Natural hazards · Wellman

Wellman, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wellman comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 2007. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Wellman?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wellman to be higher than in 46% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding47%Strong wind14%Tornadoes10%Hail8%Cold waves8%Drought7%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Wellman faces

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

Inland flooding

47% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 44% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 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

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Hail

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Drought

7% of expected damage

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Wellman flood?

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

3paid claims since 2007

$21Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20072026

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

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

Insurance rates: Washington County.

Disasters that hit Wellman

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WellmanDeclared for Washington County only

2020

Severe Storms

1 household applied for aid $20K to the City of Wellman for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$7K to the City of Wellman for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $767 aid approved

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$29K to the City of Wellman 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. Wellman 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 Wellman’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Wellman. 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.

Wellman, IA natural hazards

How exposed is Wellman?

What Wellman faces

Inland flooding

Strong wind

Tornadoes

Hail

Cold waves

Drought

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Wellman flood?

Homes that flooded again and again

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Severe Winter Storms

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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