Natural hazards · Elba

Elba, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Elba comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1993. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Elba?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Elba to be higher than in 23% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding46%Cold waves18%Tornadoes17%Hail8%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Elba faces

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

Inland flooding

46% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 32% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

18% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 33% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Hail

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce 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 Elba flood?

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

4paid claims since 1993

$56Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19932026

Biggest named events

March 2019 Midwest Flooding: 3 claims, $50K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Dodge County.

Disasters that hit Elba

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ElbaDeclared for Dodge County only

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$2K to the Town of Elba for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$83K to the Town of Elba for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$2K to the Town of Elba for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$9K to the Town of Elba for repairs

Dodge County has had 11 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Elba

Elba and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Columbusmostly hailHigh

Fountain Prairiemostly hailHigh

Elbamostly inland floodingLow

Portlandmostly inland floodingLow

Lowellmostly inland floodingLow

Calamusmostly 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. Elba covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Elba’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Elba. 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 Elba total about $1.9M 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.