Natural hazards · Apple River

Apple River, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Apple River comes from cold waves, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Apple River?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Apple River to be higher than in 25% of U.S. communities, mostly from cold waves and inland flooding.

Cold waves33%Inland flooding33%Tornadoes14%Strong wind8%Hail6%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Apple River faces

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

Cold waves

33% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

33% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 30% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 23 years in the area

Strong wind

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hail

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice 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 Apple River flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Apple River.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Polk County.

Disasters that hit Apple River

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Apple RiverDeclared for Polk County only

2019

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

$112K to the Town of Apple River for repairs

2001

Flooding, Severe Storms and Tornadoes

$213K to the Town of Apple River for repairs

Polk County has had 8 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and tornadoes.

Around Apple River

Apple River and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Apple Rivermostly cold wavesLow

Beavermostly cold wavesLow

Lincolnmostly inland floodingLow

Balsam Lakemostly inland floodingVery low

Georgetownmostly 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. Apple River covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Apple River’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Apple River. 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 Apple River total about $1.4M 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.