Natural hazards · Winterset

Winterset, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Winterset comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1998. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Winterset?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Winterset to be higher than in 15% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding37%Tornadoes23%Strong wind13%Heat waves7%Cold waves7%Hail7%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Winterset faces

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

Inland flooding

37% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 15% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

23% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Strong wind

13% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Hail

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce 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 Winterset flood?

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

1paid claims since 1998

$752paid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19982026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Madison County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Winterset

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WintersetDeclared for Madison County only

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$26K to the City of Winterset for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

45 households applied for aid $123K aid approved $9K to the City of Winterset for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storm

$14K to the City of Winterset for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

27 households applied for aid $47K aid approved

Madison County has had 18 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. Winterset covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Winterset’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Winterset. 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 Winterset total about $1.6M 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.

Winterset, IA natural hazards

How exposed is Winterset?

What Winterset faces

Inland flooding

Tornadoes

Strong wind

Heat waves

Cold waves

Hail

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Winterset flood?

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Severe Winter Storm

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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