Natural hazards · Algona

Algona, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Algona comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2019. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Algona?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Algona to be higher than in 28% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding31%Cold waves29%Tornadoes27%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Algona faces

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

Inland flooding

31% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 23% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

29% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Recorded about 12 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

27% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Algona flood?

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

1paid claims since 2019

$22Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20192026

Biggest named events

March 2019 Midwest Flooding: 1 claim, $22K

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Kossuth County.

Disasters that hit Algona

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AlgonaDeclared for Kossuth County only

2024

Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

$36K to the City of Algona for repairs

2024

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$37K to the City of Algona for repairs

2019

Severe Storms and Flooding

$136K to the City of Algona for repairs

2014

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$25K to the City of Algona for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

10 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

11 households applied for aid $41K aid approved $17K to the City of Algona for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

18 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

Kossuth County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

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. Algona covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Algona’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Algona. 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 Algona total about $3.6M 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.