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–Not graded
Natural hazards in New Ulm · FEMA

Storms, floods and disasters in New Ulm

New Ulm isn’t graded for hazard risk: New Ulm has 185 residents; we grade towns of 1,000 or more.

Flood claims
0
paid since 1978 · $0
Disasters paid out here
5
of 18 declared for Austin County
By hazard

What New Ulm 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

70%of expected building damage
Below average · lower than 71% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

15%of expected building damage
Above average · higher than 78% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Hurricanes

11%of expected building damage
Above average · higher than 79% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about once every 10 years in the area
Smaller shares here
 Strong wind Hail Earthquakes Wildfire Winter storms Ice storms Cold waves Lightning Heat waves Landslides
FEMA models no building damage here
Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

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 New Ulm flood? No paid flood claims on record

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

of homes in flood zones are insured
of all homes are insured
No community discount

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

Insurance rates: Austin County.
Disasters

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money to New Ulm

Disasters that paid out in New Ulm itself (aid to households or repair grants to New Ulm), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.

  1. 2024Hurricane Beryl17 households applied for aid$17K aid approved
  2. 2024Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding12 households applied for aid$67K aid approved
  3. 2021Severe Winter Storms26 households applied for aid$27K aid approved
  4. 2017Hurricane Harvey22 households applied for aid$13K aid approved
  5. 2016Severe Storms and Flooding20 households applied for aid$27K aid approved
Disasters declared, by decade
Paid out in New UlmAustin County only

Austin County has had 18 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 New Ulm after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.

Add to the New Ulm archive →
Be ready

Get ready for what New Ulm 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 ↗
Hurricane season
  • The season runs June through November and peaks from mid-August to mid-October.
  • Bring in porch furniture and anything the wind can throw.
  • Fill the gas tank and charge phones before the storm arrives.
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 New Ulm

Is New Ulm 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 Austin County, 33% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 3.9% of all homes do.

How much is flood insurance in New Ulm?

FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for New Ulm’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 New Ulm?

By FEMA money that reached New Ulm, Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding (2024): 12 households applied for aid, $67K approved.

Storm stories

Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in New Ulm.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where New Ulm’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.