Natural hazards · Kalona

Kalona, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Kalona comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 2013. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Kalona?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Kalona to be higher than in 53% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and strong winds.

Inland flooding48%Strong wind15%Tornadoes13%Hail7%Heat waves6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Kalona faces

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

Inland flooding

48% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 52% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Strong wind

15% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 36 years in the area

Hail

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold 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 Kalona flood?

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

6paid claims since 2013

$99Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20132026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 05% off flood insurance. Kalona is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Washington County.

Disasters that hit Kalona

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into KalonaDeclared for Washington County only

2014

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

$32K to the City of Kalona for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$9K to the City of Kalona for repairs

Washington County has had 12 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. Kalona 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 Kalona’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Kalona. 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.