Columbia County, Wisconsin: hazard risk
FEMA rates Columbia County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 81.4 of 100, higher than 81% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by hail. Its storm record holds 928 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | Very High | 99.3 | $21M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82.8 | $5.0M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 80.4 | $1.8M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 75.7 | $3.6M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 75.6 | $19M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 71.9 | $1.2M |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 72.9 | $9K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 51.7 | $77K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 38.8 | $67K |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 37.2 | $165K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 35.9 | $50K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 42.3 | $34K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 28.7 | $74K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 10.6 | $2K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 240 | 0 | $16M | 23rd of 72 | 1486th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 230 | 7 | $52K | 18th of 72 | 344th of 3,077 |
| Hail | 138 | 0 | $746M | 24th of 72 | 1415th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 71 | 0 | $124M | 13th of 72 | 901st of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 40 | 1 | $3K | 16th of 72 | 460th of 3,076 |
| Heat | 40 | 3 | – | 17th of 72 | 512th of 3,076 |
| Tornadoes | 39 | 1 | $38M | 28th of 72 | 1347th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 35 | 1 | $1.3M | 23rd of 72 | 963rd of 3,080 |
| Drought | 18 | 0 | $470K | 42nd of 72 | 1528th of 3,063 |
| Lightning | 11 | 0 | $778K | 18th of 72 | 542nd of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 0 | $12K | 38th of 72 | 1171st of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Columbia County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.