States › Wisconsin › Columbia County
Columbia County, Wisconsin
Recorded hazard history: storm events since 1950, federal disaster declarations since 1953, flood insurance claims since 1978, and FEMA's risk index.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. NCEI storm records through 30 Jun 2026; OpenFEMA declarations refreshed 1 Oct 2026; NFIP claims as of 8 Sep 2026.
The NCEI record lists 928 events for Columbia County, Wisconsin, between 1950 and 2026; damaging wind account for the largest share.
That is 121.2 events per 100 square miles, above the Wisconsin figure of 85.6, and 158.7 per 10,000 residents against 78.6 statewide.
26 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 13 deaths and 83 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $553M and crop damage at $67M.
FEMA has designated the county in 11 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Covid-19 Pandemic (major disaster, 4 Apr 2020).
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 179 claims since 1978, of which 132 were paid, totalling $2.5M (about $19K per paid claim). FEMA counts 138 residential flood policies in force.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Relatively Moderate" and its expected annual loss as "Relatively Low" ($51M a year across 18 hazards).
1 tropical storm or hurricane track in the HURDAT2 record passed within 100 miles of the county's centre at tropical-storm strength or more, 0 of them within 50 miles at hurricane strength.
Compared with Wisconsin and the United States
| Measure | Columbia County | Wisconsin | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 928 | 46,362 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 121.2 | 85.6 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 158.7 | 78.6 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 26 | 1,624 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 13 | 530 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $553M | $4.1B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 1.6 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $19K | $20K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 37.7 | 23.4 | 16.1 |
County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county. State and US rows include events recorded only by forecast zone. Rates use 2021 Census population and land area.
Events by decade
Trend: 583 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 272 in the 20 years before. Reporting practice changed in 1996 and again with automated reports in the 2000s, so decade totals measure the record as much as the weather.
Events by type
Hazard pages exist for hail, tornado, flood, wind and winter where the county has at least 10 recorded events. "Other" covers heavy rain, debris flow, dust, funnel clouds and similar reports.
Largest recorded events
| Date | Event type | Group | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Dec 2007 | Winter Storm | Winter | — | — | — | 3 | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Jul 2012 | Excessive Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 2 | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Sep 1951 | Tornado | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | 1 | 9 | County |
| 17 Jul 2011 | Excessive Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 1 | 5 | Forecast zone |
| 14 Apr 2018 | Winter Weather | Winter | — | — | — | 1 | 5 | Forecast zone |
| 10 Apr 2019 | Winter Weather | Winter | — | — | — | 1 | 4 | Forecast zone |
| 24 Dec 2008 | Winter Weather | Winter | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | Forecast zone |
| 10 Nov 1998 | High Wind | Wind | — | $500K | $100K | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Jan 2015 | Winter Weather | Winter | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Feb 2016 | Cold/Wind Chill | Cold | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Jun 2006 | Hail | Hail | 1.00 in | $500M | $1.7M | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 1963 | Tornado | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 13 | County |
| 16 Aug 1963 | Tornado | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 13 | County |
| 16 Aug 1963 | Tornado | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 13 | County |
| 7 Jun 2008 | Tornado | Tornado | EF2 | $2.5M | $500K | — | 6 | County |
| 8 Jun 2008 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $16M | $40M | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2017 | Dense Fog | Fog | — | $40K | — | — | 3 | Forecast zone |
| 2 Mar 2012 | Winter Storm | Winter | — | — | — | — | 3 | Forecast zone |
| 1 Jun 2004 | Flood | Flood | — | $3.9M | $20M | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | — | $3.6M | $200K | — | 1 | County |
Ranked by deaths, then injuries, then NCEI's damage estimate. Deaths and injuries are NCEI counts (direct plus indirect); no personal details are recorded here.
Federal disaster declarations
| Declared | Number | Type | Incident | Title | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Apr 2020 | DR-4520 | Major disaster | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Mar 2020 | EM-3454 | Emergency | Biological | Covid-19 | Public assistance |
| 14 Jun 2008 | DR-1768 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 26 Aug 2007 | DR-1719 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding | Individual assistance |
| 13 Sep 2005 | EM-3249 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Public assistance |
| 18 Jun 2004 | DR-1526 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 24 Jan 2001 | EM-3163 | Emergency | Snowstorm | Snow | Public assistance |
| 24 Jun 2000 | DR-1332 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 2 Jul 1993 | DR-994 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 17 Jun 1976 | EM-3014 | Emergency | Drought | Drought | Public assistance |
| 23 Mar 1976 | DR-496 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms, Icing, Wind & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
Declarations in which FEMA designated this county, from the OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). DR: major disaster; EM: emergency; FM: fire management assistance. Programs show whether individual or public assistance was made available.
