Natural hazards · Chippewa Falls

Chippewa Falls, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chippewa Falls comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1979. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Chippewa Falls?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chippewa Falls to be higher than in 33% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding52%Cold waves24%Tornadoes11%Strong wind6%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Chippewa Falls faces

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

Inland flooding

52% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 52% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

24% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 21% of U.S. places

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Chippewa Falls flood?

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

10paid claims since 1979

$24Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Chippewa County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Chippewa Falls

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Chippewa FallsDeclared for Chippewa County only

2016

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$20K to the City of Chippewa Falls for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

2001

Flooding, Severe Storms and Tornadoes

$6K to the City of Chippewa Falls for repairs

Chippewa County has had 9 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Chippewa Falls

Chippewa Falls and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Eagle Pointmostly inland floodingModerate

Lake Halliemostly inland floodingModerate

Lafayettemostly inland floodingModerate

Chippewa Fallsmostly inland floodingLow

Wheatonmostly inland floodingLow

Tildenmostly 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. Chippewa Falls covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Chippewa Falls’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Chippewa Falls. 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 Chippewa Falls total about $5.7M 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.