Natural hazards · Sun Prairie

Sun Prairie, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sun Prairie comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2008. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Sun Prairie?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sun Prairie to be higher than in 8% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding32%Cold waves32%Tornadoes19%Hail7%Heat waves6%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Sun Prairie faces

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

Inland flooding

32% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 12% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

32% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Hail

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Sun Prairie flood?

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

2paid claims since 2008

$13Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20082026

Biggest named events

Storm: 1 claim, $3K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Sun Prairie 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 Sun Prairie

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Sun Prairie itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Sun Prairie.

Brought FEMA money into Sun PrairieDeclared for Dane County only

2018

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

5 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$49K to the City of Sun Prairie for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

287 households applied for aid $188K aid approved $11K to the City of Sun Prairie for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$30K to the City of Sun Prairie for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

229 households applied for aid $195K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2000

Snow

$15K to the City of Sun Prairie for repairs

2000

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$4K to the City of Sun Prairie for repairs

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

Around Sun Prairie

Sun Prairie and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Windsormostly inland floodingLow

Bristolmostly inland floodingLow

Madisonmostly inland floodingVery low

Sun Prairiemostly inland floodingVery low

Burkemostly inland floodingVery low

Sun Prairiemostly 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. Sun Prairie covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Sun Prairie’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Sun Prairie. 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 Sun Prairie total about $5.3M 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.