Natural hazards · Fern

Fern, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Fern comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Fern?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Fern to be higher than in 29% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding60%Cold waves18%Tornadoes6%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Fern faces

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

Inland flooding

60% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 54% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Cold waves

18% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about 15 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 11 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 Fern flood?

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Hubbard County.

Disasters that hit Fern

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FernDeclared for Hubbard County only

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

$30K to the Township of Fern for repairs

2002

Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes

$32K to the Township of Fern for repairs

1999

Severe Storms, Winds, and Flooding

$8K to the Township of Fern for repairs

Hubbard County has had 8 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Fern

Fern and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Jonesmostly inland floodingLow

Grant Valleymostly inland floodingLow

Fernmostly inland floodingLow

Rockwoodmostly inland floodingLow

Lake Hattiemostly inland floodingLow

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