Natural hazards · Alma

Alma, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Alma comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 2000. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Alma?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Alma to be higher than in 50% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding50%Cold waves25%Tornadoes9%Strong wind6%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Alma faces

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

Inland flooding

50% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

25% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 25 years in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% 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 Alma flood?

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

5paid claims since 2000

$51Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20002026

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Jackson County.

Disasters that hit Alma

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AlmaDeclared for Jackson County only

2017

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mud

$64K to the Town of Alma for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$53K to the Town of Alma for repairs

2001

Flooding, Severe Storms and Tornadoes

$18K to the Town of Alma for repairs

Jackson County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Alma

Alma and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Garden Valleymostly inland floodingModerate

Hixtonmostly inland floodingModerate

Dewhurstmostly inland floodingModerate

Mentormostly inland floodingModerate

Hewettmostly inland floodingModerate

Almamostly inland floodingModerate

Adamsmostly inland floodingModerate

Alma Centermostly inland floodingModerate

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. Alma covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Alma’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Alma. 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 Alma total about $2.0M 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.