Natural hazards · Waterloo

Waterloo, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Waterloo comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 2008. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Waterloo?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Waterloo to be higher than in 33% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding53%Tornadoes17%Cold waves15%Hail7%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Waterloo 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

Below average · higher than 48% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 15 years in the area

Cold waves

15% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Hail

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% 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 Waterloo flood?

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

3paid claims since 2008

$23Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20082026

Biggest named events

Storm: 3 claims, $23K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Waterloo 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 Waterloo

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WaterlooDeclared for Jefferson County only

2026

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $5K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

73 households applied for aid $68K aid approved $260K to the City of Waterloo for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$3K to the City of Waterloo for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $424 aid approved

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

Around Waterloo

Waterloo and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Waterloomostly inland floodingLow

Portlandmostly inland floodingLow

Medinamostly 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. Waterloo 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 Waterloo’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Waterloo. 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.