Tama County, Iowa: hazard risk
FEMA rates Tama County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 45.3 of 100, higher than 45% of rated U.S. counties); 2 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by drought, strong wind. Its storm record holds 625 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively High | 97.3 | $3.5M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 85.8 | $1.4M |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 65.5 | $109K |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 64.4 | $3K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 63.9 | $382K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 60.3 | $80K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 57.4 | $1.4M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 51.0 | $877K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 42.4 | $4.6M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 41.3 | $49K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 21.7 | $29K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 21.6 | $62K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 16.9 | $4K |
| Lightning | Very Low | 11.5 | $34K |
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 | 153 | 0 | $11M | 86th of 99 | 1988th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 109 | 0 | $1.4M | 97th of 99 | 1913th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 79 | 0 | $9.8M | 95th of 99 | 1460th of 3,077 |
| Floods | 65 | 0 | $33M | 81st of 99 | 1285th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 57 | 0 | – | 40th of 99 | 219th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 48 | 1 | $116M | 39th of 99 | 557th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 34 | 0 | $1.6M | 55th of 99 | 933rd of 3,080 |
| Drought | 31 | 0 | $148M | 59th of 99 | 1084th of 3,063 |
| Extreme cold | 29 | 0 | $5.9M | 74th of 99 | 648th of 3,076 |
| Heat | 4 | 0 | $177K | 95th of 99 | 1830th of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 3 | 0 | $181K | 51st of 99 | 1377th 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 Tama County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.