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2009-0805-GoodThunderPhoto: Bobak Ha'Eri · CC BY 3.0
–Not graded
Natural hazards in Good Thunder · FEMA

Storms, floods and disasters in Good Thunder

Good Thunder isn’t graded for hazard risk: Good Thunder has 456 residents; we grade towns of 1,000 or more.

Flood claims
0
paid since 1978 · $0
Disasters paid out here
2
of 20 declared for Blue Earth County
By hazard

What Good Thunder faces

Each hazard’s share of the building damage FEMA expects here, and how its rate compares with the rest of the country.

River and rain flooding

73%of expected building damage
Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

13%of expected building damage
Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Strong wind

9%of expected building damage
Well above average · in the top 2% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area
Smaller shares here
 Hail Winter storms top 3% Ice storms Earthquakes Heat waves top 2% Lightning Wildfire Cold waves Landslides
FEMA models no building damage here
Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity
People, not buildings.Counting harm to people as well as buildings, FEMA’s model puts cold waves at 18% of Good Thunder’s expected losses. Cold waves do little damage to buildings (0.0%), so they aren’t part of the grade.

Shares are of FEMA’s expected building damage, the measure the grade uses; ranks compare each hazard’s building-damage rate with all 85,154 U.S. census tracts. In FEMA’s terms, river and rain flooding is FEMA’s “Inland Flooding” (rivers and streams overflowing their banks, or rain overwhelming drainage). FEMA defines coastal flooding as high or rising tides and storm surge, so surge damage is counted there. Drought isn’t listed: FEMA counts its losses in crops only.

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.
Flood insurance claims

Does Good Thunder flood? No paid flood claims on record

FEMA’s records show no paid flood insurance claims in Good Thunder. That’s not a promise: most homes don’t carry flood insurance, so small floods go unrecorded.

of all homes are insured
No community discount

Good Thunder isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Blue Earth County.
Disasters

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Good Thunder

Disasters that paid out in Good Thunder itself (aid to households or repair grants to the City of Good Thunder), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.

  1. 2024Severe Storms and Flooding21 households applied for aid$94K aid approved
  2. 2016Severe Storms and Flooding2 households applied for aid$1K aid approved
Disasters declared, by decade
Paid out in Good ThunderBlue Earth County only

Blue Earth County has had 20 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often floods, then severe storms. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.

Were you here?

Old photos of Good Thunder after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.

Add to the Good Thunder archive →
Be ready

Get ready for what Good Thunder faces

A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.

When the river rises
  • Turn around at flooded roads: a foot of moving water can carry off a car.
  • Flood insurance usually takes 30 days to start, so buy it before the forecast.
  • Keep papers and medicines up high, in a grab-and-go bag.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Tornado warnings
  • Pick your spot now: the lowest floor, an inside room, no windows.
  • A watch means be ready; a warning means take cover now.
  • Keep shoes and a flashlight by the bed.
More from Ready.gov ↗
High winds
  • Trim dead limbs over the house and driveway.
  • Tie down trash cans and outdoor furniture.
  • Stay clear of downed lines and call the utility.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Before you buy or rent
  • Look up the address on FEMA’s flood map.
  • Ask the seller or landlord whether it has ever flooded, and what flood insurance costs there.
  • Get a flood insurance quote early: policies usually start 30 days after you buy.
When a storm is coming
Forecast and alertsWeather →911, the nearest ERSafety →

Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.

Questions about natural hazards in Good Thunder

Is Good Thunder in a flood zone?

Flood zones are drawn street by street, so the answer depends on the address: look it up on FEMA’s flood map. In Blue Earth County, 0.2% of all homes carry federal flood insurance.

How much is flood insurance in Good Thunder?

FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Good Thunder’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.

What was the biggest storm in Good Thunder?

By FEMA money that reached Good Thunder, Severe Storms and Flooding (2024): 21 households applied for aid, $94K approved.

Storm stories

Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Good Thunder.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Good Thunder’s residents lived in the 2020 census; OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. Preparedness tips: Ready.gov. FEMA’s model is an average of expected damage, not a forecast. How hazard risk is graded.