Natural hazards · Graf

Graf, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Graf comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Graf?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Graf to be higher than in 23% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding37%Tornadoes26%Cold waves15%Hail10%Strong wind6%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Graf faces

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

Inland flooding

37% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 22% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

26% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 22 years in the area

Cold waves

15% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 22% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Hail

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Graf flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Dubuque County.

Disasters that hit Graf

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GrafDeclared for Dubuque County only

2002

Severe Storms and Flooding

$2K to the City of Graf for repairs

1999

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$5K to the City of Graf for repairs

Dubuque County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

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. Graf is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Graf’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Graf. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.