Natural hazards · Merton

Merton, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Merton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Merton?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Merton to be higher than in 30% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding58%Cold waves17%Tornadoes16%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Merton faces

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

Inland flooding

58% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

17% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

16% of expected damage

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

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce 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 Merton flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Merton.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Waukesha County.

Disasters that hit Merton

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MertonDeclared for Waukesha County only

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$7K to the Village of Merton for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $6K aid approved

2000

Snow

$6K to the Village of Merton for repairs

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

Around Merton

Merton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Mertonmostly inland floodingLow

Lisbonmostly 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. Merton covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Merton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Merton. 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 Merton 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.