Natural hazards · Winona

Winona, MN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Winona comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 18 claims here since 1978. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Winona?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Winona to be higher than in 49% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding62%Cold waves15%Tornadoes13%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Winona faces

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

Inland flooding

62% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

15% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Winona flood?

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

18paid claims since 1978

$212Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Severe flooding: 1 claim, $1K

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Winona County.

Disasters that hit Winona

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WinonaDeclared for Winona County only

2019

Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$62K to the City of Winona for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

427 households applied for aid $1.4M aid approved $40K to the City of Winona for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$92K to the City of Winona for repairs

Winona County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Winona

Winona and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Homermostly inland floodingHigh

Rollingstonemostly inland floodingHigh

Wilsonmostly inland floodingHigh

Buffalomostly inland floodingModerate

Fountain Citymostly inland floodingModerate

Winonamostly inland floodingModerate

Goodviewmostly 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. Winona covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Winona’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Winona. 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 Winona total about $12.0M 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.