Natural hazards · Sullivan

Sullivan, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sullivan comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Sullivan?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding54%Tornadoes16%Cold waves13%Hail8%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Sullivan faces

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

Inland flooding

54% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

16% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 18 years in the area

Cold waves

13% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Hail

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce 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 Sullivan flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Jefferson County.

Disasters that hit Sullivan

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SullivanDeclared for Jefferson County only

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$13K to the Town of Sullivan for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$9K to the Town of Sullivan for repairs

Jefferson County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Sullivan

Sullivan and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Ottawamostly inland floodingLow

Concordmostly inland floodingLow

Sullivanmostly inland floodingLow

Jeffersonmostly inland floodingLow

Hebronmostly inland floodingLow

Palmyramostly 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. Sullivan is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Sullivan’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Sullivan. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.