Natural hazards · Orchard

Orchard, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Orchard comes from strong winds, and overall the risk is high 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 Orchard?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Orchard to be higher than in 72% of U.S. communities, mostly from strong winds and inland flooding.

Strong wind40%Inland flooding28%Drought16%Tornadoes7%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Orchard faces

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

Strong wind

40% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

28% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Drought

16% of expected damage

Recorded about 22 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

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 Orchard flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Mitchell County.

Disasters that hit Orchard

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OrchardDeclared for Mitchell County only

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $22K aid approved $1K to the City of Orchard for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $3K aid approved $1K to the City of Orchard for repairs

Mitchell 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. Orchard 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 Orchard’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Orchard. 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.

Orchard, IA natural hazards

How exposed is Orchard?

What Orchard faces

Strong wind

Inland flooding

Drought

Tornadoes

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Orchard flood?

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

Nearby