Natural hazards · Elmo

Elmo, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Elmo 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 Elmo?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Elmo 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 Elmo 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 Elmo flood?

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

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Elmo 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 Elmo

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ElmoDeclared for Otter Tail County only

2010

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$2K to the Township of Elmo for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$2K to the Township of Elmo for repairs

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

Around Elmo

Elmo and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Inmanmostly inland floodingLow

Elmomostly inland floodingLow

Foldenmostly inland floodingLow

Woodsidemostly 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. Elmo covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Elmo’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Elmo. 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 Elmo total about $2.0M 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.