Natural hazards · Tomah

Tomah, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Tomah comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 19 claims here since 1978. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Tomah?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Tomah to be higher than in 46% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding41%Cold waves38%Tornadoes9%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Tomah faces

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

Inland flooding

41% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

38% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 26% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% 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 Tomah flood?

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

19paid claims since 1978

$68Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19782026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Monroe County.

Disasters that hit Tomah

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into TomahDeclared for Monroe County only

2018

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

17 households applied for aid $21K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

28 households applied for aid $37K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

28 households applied for aid $37K aid approved

Monroe County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Tomah

Tomah and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Tomahmostly inland floodingHigh

Tomahmostly inland floodingModerate

La Grangemostly inland floodingModerate

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. Tomah covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Tomah’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Tomah. 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 Tomah total about $5.9M 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.