Natural hazards · Wayland

Wayland, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wayland 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 Wayland?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wayland to be higher than in 39% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and drought.

Inland flooding27%Drought18%Strong wind14%Heat waves12%Tornadoes11%Hail9%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Wayland faces

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

Inland flooding

27% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Drought

18% of expected damage

Recorded about 12 times a year in the area

Strong wind

14% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Heat waves

12% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Hail

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

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 Wayland flood?

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

Disasters that hit Wayland

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WaylandDeclared for Henry County only

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$3K to the City of Wayland for repairs

Henry County has had 14 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. Wayland 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 Wayland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Wayland. 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.