Natural hazards · Pickerel Lake

Pickerel Lake, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pickerel Lake comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Pickerel Lake?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Pickerel Lake to be higher than in 40% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding34%Tornadoes21%Drought19%Cold waves10%Strong wind8%Hail5%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Pickerel Lake faces

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

Inland flooding

34% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 40% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

21% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Drought

19% of expected damage

Recorded about 14 times a year in the area

Cold waves

10% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Strong wind

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hail

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice 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 Pickerel Lake flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Freeborn County.

Disasters that hit Pickerel Lake

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Pickerel LakeDeclared for Freeborn County only

2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

$15K to the Township of Pickerel Lake for repairs

2019

Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$38K to the Township of Pickerel Lake for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

$11K to the Township of Pickerel Lake for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$29K to the Township of Pickerel Lake for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$6K to the Township of Pickerel Lake for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$16K to the Township of Pickerel Lake for repairs

Freeborn County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Pickerel Lake

Pickerel Lake and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Pickerel Lakemostly inland floodingModerate

Congermostly inland floodingModerate

Manchestermostly inland floodingModerate

Nundamostly inland floodingModerate

Aldenmostly inland floodingModerate

Albert Leamostly 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. Pickerel Lake covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Pickerel Lake’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Pickerel Lake. 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 Pickerel Lake total about $2.3M 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.