Wisconsin lightning risk
Marathon County has the highest lightning risk in Wisconsin, scoring 95.2 out of 100 — rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded lightning events across Wisconsin have decreased 69% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marathon County | 95.2 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 2 | Brown County | 95 | Relatively High | 2 |
| 3 | Kenosha County | 92.9 | Relatively High | 1 |
| 4 | Outagamie County | 90.5 | Relatively High | 2 |
| 5 | Dane County | 90.4 | Relatively High | 6 |
| 6 | Oconto County | 86.5 | Relatively High | 2 |
| 7 | Rock County | 84.7 | Relatively High | 1 |
| 8 | Racine County | 83.3 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 9 | Winnebago County | 82.9 | Relatively High | 1 |
| 10 | Marinette County | 82.1 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 11 | Jefferson County | 80.8 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 12 | Waupaca County | 79.5 | Relatively Moderate | 2 |
| 13 | Burnett County | 78.8 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 14 | Shawano County | 76.9 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 15 | Trempealeau County | 76.3 | Relatively Moderate | 2 |
| 16 | Oneida County | 76 | Relatively Moderate | 2 |
| 17 | St. Croix County | 76 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 18 | Menominee County | 75.7 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 19 | Walworth County | 75.4 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 20 | Grant County | 75 | Relatively Moderate | 4 |
| 21 | Portage County | 73.3 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 22 | Douglas County | 73.2 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 23 | Langlade County | 73.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 24 | Taylor County | 72.5 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 25 | Clark County | 71.7 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 26 | Polk County | 71.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 27 | Eau Claire County | 71 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 28 | Washburn County | 70.6 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 29 | Chippewa County | 69.4 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 30 | Barron County | 67 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 31 | Vilas County | 66.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 32 | Manitowoc County | 65.7 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 33 | Wood County | 65.1 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 34 | Dunn County | 64.1 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 35 | Sheboygan County | 63.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 36 | Lincoln County | 63 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 37 | Fond du Lac County | 62.3 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 38 | Bayfield County | 61.8 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 39 | Milwaukee County | 61.7 | Relatively Moderate | 4 |
| 40 | Waukesha County | 60.2 | Relatively Moderate | 4 |
| 41 | Dodge County | 59.4 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 42 | Washington County | 59.4 | Relatively Moderate | 4 |
| 43 | Sawyer County | 57.9 | Relatively Moderate | 2 |
| 44 | Ashland County | 55.8 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 45 | La Crosse County | 55.2 | Relatively Low | 5 |
| 46 | Calumet County | 54.3 | Relatively Low | 2 |
| 47 | Juneau County | 53.1 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 48 | Sauk County | 52.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 49 | Price County | 52.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 50 | Door County | 48.3 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 51 | Rusk County | 47.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 52 | Monroe County | 47.6 | Relatively Low | 2 |
| 53 | Pierce County | 46.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 54 | Iron County | 45.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 55 | Jackson County | 41.7 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 56 | Ozaukee County | 41.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 57 | Kewaunee County | 41.1 | Relatively Low | 2 |
| 58 | Forest County | 40.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 59 | Columbia County | 37.2 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 60 | Vernon County | 32.7 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 61 | Adams County | 32.5 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 62 | Green County | 29.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 63 | Green Lake County | 27.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 64 | Waushara County | 27.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 65 | Buffalo County | 24.2 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 66 | Crawford County | 23.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 67 | Richland County | 22.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 68 | Florence County | 18.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 69 | Marquette County | 17.2 | Very Low | 0 |
| 70 | Iowa County | 15.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 71 | Lafayette County | 14.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 72 | Pepin County | 14.2 | Very Low | 0 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.
Lightning risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in Wisconsin:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest lightning risk county in Wisconsin?
Marathon County, WI has the highest lightning risk in Wisconsin, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 95.2 out of 100 (rated "Relatively High").
What causes lightning risk in Wisconsin?
Lightning risk reflects expected annual losses from cloud-to-ground strikes, which ignite building fires, damage electrical systems, and cause fatalities. Florida consistently leads the US in lightning density. High scores also appear across the Gulf Coast, Southeast, and central Plains, where afternoon convective storms are most frequent in summer months.