under 0.0001%
Hurricane$10,538,799,047$200,265,05044,575$8,338$8,595$23under 0.0001%
Ice Storm$10,584,387,326n/a44,842$57,834n/a$53,8210.000546%
Inland Flooding$10,535,885,014$952,562976$7,527,902$119$174n/a (see note)NRI counts the full building value of any census block with some flood loss; this is not the value of buildings in the floodplain. Use local FIRM overlays for B2-a/B2-b.
Landslide$37,429,525n/a139$44n/a$4150.000117%
Lightning$10,584,387,326n/a44,842$12,022n/a$206,1620.000114%
Strong Wind$10,584,387,326$208,920,23244,842$168,523$32,858$640,9680.00159%$326,000$1,000Storm Events damage since the plan includes 1 zone-level Strong Wind record ($1,000): a NOAA non-thunderstorm wind type, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition.
Tornado$10,584,387,326$208,920,23244,842$1,589,632$5,486$825,7920.015%$150,000
Wildfire$3,451,389,502$47,371,89514,225$3,797$5$3080.00011%
Winter Weather$10,584,387,326$208,920,23244,842$4,226$880$27,543under 0.0001%$0

Totals since 2023-07-19 (Storm Events through 2026-06-30): 21 county-coded records, 20 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $491,500; 8 zone-level records, 8 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $1,000 reported for the zone; Public Assistance: no counted declaration since the plan.

FEMA does not split Public Assistance by hazard. A declaration mapped to several hazards is listed under each of them with its full amount, so the per-hazard column does not add up to the total; the unit total counts each declaration once.

NRI computes earthquake exposure on its own basis, so it exceeds the county building value in B2-a.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-a: vulnerability (county context)

County context

Source: 5

MeasureValue
Population44,842
Building value (total, not at risk)$10,584,387,326
Agriculture value (total, not at risk)$208,920,232
NRI risk rating (all hazards)Relatively Low
Expected annual loss, buildings and agriculture, all hazards$10,679,879
Expected annual loss, population equivalence, all hazards (NRI values each statistical life at $13.7M; a modeled value of expected deaths and injuries, not property damage)$3,032,922
Social vulnerability ratingRelatively High
Community resilience ratingRelatively High
NRI versionDecember 2025

FEMA's all-hazard expected annual loss adds buildings, agriculture and population equivalence; this table gives the property part and the population-equivalence part as separate rows.

Social vulnerability: higher means people are more likely to be harmed and slower to recover. Community resilience: lower means the community is less able to recover. High social vulnerability and low resilience both raise the NRI risk rating.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-c: repetitive loss properties

Repetitive loss in this county, both definitions

Sources: 1, 4

DefinitionPropertiesSevere repetitive lossProperties
Repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)1Severe repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)0
Repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition5Severe repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition0

The state NFIP coordinator's list, the source FEMA's Handbook names, often uses the NFIP insurance definition (second row).

Repeat-flood properties: county and state-level rows

Sources: 1, 4

ScopeRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
County total1050502
of which: Coldwater city0030301
of which: Coldwater township (community ID not in plan data)0010100
of which: Quincy township (community ID not in plan data)1010101
Statewide, no county in FEMA's file0040400

The statewide row counts properties FEMA's file gives with no county in this state; they are listed for reference and are not in this county's counts.

Repeat-flood properties by jurisdiction in the plan (NFIP community)

Sources: 1, 4

JurisdictionNFIP community IDRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
Bronson city2610490000000
Coldwater city2608130030301
Quincy village2610550000000
Union City village2610530000000

Counts by occupancy group for each jurisdiction are in the Excel file, sheet "B2-c Jurisdictions".

Jurisdiction rows are whole NFIP communities and need not add up to the county total: a community that extends into another county is counted in full on each jurisdiction row, while the county table counts only its part in this county.

