Natural hazards · Nelson

Nelson, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Nelson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1997. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Nelson?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Nelson to be higher than in 49% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding53%Cold waves16%Tornadoes13%Hail7%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Nelson faces

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

Inland flooding

53% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

16% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 12 years in the area

Hail

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Nelson flood?

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

3paid claims since 1997

$26Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19972026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Buffalo County.

Disasters that hit Nelson

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NelsonDeclared for Buffalo County only

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$41K to the Town of Nelson for repairs

Buffalo County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Nelson

Nelson and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Pepinmostly inland floodingHigh

Modenamostly inland floodingModerate

Nelsonmostly inland floodingModerate

Almamostly inland floodingModerate

Maxvillemostly inland floodingModerate

Pepinmostly inland floodingModerate

Wabashamostly inland floodingModerate

Almamostly inland floodingLow

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. Nelson covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Nelson’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Nelson. 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 Nelson total about $1.3M 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.