Natural hazards · Clarion

Clarion, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Clarion comes from drought, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Clarion?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Clarion to be higher than in 38% of U.S. communities, mostly from drought and inland flooding.

Drought33%Inland flooding30%Tornadoes14%Cold waves11%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Clarion faces

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

Drought

33% of expected damage

Recorded about 20 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

30% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Cold waves

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Clarion flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Wright County.

Disasters that hit Clarion

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ClarionDeclared for Wright County only

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

401 households applied for aid $930K aid approved $105K to the City of Clarion for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

47 households applied for aid $57K aid approved $6K to the City of Clarion for repairs

2007

Snow

$2K to the City of Clarion for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$10K to the City of Clarion for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $882 aid approved $3K to the City of Clarion for repairs

Wright County has had 22 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. Clarion covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Clarion’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Clarion. 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 Clarion total about $2.7M 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.

Clarion, IA natural hazards

How exposed is Clarion?

What Clarion faces

Drought

Inland flooding

Tornadoes

Cold waves

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Clarion flood?

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Snow

Severe Winter Storms

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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