Natural hazards · Effington

Effington, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Effington comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Effington?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Effington to be higher than in 21% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding53%Cold waves20%Tornadoes11%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Effington faces

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

Inland flooding

53% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 34% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

20% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Recorded about 15 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Effington flood?

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Otter Tail County.

Disasters that hit Effington

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into EffingtonDeclared for Otter Tail County only

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

$22K to the Township of Effington for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$13K to the Township of Effington for repairs

Otter Tail County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Effington

Effington and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Leaf Valleymostly inland floodingLow

Leaf Mountainmostly inland floodingLow

Urbankmostly inland floodingLow

Effingtonmostly inland floodingLow

Foldenmostly inland floodingLow

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