Natural hazards · Willmar

Willmar, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Willmar comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 2007. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Willmar?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Willmar to be higher than in 12% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding36%Cold waves31%Tornadoes11%Strong wind11%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Willmar 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

Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Cold waves

31% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 17% of U.S. places

Recorded about 12 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

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

Strong wind

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Willmar flood?

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

3paid claims since 2007

$119Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20072026

Biggest named events

Winter storm: 1 claim, $36K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Kandiyohi County.

Disasters that hit Willmar

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WillmarDeclared for Kandiyohi County only

2022

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

$7K to the City of Willmar for repairs

Kandiyohi County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Willmar

Willmar and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

St. Johnsmostly inland floodingLow

Dovremostly inland floodingLow

Willmarmostly inland floodingLow

Willmarmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Willmar covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Willmar’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Willmar. 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 Willmar total about $4.6M 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.