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Clark County, Wisconsin

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Relatively Low overall risk
29th of 72highest risk in Wisconsin
$18Mexpected losses a year
13federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Clark County, Wisconsin has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 68% of US counties. It ranks 29th of 72 counties in Wisconsin. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $18 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $510 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (11 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2019 (severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding). Only 17 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $630,000 on 35 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Clark County

$8.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
$5.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 9 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.

Tornado

Moderate
$1.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
  • Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow69.1
$8M
Cold waveHigh92.5
$6M
TornadoModerate71.7
$2M
HailModerate85.4
$787K
Strong windModerate73.6
$692K
Heat waveLow58.3
$347K
LightningModerate71.7
$340K
Ice stormLow54.3
$66K
Winter weatherLow57.3
$53K
EarthquakeVery Low14.1
$10K
DroughtVery Low24.6
$7K
WildfireVery Low19.8
$5K
LandslideVery Low45.5
$641

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is very high and community resilience is relatively low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Clark County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood5
Severe Storm5
Drought1
Tornado1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Aug 27, 2019Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 10, 2018Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 20, 2016Severe Storms, Flooding, and MudslidesMajor disaster
Oct 21, 2010Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jun 18, 2004Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 19, 2002Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 11, 2001Flooding, Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jul 24, 1998Severe Storms,Straigh Line Winds, Tornadoes,Rain,And FloodiMajor disaster
Show all 13
Jul 2, 1993Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 17, 1976DroughtEmergency
Apr 27, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

Wisconsin also had 8 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1950

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 480 storm reports in Clark County since 1950, with 5 deaths and 12 injuries and about $20.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on June 4, 1958.

44tornadoes
159hail reports, largest 3.5 inches
219damaging thunderstorm winds
36floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 4, 1958F4–0 / 0
May 26, 1959F3–2 / 0
Sep 28, 1971F3–0 / 0
Sep 28, 1971F3–1 / 0
Aug 23, 2011EF2Spokeville2 / 1

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 4, 1958Tornado–$3M
Jun 26, 1969Tornado–$3M
Sep 21, 2016Flash FloodEidsvold$2M
Aug 23, 2011TornadoSpokeville$1M
Sep 23, 2010FloodSherwood$1M
Sep 6, 2015Flash FloodGreenwood$1M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 24, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Flood insurance in Clark County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (17 policies)
5%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$629,796paid on 35 flood claims since 1978
2016costliest year, with $142,004 paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Clark County

$172,800median home value (Wisconsin $266,500, US $332,700)
1972median year homes were built (Wisconsin 1975, US 1980)
63%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
6.6%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 14,961 housing units.

Compare in Wisconsin

All 72 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Milwaukee CountyHighCold wave
Dane CountyModerateInland flooding
Waukesha CountyModerateInland flooding
Brown CountyModerateInland flooding
Racine CountyModerateInland flooding
Outagamie CountyLowInland flooding
Winnebago CountyModerateInland flooding
Kenosha CountyModerateCold wave

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Marathon CountyModerate10
Eau Claire CountyLow7
Wood CountyLow11
Chippewa CountyLow9
Jackson CountyLow12
Taylor CountyVery Low6

Common questions about Clark County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Clark County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Clark County, about $8.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $5.5 million.

How many federal disasters has Clark County had?

Clark County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in August 2019.

Is Clark County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 29th highest of 72 in Wisconsin. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Clark County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Clark County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Clark County had?

NOAA records list 44 tornadoes in Clark County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on June 4, 1958. The weather service has also logged 159 hail reports and 36 floods here.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.