Natural hazards · White River

White River, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in White River comes from cold waves, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is White River?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

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

Cold waves61%Inland flooding30%Everything else9%

By hazard

What White River faces

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

Cold waves

61% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

30% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 30% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesEarthquakesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 White River flood?

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Ashland County.

Disasters that hit White River

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into White RiverDeclared for Ashland County only

2018

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$11K to the Town of White River for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

$110K to the Town of White River for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

$54K to the Town of White River for repairs

2012

Severe Storms and Flooding

$10K to the Town of White River for repairs

2001

Flooding, Severe Storms and Tornadoes

$4K to the Town of White River for repairs

1999

Wi-Flood-07/20/99

$5K to the Town of White River for repairs

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

Around White River

White River and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Sanbornmostly cold wavesLow

White Rivermostly cold wavesVery low

Kellymostly cold wavesVery low

Ginglesmostly cold wavesVery low

Marengomostly cold wavesVery low

Ashlandmostly cold wavesVery 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. White River 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 White River’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of White River. 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.