FEMA rates relative cold wave risk for St. Joseph County as relatively high and reports FEMA annualized frequency of 0.929 per year for the area.
FEMA summary
FEMA's profile for St. Joseph County reports FEMA annualized frequency of 0.929 per year for cold wave. FEMA's relative risk rating for the area is relatively 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 St. Joseph County.
Cold Wave
FEMA combines its area-wide loss estimate and community data in this relative rating. Event frequency appears separately below.
Relative FEMA score
93.9/100
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 St. Joseph County. It is not an estimate for a home or address.
City risk summary
For South Bend, FEMA rates cold wave risk for St. Joseph County as relatively high, with a relative score of 93.9/100. The next highest relative scores are strong wind at 93.0/100 and tornado at 90.1/100.
Using FEMA data for St. Joseph County, South Bend is #4 among 10 covered Indiana entries for cold wave risk. Elkhart is about 16 straight-line miles from the South Bend map point; its FEMA figures cover Elkhart County.
For homeowners and movers
Preparedness actions
Living in South Bend? Learn how to handle water storage, sanitation, and security in a small space.
The map shows South Bend. All FEMA figures on this page cover St. Joseph County.
The FEMA figures cover St. Joseph County. Address-level conditions require local maps, building records, and property details.
FEMA rates relative cold wave risk for St. Joseph County as relatively high. Its FEMA annualized frequency is 0.929 per year. Damage at a specific address also depends on the building, soil, elevation, and exact hazard zone.
Among 10 Indiana cities covered by this directory, South Bend is #4 for relative cold wave risk based on FEMA's score for St. Joseph County. Homes within South Bend can have different soil, elevation, construction, and hazard-zone conditions.
In FEMA's data for St. Joseph County, the highest relative ratings are Cold Wave (Relatively High), Strong Wind (Relatively High), and Tornado (Relatively Moderate). FEMA uses estimated losses and community data along with event frequency when assigning these ratings.
The hazard numbers cover St. Joseph County. For an individual home, check local fault, flood, fire, evacuation, and building records for the exact address.
FEMA gives St. Joseph County an overall relative risk rating of relatively low. 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 | Cold Wave rating | Relative score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhart, IN | 16 mi | Relatively High | 93.7 |
| Kalamazoo, MI | 54 mi | Relatively High | 85.8 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | 71 mi | Very High | 96.4 |
| Chicago, IL | 74 mi | Very High | 100.0 |
| Holland, MI | 76 mi | Relatively High | 91.1 |
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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.