Natural hazards · Carlston

Carlston, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Carlston comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Carlston?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Carlston to be higher than in 40% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and drought.

Inland flooding33%Drought25%Tornadoes17%Cold waves9%Strong wind8%Hail6%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Carlston faces

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

Inland flooding

33% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Drought

25% of expected damage

Recorded about 14 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Strong wind

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hail

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

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 Carlston flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Freeborn County.

Disasters that hit Carlston

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CarlstonDeclared for Freeborn County only

2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

$25K to the Township of Carlston for repairs

2019

Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$15K to the Township of Carlston for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

$7K to the Township of Carlston for repairs

2014

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$11K to the Township of Carlston for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$20K to the Township of Carlston for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$4K to the Township of Carlston for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$9K to the Township of Carlston for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$6K to the Township of Carlston for repairs

2000

Severe Storms and Flooding

$31K to the Township of Carlston for repairs

Freeborn County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Carlston

Carlston and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Carlstonmostly inland floodingModerate

Freebornmostly inland floodingModerate

Manchestermostly inland floodingModerate

Aldenmostly inland floodingModerate

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