Natural hazards · Altona

Altona, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Altona comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Altona?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Altona to be higher than in 48% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hail.

Inland flooding40%Hail16%Drought13%Cold waves11%Tornadoes10%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Altona faces

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

Inland flooding

40% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hail

16% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Drought

13% of expected damage

Recorded about 12 times a year in the area

Cold waves

11% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places

Recorded about 12 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Altona flood?

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Pipestone County.

Disasters that hit Altona

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AltonaDeclared for Pipestone County only

2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

$12K to the Township of Altona for repairs

2019

Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$152K to the Township of Altona for repairs

2018

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$13K to the Township of Altona for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$18K to the Township of Altona for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$30K to the Township of Altona for repairs

Pipestone County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Altona

Altona and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Verdimostly inland floodingHigh

Altonamostly inland floodingModerate

Fountain Prairiemostly inland floodingModerate

Troymostly inland floodingModerate

Wardmostly inland floodingLow

Unionmostly inland floodingLow

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. Altona 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 Altona’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Altona. 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.