Natural hazards · Whitefish Bay

Whitefish Bay, WI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Whitefish Bay comes from cold waves, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 2010. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Whitefish Bay?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Whitefish Bay to be higher than in 52% of U.S. communities, mostly from cold waves and inland flooding.

Cold waves45%Inland flooding41%Tornadoes7%Heat waves6%Everything else1%

By hazard

What Whitefish Bay faces

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

Cold waves

45% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 40% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

41% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Whitefish Bay flood?

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

6paid claims since 2010

$99Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20102026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Milwaukee County.

Disasters that hit Whitefish Bay

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Whitefish Bay itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Village of Whitefish Bay.

Brought FEMA money into Whitefish BayDeclared for Milwaukee County only

2026

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $7K aid approved

2025

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and Mudslides

24 households applied for aid $78K aid approved

2020

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$218K to the Village of Whitefish Bay for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$15K to the Village of Whitefish Bay for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

307 households applied for aid $743K aid approved $173K to the Village of Whitefish Bay for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

32 households applied for aid $39K aid approved $108K to the Village of Whitefish Bay for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$12K to the Village of Whitefish Bay for repairs

2000

Snow

$11K to the Village of Whitefish Bay for repairs

Milwaukee County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Whitefish Bay

Whitefish Bay and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Whitefish Baymostly cold wavesModerate

Glendalemostly inland floodingModerate

Shorewoodmostly cold wavesModerate

Fox Pointmostly cold wavesLow

Milwaukeemostly cold wavesLow

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. Whitefish Bay covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Whitefish Bay’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Whitefish Bay. 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 Whitefish Bay total about $6.3M 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.