Natural hazards · Knute

Knute, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Knute comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 27 claims here since 1986. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Knute?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Knute to be higher than in 38% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding36%Cold waves28%Drought10%Wildfire9%Tornadoes7%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Knute faces

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

Inland flooding

36% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

28% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 20 times a year in the area

Drought

10% of expected damage

Recorded about 14 times a year in the area

Wildfire

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Knute flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Knute, from FEMA’s records.

27paid claims since 1986

$501Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19862026

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Polk County.

Disasters that hit Knute

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into KnuteDeclared for Polk County only

2001

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$11K to the Township of Knute for repairs

1999

Severe Ice Storm and Flooding

$80K to the Township of Knute for repairs

Polk County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Knute

Knute and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Knutemostly inland floodingLow

Erskinemostly inland floodingLow

Woodsidemostly inland floodingLow

Badgermostly inland floodingLow

Kingmostly inland floodingLow

Lessormostly inland floodingLow

Wingermostly 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. Knute covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Knute’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Knute. 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 Knute total about $3.1M 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.