TownTapestry
Sign inJoin
McFarlandGood morning
Natural hazards · McFarland

McFarland, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in McFarland comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2018. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is McFarland?

29
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in McFarland to be higher than in 29% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding46%Cold waves24%Tornadoes16%Hail6%Everything else8%
By hazard

What McFarland 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 45% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

24% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

16% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Hail

6% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 McFarland flood?

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

1paid claims since 2018
$19Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
20182026
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. McFarland 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.
Disasters that hit McFarland

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into McFarlandDeclared for Dane County only
2018

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

1 household applied for aid $12K to the Village of McFarland for repairs
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$12K to the Village of McFarland for repairs
2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$18K to the Village of McFarland for repairs
2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$14K to the Village of McFarland for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $1K aid approved
2000

Snow

$7K to the Village of McFarland for repairs
2000

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$4K to the Village of McFarland for repairs
Dane County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.
Around McFarland

McFarland and the towns around it

Dunn: Low, mostly inland floodingMadison: Very low, mostly inland floodingBlooming Grove: Very low, mostly cold wavesCottage Grove: Very low, mostly inland floodingPleasant Springs: Low, mostly inland floodingFitchburg: Very low, mostly inland floodingStoughton: Low, mostly inland floodingRutland: Very low, mostly inland floodingBurke: Very low, mostly inland floodingWestport: Low, mostly inland floodingMonona: Very low, mostly inland floodingMiddleton: Low, mostly inland floodingVerona: Very low, mostly inland floodingMiddleton: Very low, mostly inland floodingSun Prairie: Very low, mostly inland floodingVerona: Very low, mostly inland floodingCottage Grove: Very low, mostly inland floodingSun Prairie: Very low, mostly inland floodingDeerfield: Very low, mostly inland floodingMedina: Low, mostly inland floodingChristiana: Very low, mostly inland floodingDunkirk: Very low, mostly inland floodingMcFarland: Low, mostly inland flooding McFarlandDunnMadisonBlooming GroveCottage GrovePleasant Springs
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Dunnmostly inland floodingLow
McFarlandmostly inland floodingLow
Pleasant Springsmostly inland floodingLow
Cottage Grovemostly inland floodingVery low
Madisonmostly 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. McFarland covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to McFarland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of McFarland. 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 McFarland total about $1.2M 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.

The coffee’s on

Where to, neighbor?

You’re in McFarland, WIView boundary

Nearby

All towns & citiesExplore the map

Local begins with a boundary.

See what belongs to your selected town.

Loading boundary…

McFarland is your selected town. The feed includes posts assigned to this town, not a distance radius or ZIP code.

Neighborhoods narrow the feed further, while townwide announcements, events, and issues remain visible.

Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
Open detailed map