Natural hazards · Shelby

Shelby, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Shelby comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 17 claims here since 1978. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Shelby?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Shelby to be higher than in 68% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding50%Cold waves28%Tornadoes9%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Shelby faces

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

Inland flooding

50% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

28% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 43% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

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

Lower here

HailIce 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 Shelby flood?

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

17paid claims since 1978

$514Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Severe flooding: 1 claim, $1K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: La Crosse County.

Disasters that hit Shelby

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ShelbyDeclared for La Crosse County only

2019

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

$11K to the Town of Shelby for repairs

2018

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

$343K to the Town of Shelby for repairs

2017

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

$528K to the Town of Shelby for repairs

2016

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$51K to the Town of Shelby for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$85K to the Town of Shelby for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $454 aid approved $224K to the Town of Shelby for repairs

2001

Flooding, Severe Storms and Tornadoes

$3K to the Town of Shelby for repairs

La Crosse County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Shelby

Shelby and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Hokahmostly inland floodingVery high

Brownsvillemostly inland floodingVery high

Bergenmostly inland floodingHigh

Shelbymostly inland floodingHigh

Hamburgmostly inland floodingHigh

Greenfieldmostly inland floodingModerate

Medarymostly inland floodingLow

La Crossemostly cold wavesLow

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. Shelby covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Shelby’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Shelby. 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 Shelby total about $5.7M 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.