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Natural hazards · La Crosse

La Crosse, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in La Crosse comes from cold waves, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 76 claims here since 1978. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is La Crosse?

22
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in La Crosse to be higher than in 22% of U.S. communities, mostly from cold waves and inland flooding.

Cold waves39%Inland flooding30%Tornadoes13%Heat waves7%Hail7%Everything else4%
By hazard

What La Crosse faces

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

Cold waves

39% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 43% of U.S. places
Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

30% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Heat waves

7% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hail

7% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 La Crosse flood?

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

76paid claims since 1978
$550Kpaid to owners
5homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Severe flooding: 19 claims, $40K
  • March 2019 Midwest Flooding: 2 claims, $8K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. La Crosse isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: La Crosse County.
Disasters that hit La Crosse

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into La CrosseDeclared for La Crosse County only
2019

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

$9K to the City of La Crosse for repairs
2018

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

38 households applied for aid $85K aid approved $87K to the City of La Crosse for repairs
2017

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

$236K to the City of La Crosse for repairs
2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

49 households applied for aid $65K aid approved
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

565 households applied for aid $711K aid approved $87K to the City of La Crosse for repairs
2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

8 households applied for aid $4K aid approved
2001

Flooding, Severe Storms and Tornadoes

$273K to the City of La Crosse for repairs
La Crosse County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around La Crosse

La Crosse and the towns around it

Shelby: High, mostly inland floodingMedary: Low, mostly inland floodingCampbell: Very low, mostly inland floodingOnalaska: Very low, mostly cold wavesLa Crescent: Very high, mostly inland floodingOnalaska: Low, mostly cold wavesHokah: Very high, mostly inland floodingBergen: High, mostly inland floodingGreenfield: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHamburg: High, mostly inland floodingBrownsville: Very high, mostly inland floodingBarre: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHamilton: Low, mostly inland floodingDresbach: High, mostly inland floodingNew Hartford: High, mostly inland floodingHolmen: Low, mostly cold wavesLa Crescent: Very high, mostly inland floodingMound Prairie: Very high, mostly inland floodingHolland: Low, mostly cold wavesRichmond: High, mostly inland floodingFarmington: Moderate, mostly inland floodingLa Crosse: Low, mostly cold waves La CrosseShelbyMedaryCampbellOnalaskaLa CrescentOnalaska
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
La Crescentmostly inland floodingVery high
Shelbymostly inland floodingHigh
Medarymostly inland floodingLow
Onalaskamostly cold wavesLow
La Crossemostly cold wavesLow
Onalaskamostly cold wavesVery low
Campbellmostly 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. La Crosse covers 13 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to La Crosse’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of La Crosse. 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 La Crosse total about $19.1M 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.

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