County repeat-flood properties by occupancy group

Sources: 1, 4

Occupancy groupRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
single-family residential1050502
2 to 4 unit residential0000000
other residential0000000
non-residential0000000
not reported0000000

FEMA's occupancy groups have no institutional class; institutional properties are counted in non-residential or other residential in the table by occupancy group.

FMA RL and FMA SRL are the Flood Mitigation Assistance definitions (44 CFR 77.2), the ones the FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide cites. NFIP repetitive loss (the FEMA insurance definition) is 2 or more claims over $1,000 in 10 years, and a property can leave that group once it is mitigated. Also shown: NFIP severe repetitive loss, any category, mitigated and currently insured. The Methods page gives the OpenFEMA field details.

Counts are aggregates of FEMA's public NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (FEMA's data date 2026-08-02; file version 2026-08-04). No property is identified. County assignment is FEMA's geocode.

In this county 0 properties are FMA repetitive loss but not NFIP repetitive loss, and 4 properties are NFIP repetitive loss but not FMA repetitive loss.

Exact counts; no count suppression.

Sources

Tables cite these sources by number. The full list, for the plan's bibliography (FEMA review item A4-a):

  1. FEMA, OpenFEMA HazardMitigationPlanStatuses v1, version 2026-09-29T134039Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/HazardMitigationPlanStatuses (API)
  2. FEMA, OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, version 2026-09-29T162832Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v2/DisasterDeclarationsSummaries (API)
  3. FEMA, OpenFEMA PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries v1, version 2026-09-29T150754Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries (API)
  4. FEMA, OpenFEMA NfipMultipleLossProperties v1, version 2026-08-04T164045Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/NfipMultipleLossProperties (API)
  5. FEMA, FEMA National Risk Index 1.20.0 (December 2025), county and census tract tables, version 1.20.0, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_Counties.zip (download, 25 MB), https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_CensusTracts.zip (download, 635 MB)
  6. NOAA NCEI, NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, details files (csvfiles v1.0), version c20260918, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/swdi/stormevents/csvfiles/
  7. NOAA National Weather Service, NWS county-public forecast zones correlation file, version bp03mr20 to bp16ap26 (11 files; newest bp16ap26), pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.weather.gov/gis/ZoneCounty
  8. U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2024 Gazetteer, 2020 place by county, CT county-to-cousub crosswalk, version 2024-gazetteer, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_counties_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_cousubs_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_place_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_unsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_elsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_scsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/codes2020/national_place_by_county2020.txt, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/ct_change/ct_cou_to_cousub_crosswalk.xlsx (used to match place names and codes; no table prints its values)

What this packet is and what the plan adds

This packet is the federal data for the plan's risk assessment, organized by the items of FEMA's Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool, Element B. Each section heading names the item its tables support; the plan and FEMA's review decide whether the item is met.

The plan adds what only the community has: local data on assets, critical facilities, development and each jurisdiction's impacts; local hazard history, including state-declared emergencies; the mitigation strategy; and adoption.

How the federal data are built: National Risk Index values are FEMA's model, not counts of events. Storm Events is more complete from 1996; zone-level records are placed by forecast zone, not by location in the county. Public Assistance for a jurisdiction is matched by applicant name. The Methods page gives every rule and the known edge cases.

OpenFEMA disclaimer

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

Reuse, citation and corrections

Reuse and citation: Hazard Plain text and tables are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/); credit Hazard Plain and the release. The underlying federal data are public domain; OpenFEMA data are also subject to the OpenFEMA terms and conditions.

Cite this: Hazard Plain (2026). Branch County, MI: risk-assessment baseline packet, release 2026-10 (data as of 2026-09-30; County FIPS 26023). Automated baseline. https://hazardplain.org/mi/26023/ Built from FEMA OpenFEMA, the FEMA National Risk Index and NOAA NCEI Storm Events; source versions in the packet's Sources list.

Corrections: to report an error, name the packet, the table and what your records show. Contact: [email protected]

Hazard Plain release 2026-10. As of 2026-09-30; Storm Events data through 2026-06-30. Automated baseline.