Natural hazards · Cross Plains

Cross Plains, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cross Plains comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 13 claims here since 2001. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Cross Plains?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cross Plains to be higher than in 64% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding71%Cold waves13%Tornadoes7%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Cross Plains faces

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

Inland flooding

71% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

13% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 97 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Cross Plains flood?

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

13paid claims since 2001

$803Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20012026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Dane County.

Disasters that hit Cross Plains

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Cross Plains itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Village of Cross Plains.

Brought FEMA money into Cross PlainsDeclared for Dane County only

2018

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

197 households applied for aid $603K aid approved $210K to the Village of Cross Plains for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$7K to the Village of Cross Plains for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

21 households applied for aid $48K aid approved $23K to the Village of Cross Plains for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$7K to the Village of Cross Plains for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2000

Snow

$2K to the Village of Cross Plains for repairs

2000

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$6K to the Village of Cross Plains for repairs

Dane County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Cross Plains

Cross Plains and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Cross Plainsmostly inland floodingHigh

Cross Plainsmostly inland floodingLow

Berrymostly 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. Cross Plains covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Cross Plains’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Cross Plains. 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 Cross Plains total about $2.8M 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.