States › Wisconsin › Vernon County
Vernon 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.
Between 1950 and 2026, NCEI recorded 758 storm events in Vernon County, Wisconsin, led by damaging wind.
That is 95.8 events per 100 square miles, in line with the Wisconsin figure of 85.6, and 245.2 per 10,000 residents against 78.6 statewide.
23 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 13 deaths and 12 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $140M and crop damage at $15M.
FEMA has designated the county in 23 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (major disaster, 30 Jun 2026).
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 178 claims since 1978, of which 145 were paid, totalling $4.3M (about $29K per paid claim). FEMA counts 39 residential flood policies in force.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Relatively Low" and its expected annual loss as "Relatively Low" ($25M a year across 18 hazards).
Compared with Wisconsin and the United States
| Measure | Vernon County | Wisconsin | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 758 | 46,362 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 95.8 | 85.6 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 245.2 | 78.6 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 23 | 1,624 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 13 | 530 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $140M | $4.1B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 5.8 | 1.6 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $29K | $20K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 148.7 | 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: 512 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 184 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Feb 2018 | Winter Weather | Winter | — | $20K | — | 1 | 1 | Forecast zone |
| 10 Mar 2013 | Winter Weather | Winter | — | $10K | — | 1 | 1 | Forecast zone |
| 22 Sep 2016 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $8.9M | — | 1 | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2016 | Flood | Flood | — | $986K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 10 Nov 1998 | High Wind | Wind | 71 mph | $150K | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Jul 2020 | Heavy Rain | Other | — | $20K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 8 May 2004 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $15K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 22 Mar 2011 | Winter Weather | Winter | — | $2K | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Jul 2012 | Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Mar 2013 | Cold/Wind Chill | Cold | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Mar 2019 | Flood | Flood | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 6 Feb 2021 | Cold/Wind Chill | Cold | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Dec 2023 | Dense Fog | Fog | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Jan 2013 | Dense Fog | Fog | — | $15K | — | — | 4 | Forecast zone |
| 18 Aug 2007 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $28M | $500K | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2018 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $28M | $250K | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2026 | Hail | Hail | 2.75 in | $27M | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 70 mph | $175K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 15 Jun 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 81 mph | $35K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 5 Jun 1980 | Tornado | Tornado | F3 | $2.5M | — | — | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Jun 2026 | DR-4923 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 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 |
| 27 Aug 2019 | DR-4459 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 18 Oct 2018 | DR-4402 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 7 Oct 2017 | DR-4343 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mud | Public assistance |
| 20 Oct 2016 | DR-4288 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides | Public assistance |
| 8 Aug 2013 | DR-4141 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides | 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, Public 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 |
| 11 May 2001 | DR-1369 | Major disaster | Flood | Flooding, Severe Storms And Tornadoes | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 24 Jun 2000 | DR-1332 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 24 Jul 1998 | DR-1236 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms,Straigh Line Winds, Tornadoes,Rain,And Floodi | Public assistance |
| 2 Jul 1993 | DR-994 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 30 Sep 1992 | DR-964 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Jul 1990 | DR-874 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 7 Jul 1978 | DR-559 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Hail & Tornadoes | 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 |
| 1 May 1969 | DR-260 | Major disaster | Flood | Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 21 Apr 1965 | DR-192 | Major disaster | Tornado | Tornadoes, Severe Storms & 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2 | 1 | $19,328 | $19,328 |
| 2021 | 4 | 2 | $64,285 | $32,143 |
| 2020 | 3 | 3 | $2,770 | $923 |
| 2019 | 4 | 3 | $71,704 | $23,901 |
| 2018 | 36 | 34 | $2,165,399 | $63,688 |
| 2017 | 9 | 6 | $162,402 | $27,067 |
| 2016 | 8 | 5 | $363,264 | $72,653 |
| 2015 | 2 | 1 | $1,509 | $1,509 |
| 2011 | 1 | 1 | $6,203 | $6,203 |
| 2010 | 9 | 8 | $37,765 | $4,721 |
| 2008 | 31 | 28 | $602,383 | $21,514 |
| 2007 | 24 | 21 | $576,658 | $27,460 |
| 2004 | 1 | 1 | $1,644 | $1,644 |
| 2001 | 6 | 6 | $90,427 | $15,071 |
| 2000 | 2 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 1997 | 4 | 3 | $22,817 | $7,606 |
| 1996 | 2 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 1993 | 1 | 1 | $1,670 | $1,670 |
| 1992 | 7 | 6 | $15,979 | $2,663 |
| 1990 | 3 | 3 | $40,396 | $13,465 |
| 1986 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 1984 | 8 | 4 | $5,174 | $1,293 |
| 1983 | 1 | 1 | $467 | $467 |
| 1981 | 2 | 1 | $136 | $136 |
| 1980 | 2 | 1 | $100 | $100 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cold wave | $9,991,615 | |
| Inland flooding | $9,764,866 | |
| Tornado | $1,847,533 | |
| Hail | $1,053,253 | |
| Landslide | $992,177 | |
| Strong wind | $843,128 | |
| Heat wave | $587,001 | |
| Lightning | $89,668 | |
| Drought | $69,036 | |
| Ice storm | $58,942 | |
| Winter weather | $28,333 | |
| Earthquake | $10,108 | |
| Wildfire | $4,554 | |
| Hurricane | $1,303 |
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
No HURDAT2 track at tropical-storm strength passes within 100 miles of the county's centre point (through the 2025 season).
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 Vernon County, WI?
NCEI records 151 hail events in Vernon County since 1950, in 41 different years; that is about 2.0 recorded events a year. 30 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Vernon County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 25 tornadoes in Vernon County since 1950, 7 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 0.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Vernon County?
30 Jun 2026: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding, a major disaster declaration for flood. The county appears in 23 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Vernon County, and how much was paid?
178 NFIP claims since 1978, 145 of them paid, for $4.3M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Vernon County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Relatively Low" for overall risk, "Relatively Low" for expected annual loss, "Relatively High" for social vulnerability and "Relatively High" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Vernon County compare with the rest of Wisconsin?
95.8 recorded events per 100 square miles against 85.6 statewide, and 5.8 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.