Storms, floods and disasters in Waubay
Waubay isn’t graded for hazard risk: Waubay has 337 residents; we grade towns of 1,000 or more. Flood insurance has paid 87 claims here since 1998.
What Waubay 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
Tornadoes
Wildfire
Strong wind
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.
Does Waubay flood? Sometimes: 87 flood claims since 1998
Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Waubay, from FEMA’s records.
- The Severe flooding1 claim · $1K
- The Late spring storms1 claim · $76K
Waubay isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Day County.6 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Waubay
Disasters that paid out in Waubay itself (aid to households or repair grants to the City of Waubay), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.
- 2023Flooding$16K to the City of Waubay for repairs
- 2019Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding$15K to the City of Waubay for repairs
- 2011Flooding$529K to the City of Waubay for repairs7 flood claims paid that year
- 2010Flooding$49K to the City of Waubay for repairs4 flood claims paid that year
- 2005Severe Winter Storm$4K to the City of Waubay for repairs
- 2001Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Ice Jams$3K to the City of Waubay for repairs3 flood claims paid that year
Day County has had 22 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often severe storms, then floods. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.
Old photos of Waubay after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.
Add to the Waubay archive →Waubay and its neighbors
How expected damage per building compares across the town line. Tap a town to see its hazards.
| Town | Hazard risk | Mostly (buildings) | Flood claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waubay Township | — | 653 residents; we grade 1,000+ | |
| Central Point Township | — | 85 residents; we grade 1,000+ | |
Hazard risk = FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade; the map is shaded by fifths of the same scale. Flood claims = paid federal flood insurance claims on record.
Get ready for what Waubay faces
A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.
- 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.
- 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.
- Clear dead leaves and brush within 5 feet of the house.
- Sign up for local alerts and know two ways out.
- Keep N95 masks for smoky days.
- Trim dead limbs over the house and driveway.
- Tie down trash cans and outdoor furniture.
- Stay clear of downed lines and call the utility.
- 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.
Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.
Questions about natural hazards in Waubay
Does Waubay flood?
Flood insurance has paid 87 claims in Waubay since 1998, $1.1M in all. 8 properties have flooded more than once. The most claims came from Severe flooding (1).
Is Waubay 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 Day County, 0.3% of all homes carry federal flood insurance.
How much is flood insurance in Waubay?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Waubay’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 Waubay?
By FEMA money that reached Waubay, Flooding (2011): $529K to the City of Waubay for repairs. By flood claims, Severe flooding: 1 paid, $1K.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Waubay.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Waubay’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.