Racine County, WI
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Racine County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Racine County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, tornado, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 56 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Racine County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1969, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (6), flood (4), snowstorm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2008 | Snowstorm | Record Snow And Near Record Snow |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 29.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 85.7 | 15 | 0 | $23.9M |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 25 | 4 | 0 | $4.0M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 61.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 83 | 13 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 93.1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 19.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 89 | 26 | 0 | $20K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 86.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 74.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 47.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 96.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 83.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 46.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 34.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Racine County ranks in the 47th percentile (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 | 47th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 32nd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 65th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 67th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 45th | 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 | 17th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 16th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 23.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 56 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 30 in 2016–20 vs 26 in 2021–25 (-13% — 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 Racine County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Racine County, Wisconsin are cold wave, tornado, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Racine County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Racine County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (6 declarations).
Has Racine County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Racine County include Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1969.
How does Racine County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Milwaukee County, WI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Walworth County, WI has the lowest (Relatively Low). Racine County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Racine County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Racine 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. Racine County's composite score of 85 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 85% of US counties.