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Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin

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

Relatively Low overall risk
16th of 72highest risk in Wisconsin
$44Mexpected losses a year
10federal declarations
1 in 91homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 76% of US counties. It ranks 16th of 72 counties in Wisconsin. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $44 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $424 per resident. Since 1974 it has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in October 2018 (severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, flooding and landslides). About 1 in 91 homes here carry federal flood insurance (415 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $7.4 million on 523 claims here, including $4.6 million for floods in 2008.

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

Top risks in Fond du Lac County

$19.5 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.
$9.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 6 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.

Tornado

Moderate
$8 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 floodingModerate74.3
$19M
Cold waveHigh90.9
$10M
TornadoModerate88.5
$8M
HailModerate93.7
$3M
Strong windHigh85.3
$2M
Heat waveLow71.4
$1M
LightningModerate62.3
$449K
Winter weatherModerate68.1
$150K
EarthquakeVery Low35.0
$138K
WildfireVery Low50.7
$61K
Ice stormLow29.6
$38K
DroughtVery Low23.3
$11K
HurricaneVery Low20.7
$8K
LandslideVery Low55.3
$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 Fond du Lac County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood4
Severe Storm3
Tornado1
Drought1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Oct 18, 2018Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and LandslidesMajor disaster
Jun 14, 2008Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jun 18, 2004Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 2, 1996Severe Storms, Flooding and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jul 2, 1993Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 7, 1986Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 17, 1976DroughtEmergency
Mar 23, 1976Severe Storms, Icing, Wind & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 26, 1974TornadoesMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1954

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 455 storm reports in Fond du Lac County since 1954, with 3 deaths and 26 injuries and about $107 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F5 tornado on July 18, 1996 near Oakfield.

57tornadoes
117hail reports, largest 3.25 inches
227damaging thunderstorm winds
25floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jul 18, 1996F5Oakfield12 / 0
Apr 21, 1974F4–0 / 0
Apr 21, 1974F3–5 / 1
Jun 23, 2004F3Alto0 / 0
Jun 5, 1977F3–2 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jul 18, 1996TornadoOakfield$40M
Jun 12, 2008Flash FloodRipon$17M
Jun 8, 2008Flash FloodRipon$14M
Aug 28, 2018Thunderstorm WindBrandon$8M
Jun 23, 2004TornadoAlto$7M
Apr 21, 1974Tornado–$3M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 27, 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 Fond du Lac County

Check your address flood zone ›
1.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (415 policies)
18.5%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$7.4 millionpaid on 523 flood claims since 1978
2008costliest year, with $4.6 million 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 Fond du Lac County

$222,800median home value (Wisconsin $266,500, US $332,700)
1971median year homes were built (Wisconsin 1975, US 1980)
62%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
3.7%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; 46,094 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
Winnebago CountyModerate10
Washington CountyLow12
Sheboygan CountyLow9
Dodge CountyLow11
Calumet CountyVery Low9
Green Lake CountyLow7

Cities in Fond du Lac County

Common questions about Fond du Lac County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Fond du Lac County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Fond du Lac County, about $19.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $9.7 million.

How many federal disasters has Fond du Lac County had?

Fond du Lac County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1974, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and Landslides in October 2018.

Is Fond du Lac County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 16th 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 Fond du Lac County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 91 homes in Fond du Lac 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 Fond du Lac County had?

NOAA records list 57 tornadoes in Fond du Lac County since 1950. The strongest was an F5 tornado on July 18, 1996 near Oakfield. The weather service has also logged 117 hail reports and 25 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.