Natural hazards · Madelia

Madelia, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Madelia comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 2010. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Madelia?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Madelia to be higher than in 57% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding46%Cold waves19%Tornadoes12%Drought7%Strong wind7%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Madelia faces

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

Inland flooding

46% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Cold waves

19% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Drought

7% of expected damage

Recorded about 12 times a year in the area

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce 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 Madelia flood?

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

8paid claims since 2010

$942Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20102026

Biggest named events

June Midwest Flooding: 3 claims, $689K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Watonwan County.

Disasters that hit Madelia

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MadeliaDeclared for Watonwan County only

2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

33 households applied for aid $153K aid approved $292K to the City of Madelia for repairs

2019

Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$189K to the City of Madelia for repairs

2018

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$194K to the City of Madelia for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$352K to the City of Madelia for repairs

Watonwan County has had 11 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

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. Madelia 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 Madelia’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Madelia. 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.

Madelia, MN natural hazards

How exposed is Madelia?

What Madelia faces

Inland flooding

Cold waves

Tornadoes

Drought

Strong wind

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Madelia flood?

Biggest named events

Homes that flooded again and again

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms and Flooding

Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

Severe Storms and Flooding

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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