Flood insurance claims
| Year of loss | Claims | Paid claims | Amount paid | Average paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6 | 6 | $390,825 | $65,137 |
| 2024 | 2 | 1 | $12,322 | $12,322 |
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | $75,000 | $75,000 |
| 2020 | 7 | 5 | $39,694 | $7,939 |
| 2019 | 26 | 23 | $587,255 | $25,533 |
| 2018 | 9 | 8 | $151,338 | $18,917 |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2016 | 5 | 4 | $62,659 | $15,665 |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2011 | 12 | 7 | $50,145 | $7,164 |
| 2010 | 20 | 18 | $427,892 | $23,772 |
| 2009 | 8 | 2 | $29,071 | $14,535 |
| 2008 | 50 | 36 | $570,615 | $15,850 |
| 2007 | 3 | 2 | $8,930 | $4,465 |
| 2004 | 7 | 5 | $19,970 | $3,994 |
| 2002 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2001 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2000 | 2 | 1 | $20,452 | $20,452 |
| 1998 | 1 | 1 | $10,546 | $10,546 |
| 1993 | 8 | 7 | $65,322 | $9,332 |
| 1986 | 2 | 2 | $7,339 | $3,669 |
| 1983 | 1 | 1 | $1,268 | $1,268 |
| 1980 | 2 | 2 | $14,164 | $7,082 |
| 1979 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
OpenFEMA NFIP claims (v3, as of 8 Sep 2026), aggregated by year of loss; amounts are building, contents and increased-cost-of-compliance payments as recorded. Repetitive-loss counts from the NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (2 Aug 2026); policies in force from the NFIP Residential Penetration Rates file (3 Aug 2026).
National Risk Index
| Hazard (NRI) | Risk rating | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|
| Hail | $20,536,958 | |
| Inland flooding | $18,806,789 | |
| Cold wave | $4,982,405 | |
| Tornado | $3,649,468 | |
| Heat wave | $1,759,902 | |
| Strong wind | $1,167,695 | |
| Lightning | $164,824 | |
| Winter weather | $76,976 | |
| Earthquake | $74,076 | |
| Drought | $67,044 | |
| Ice storm | $49,775 | |
| Wildfire | $34,045 | |
| Landslide | $8,774 | |
| Hurricane | $2,378 |
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. Ratings are FEMA's relative comparison of counties; expected annual loss is FEMA's modelled estimate of average yearly building, population and agriculture loss. See how to read the NRI.
Hurricane and tropical storm passes
| Storm | Year | Closest approach | Max wind while within 100 mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1900 | 71 mi | 58 mph |
HURDAT2 best-track positions at tropical-storm strength (34 kt) or more, measured from the county's Census centre point; through the 2025 season. Distance from a track is not the same as the extent of the storm's wind, rain or surge.
ZIP codes with flood claims
ZIP codes whose NFIP claims carry this county's code, with the number of claims. Five or more claims are needed for a ZIP page to be indexed.
Questions and answers
How often does it hail in Columbia County, WI?
NCEI records 138 hail events in Columbia County since 1950, in 39 different years; that is about 1.8 recorded events a year. 19 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Columbia County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 39 tornadoes in Columbia County since 1950, 12 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 1.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Columbia County?
4 Apr 2020: Covid-19 Pandemic, a major disaster declaration for biological. The county appears in 11 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Columbia County, and how much was paid?
179 NFIP claims since 1978, 132 of them paid, for $2.5M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Columbia County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Relatively Moderate" for overall risk, "Relatively Low" for expected annual loss, "Relatively Low" for social vulnerability and "Very High" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Columbia County compare with the rest of Wisconsin?
121.2 recorded events per 100 square miles against 85.6 statewide, and 3.1 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 1.6. The comparison table on this page shows each measure beside the state and national figures.
Provenance
Storm events: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026 (public domain). Declarations: OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, refreshed 1 Oct 2026. Flood claims: OpenFEMA NfipClaims v3 as of 8 Sep 2026; NfipMultipleLossProperties v1 (2 Aug 2026); NfipResidentialPenetrationRates v1 (3 Aug 2026). Risk index: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Hurricane tracks: NHC HURDAT2 through 2025. Population and area: US Census Bureau, 2021 vintage. Built 1 Oct 2026; see the methodology and corrections pages. Hazard hubs: Hail · Tornado · Flood · Wind · Winter.