Natural hazards · Wolcott

Wolcott, IN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wolcott comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2018. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Wolcott?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wolcott to be higher than in 12% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding36%Cold waves24%Tornadoes15%Strong wind7%Hail7%Earthquakes6%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Wolcott faces

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

Inland flooding

36% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 11% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Cold waves

24% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Hail

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Wolcott flood?

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

1paid claims since 2018

$12Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20182026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: White County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Wolcott

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WolcottDeclared for White County only

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

3 households applied for aid

2018

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $9K aid approved

2009

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

36 households applied for aid $124K aid approved $8K to the Town of Wolcott for repairs

2007

Snow

$4K to the Town of Wolcott for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $3K to the Town of Wolcott for repairs

2000

Snow

$2K to the Town of Wolcott for repairs

1999

In-Winter Storm 12/23/98

$3K to the Town of Wolcott for repairs

White County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter 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. Wolcott 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 Wolcott’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Wolcott. 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.

Wolcott, IN natural hazards

How exposed is Wolcott?

What Wolcott faces

Inland flooding

Cold waves

Tornadoes

Strong wind

Hail

Earthquakes

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Wolcott flood?

What’s been done with FEMA grants

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

Severe Storms and Flooding

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Severe Storms and Flooding

Snow

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Snow

In-Winter Storm 12/23/98

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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