Natural hazards · Lake Geneva

Lake Geneva, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lake Geneva comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2020. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lake Geneva?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lake Geneva to be higher than in 6% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding33%Cold waves22%Tornadoes22%Hail11%Strong wind6%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Lake Geneva faces

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

Inland flooding

33% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 6% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

22% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

22% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Hail

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Lake Geneva flood?

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

2paid claims since 2020

$39Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20202026

Biggest named events

2026-04-Flooding: 1 claim, $18K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Walworth County.

Disasters that hit Lake Geneva

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Lake GenevaDeclared for Walworth County only

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$1K to the City of Lake Geneva for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

9 households applied for aid $29K aid approved $19K to the City of Lake Geneva for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$24K to the City of Lake Geneva for repairs

2000

Snow

$15K to the City of Lake Geneva for repairs

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

Around Lake Geneva

Lake Geneva and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Bloomfieldmostly inland floodingLow

Lyonsmostly inland floodingLow

Linnmostly inland floodingLow

Genevamostly inland floodingVery low

Lake Genevamostly 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. Lake Geneva covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lake Geneva’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lake Geneva. 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 Lake Geneva total about $2.0M 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.