Wabasha County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Wabasha County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Wabasha County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, hail, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 99 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (10th 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. Wabasha County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1965, covering 5 disaster types including flood (9), severe storm (4), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 1998 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 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 | 13.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 61.1 | 36 | 0 | $306K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 3.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 33.9 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 61.7 | 8 | 0 | $435K |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 80.2 | 50 | 0 | $551K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 74 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 34.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 33.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 43.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 24.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 48.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 81.6 | 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
Wabasha County ranks in the 10th 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 | 10th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 4th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 33rd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 10th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 29th | 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 | 12th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 12th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 45.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 99 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 49 in 2016–20 vs 50 in 2021–25 (+2% — relatively stable).
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 Wabasha County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Wabasha County, Minnesota are landslide, hail, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Wabasha County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Wabasha County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (9 declarations).
Has Wabasha County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Wabasha County include Severe Storms And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Wabasha County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Olmsted County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Pepin County, WI has the lowest (Very Low). Wabasha County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Wabasha County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Wabasha 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. Wabasha County's composite score of 46 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 46% of US counties.