Natural hazards · Madison

Madison, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Madison comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 31 claims here since 1978. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Madison?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Madison to be higher than in 14% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding41%Cold waves28%Tornadoes15%Hail7%Heat waves5%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Madison faces

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

Inland flooding

41% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 25% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

28% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Hail

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Madison flood?

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

31paid claims since 1978

$177Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Storm: 3 claims, $21K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Madison 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.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Madison

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MadisonDeclared for Dane County only

2018

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

528 households applied for aid $937K aid approved $2.1M to the City of Madison for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$546K to the City of Madison for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

437 households applied for aid $370K aid approved $219K to the City of Madison for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$425K to the City of Madison for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

98 households applied for aid $49K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

75 households applied for aid $32K aid approved

2000

Snow

$236K to the City of Madison for repairs

2000

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$141K to the City of Madison for repairs

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

Around Madison

Madison and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Westportmostly inland floodingLow

McFarlandmostly inland floodingLow

Middletonmostly inland floodingLow

Mononamostly inland floodingVery low

Middletonmostly inland floodingVery low

Veronamostly inland floodingVery low

Cottage Grovemostly inland floodingVery low

Madisonmostly inland floodingVery low

Veronamostly inland floodingVery low

Fitchburgmostly inland floodingVery low

Burkemostly inland floodingVery low

Sun Prairiemostly inland floodingVery low

Blooming Grovemostly cold wavesVery 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. Madison covers 64 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Madison’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Madison. 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 Madison total about $71.9M 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.