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Eau Claire County, Wisconsin

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

Relatively Low overall risk
15th of 72highest risk in Wisconsin
$48Mexpected losses a year
7federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Eau Claire County, Wisconsin has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 78% of US counties. It ranks 15th of 72 counties in Wisconsin. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $48 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $454 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (5 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2005 (Hurricane Katrina Evacuation). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (87 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $504,000 on 58 claims here.

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

Top risks in Eau Claire County

$23.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • 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.
$12.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 8 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.

Tornado

Moderate
$5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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 floodingModerate79.9
$24M
Cold waveHigh94.0
$13M
TornadoModerate80.6
$5M
Strong windHigh88.9
$2M
HailModerate89.3
$2M
Heat waveLow67.4
$987K
LightningModerate71.0
$629K
Ice stormModerate62.2
$182K
Winter weatherModerate71.9
$173K
WildfireVery Low30.1
$18K
LandslideLow76.5
$13K
EarthquakeVery Low9.8
$12K
DroughtVery Low16.4
$2K

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 low and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Flood3
Severe Storm2
Drought1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jun 18, 2004Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 2, 1993Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 24, 1980Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 17, 1976DroughtEmergency
Apr 27, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
May 1, 1969FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1953

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 318 storm reports in Eau Claire County since 1953, with 7 deaths and 24 injuries and about $23.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on June 4, 1958.

24tornadoes
130hail reports, largest 4 inches
137damaging thunderstorm winds
19floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 4, 1958F4–3 / 4
May 10, 1953F4–5 / 0
Jul 15, 1980F3–10 / 1
Jul 18, 1971F2–2 / 1
Sep 12, 1982F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Sep 10, 2000Flash FloodEau Claire$3M
Jun 4, 1958Tornado–$3M
Jul 15, 1980Tornado–$3M
May 10, 1953Tornado–$3M
Jun 16, 1979Tornado–$3M
Sep 12, 1982Tornado–$3M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 19, 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 Eau Claire County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (87 policies)
9.5%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$503,765paid on 58 flood claims since 1978
1993costliest year, with $188,215 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 Eau Claire County

$261,000median home value (Wisconsin $266,500, US $332,700)
1978median year homes were built (Wisconsin 1975, US 1980)
53%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
2.6%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; 46,936 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
Chippewa CountyLow9
Dunn CountyLow11
Clark CountyLow13
Trempealeau CountyLow13
Jackson CountyLow12
Buffalo CountyVery Low14
Pepin CountyVery Low11

Cities in Eau Claire County

Common questions about Eau Claire County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Eau Claire County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Eau Claire County, about $23.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $12.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Eau Claire County had?

Eau Claire County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 5 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Katrina Evacuation in September 2005.

Is Eau Claire County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 15th 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 Eau Claire County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Eau Claire 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 Eau Claire County had?

NOAA records list 24 tornadoes in Eau Claire County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on June 4, 1958. The weather service has also logged 130 hail reports and 19 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.