Natural Disasters in Wauwatosa, WI

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

98.4

Relatively High

Expected Annual Loss

98.1

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

63.8

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

98.6

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Cold Wave100.0Heat Wave99.0Tornado99.0

Hazard	Risk Score
Cold Wave	100.0
Heat Wave	99.0
Tornado	99.0
Winter Weather	96.8
Strong Wind	94.8
Hail	86.2
Earthquake	80.8
Ice Storm	77.1
Lightning	61.7
Coastal Flood	35.6
Landslide	31.0
Wildfire	29.5
Hurricane	18.8
Drought	16.7

Scores range from 0 (lowest risk) to 100 (highest risk) relative to all U.S. communities. Data from FEMA National Risk Index.

Disaster Declarations

Source: FEMA OpenFEMA

Total Declarations

Most Recent

Flood

Sep 2025

Most Common Type

Flood

7 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Sep 11, 2025	Flood	SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, FLOODING, AND MUDSLIDES
Apr 4, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
Mar 11, 2020	Flood	SEVERE WINTER STORM AND FLOODING
Apr 5, 2011	Snowstorm	SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM
Aug 11, 2010	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
Jun 14, 2008	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
Mar 19, 2008	Snowstorm	RECORD SNOW AND NEAR RECORD SNOW
Sep 13, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION
Jun 18, 2004	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Jan 24, 2001	Snowstorm	SNOW
Jun 24, 2000	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
Aug 12, 1998	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Jul 7, 1997	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Jul 2, 1993	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES & FLOODING
Oct 7, 1986	Flood	SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING
Aug 14, 1986	Flood	SEVERE STORMS
Jan 19, 1979	Snowstorm	BLIZZARDS & SNOWSTORMS
Mar 23, 1976	Flood	SEVERE STORMS, ICING, WIND & FLOODING
Apr 27, 1973	Flood	SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING

Showing 20 of 21 declarations

Individual Assistance

Source: FEMA Housing Assistance

Total IA Registrations

100,699

Total IA Distributed

$285,896,564

Repair/Replace

$128,203,397

Rental Assistance

$45,712,696

Disaster	Registrations	Total IA $	Avg Damage
DR-1763	1	N/A	—
DR-4671	1	N/A	—
DR-4402	1	N/A	—
DR-4892	43,882	$194,661,851	$4,820
DR-1933	32,173	$60,666,803	$2,661
DR-1768	18,287	$17,000,548	$1,726
DR-4520	1,944	$10,744,229	—
DR-1526	4,409	$2,821,132	$1,443
DR-1604	1	$2,000	—

Individual and household assistance for homeowners and renters affected by federally declared disasters.

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

2,423

Total Claims Paid

$27,720,991

Avg Claim Payout

$11,441

County-level NFIP data from FEMA National Flood Insurance Program.

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$84,920,034

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

621

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-4520	Biological	38	$62,600,039
DR-1933	Severe Storm(s)	217	$10,217,533
DR-1768	Severe Storm(s)	155	$4,503,184
DR-1966	Snow	50	$2,028,173
DR-3285	Snow	58	$1,938,126
DR-3163	Snow	35	$1,487,818
DR-3249	Hurricane	3	$862,853
DR-4477	Winter Storm	21	$726,537
DR-1332	Severe Storm(s)	42	$552,023
DR-1526	Severe Storm(s)	2	$3,748

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$10,524,200

Properties Protected

110

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

0.97

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
200.1: Acquisition of Private Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine	9	$4,124,787
403.4: Stormwater Management - Detention/Retention Basins	3	$3,933,748
100.1: Public Awareness and Education (Brochures, Workshops, Videos, etc.)	1	$52,588
200.3: Acquisition of Public Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine	1	$764,124
402.3: Infrastructure Protective Measures	1	$1,626,338

Federally funded projects to reduce future disaster risk. Only includes completed or obligated projects.

Wauwatosa has a relatively high overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are cold wave, heat wave, tornado. The area has had 21 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is flood (7 declarations). 2,423 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $84,920,034 in public assistance recovery funding. $285,896,564 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 17 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.