Natural hazards · De Soto

De Soto, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in De Soto comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2016. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is De Soto?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in De Soto to be higher than in 72% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding45%Cold waves32%Landslides7%Tornadoes7%Everything else9%

By hazard

What De Soto faces

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

Inland flooding

45% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

32% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Landslides

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 15 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesStrong 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 De Soto flood?

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

1paid claims since 2016

$8Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20162026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Vernon County.

Disasters that hit De Soto

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into De SotoDeclared for Vernon County only

2018

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

1 household applied for aid

2016

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$42K to the Village of De Soto for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$55K to the Village of De Soto for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

45 households applied for aid $101K aid approved $6K to the Village of De Soto for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

76 households applied for aid $189K aid approved $30K to the Village of De Soto for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $2K to the Village of De Soto for repairs

2001

Flooding, Severe Storms and Tornadoes

$9K to the Village of De Soto for repairs

2000

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$15K to the Village of De Soto for repairs

Vernon County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around De Soto

De Soto and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

De Sotomostly inland floodingHigh

Wheatlandmostly inland floodingHigh

Freemanmostly 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. De Soto is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to De Soto’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of De Soto. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.