Natural hazards · White Bear Lake

White Bear Lake, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in White Bear Lake comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1978. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is White Bear Lake?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in White Bear Lake to be higher than in 24% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding39%Cold waves25%Tornadoes17%Heat waves10%Hail6%Everything else2%

By hazard

What White Bear Lake faces

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

Inland flooding

39% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 37% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

25% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 36% of U.S. places

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Heat waves

10% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 44% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Hail

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 White Bear Lake flood?

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

3paid claims since 1978

$26Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Severe flooding: 1 claim, $20K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. White Bear 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: Ramsey County.

Disasters that hit White Bear Lake

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into White Bear LakeDeclared for Ramsey County only

2000

Severe Storms and Flooding

$50K to the City of White Bear Lake for repairs

Ramsey County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around White Bear Lake

White Bear Lake and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Mahtomedimostly inland floodingLow

White Bearmostly inland floodingLow

Vadnais Heightsmostly inland floodingLow

White Bear Lakemostly inland floodingLow

Maplewoodmostly inland floodingLow

Gem Lakemostly 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. White Bear Lake covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to White Bear Lake’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of White Bear 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 White Bear Lake total about $7.9M 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.