Palo Alto County, IA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Palo Alto County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Palo Alto County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hail, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 26% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (14th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Palo Alto County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (11), flood (7), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2018 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 total declarations since 1965.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 11 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 9 | 18 | 0 | $1.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 6.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 10 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 38.8 | 1 | 0 | $60K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 77.7 | 26 | 0 | $102K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 22.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 50.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 25.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 62.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 59.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 83 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 16.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Palo Alto County ranks in the 14th percentile (Very low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 14th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 7th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 37th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 25th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 32nd | Low |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 16th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 19th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 27.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 47 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 27 in 2016–20 vs 20 in 2021–25 (-26% — frequency decreasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Palo Alto County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Palo Alto County, Iowa are drought, hail, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Palo Alto County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Palo Alto County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).
Has Palo Alto County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Palo Alto County include Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Palo Alto County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Emmet County, IA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Humboldt County, IA has the lowest (Very Low). Palo Alto County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Palo Alto County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Palo Alto County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Palo Alto County's composite score of 16 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 16% of US counties.