Natural hazards · Osceola

Osceola, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Osceola comes from cold waves, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Osceola?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Osceola to be higher than in 30% of U.S. communities, mostly from cold waves and tornadoes.

Cold waves29%Tornadoes24%Inland flooding21%Heat waves11%Strong wind8%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Osceola faces

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

Cold waves

29% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

24% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

21% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Heat waves

11% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Strong wind

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Osceola flood?

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

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Osceola

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OsceolaDeclared for Clarke County only

2024

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

22 households applied for aid $28K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

32 households applied for aid $99K aid approved $104K to the City of Osceola for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storm

$49K to the City of Osceola for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$20K to the City of Osceola for repairs

Clarke County has had 14 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. Osceola covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Osceola’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Osceola. 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 Osceola total about $3.3M 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.