FEMA rates relative strong wind risk for Polk County as very high and reports FEMA annualized frequency of 6.583 per year for the area.
FEMA summary
FEMA's profile for Polk County reports FEMA annualized frequency of 6.583 per year for strong wind. FEMA's relative risk rating for the area is very high; the annualized frequency is a separate measure.
Hazard metrics cover FEMA county-equivalent geographies rather than individual addresses or parcels. Use local or state hazard maps before making a property, insurance, retrofit, or evacuation decision.
Select a hazard to inspect FEMA's figures for Polk County.
Strong Wind
FEMA combines its area-wide loss estimate and community data in this relative rating. Event frequency appears separately below.
Relative FEMA score
99.8/100
Occurrence thresholds vary by hazard. The FEMA methodology defines the value for each hazard.
The area loss estimate combines FEMA's modeled losses to buildings, population, and agriculture across Polk County. It is not an estimate for a home or address.
City risk summary
For Des Moines, FEMA rates strong wind risk for Polk County as very high, with a relative score of 99.8/100. The next highest relative scores are tornado at 98.3/100 and hail at 97.8/100.
Using FEMA data for Polk County, Des Moines is #1 among 6 covered Iowa entries for strong wind risk. Waterloo is about 91 straight-line miles from the Des Moines map point; its FEMA figures cover Black Hawk County.
For homeowners and movers
Preparedness actions
Living in Des Moines? Learn how to handle water storage, sanitation, and security in a small space.
The map shows Des Moines. All FEMA figures on this page cover Polk County.
The FEMA figures cover Polk County. Address-level conditions require local maps, building records, and property details.
FEMA rates relative strong wind risk for Polk County as very high. Its FEMA annualized frequency is 6.583 per year. Damage at a specific address also depends on the building, soil, elevation, and exact hazard zone.
Among 6 Iowa cities covered by this directory, Des Moines is #1 for relative strong wind risk based on FEMA's score for Polk County. Homes within Des Moines can have different soil, elevation, construction, and hazard-zone conditions.
In FEMA's data for Polk County, the highest relative ratings are Strong Wind (Very High), Tornado (Relatively High), and Hail (Relatively High). FEMA uses estimated losses and community data along with event frequency when assigning these ratings.
The hazard numbers cover Polk County. For an individual home, check local fault, flood, fire, evacuation, and building records for the exact address.
FEMA gives Polk County an overall relative risk rating of relatively moderate. Conditions at a specific home depend on its hazard zones, building type, maintenance, insurance, and access to evacuation routes and emergency services.
Start with this step: Confirm the exact hazard using official local maps before making property or insurance decisions. Know how local officials issue warnings and evacuation instructions. Use Ready.gov Be Informed and local emergency guidance for a complete plan.
Distances are measured between city coordinates.
| City | Distance | Strong Wind rating | Relative score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo, IA | 91 mi | Relatively High | 96.9 |
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View productHazard metrics come from FEMA National Risk Index v1.19.0 (March 2023). City population and coordinates come from SimpleMaps US Cities Database. For current conditions, use official local maps, warnings, inspections, and professional advice.