Lightning Risk in Wisconsin
All Wisconsin counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index lightning score
Lightning risk — electrical discharges from storms that ignite fires and cause casualties — is rated for 72 of 72 Wisconsin counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Marathon County carries the state's highest lightning score at 95.2, with $2M in expected annual lightning losses.
10 Wisconsin counties are rated High or Very High for lightning, and expected annual losses from lightning total roughly $37M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Lightning
| # | County | Lightning Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marathon County | High | 31.86 / yr | $2M | |
| 2 | Brown County | High | 30.87 / yr | $2M | |
| 3 | Kenosha County | High | 35.18 / yr | $2M | |
| 4 | Outagamie County | High | 31.69 / yr | $2M | |
| 5 | Dane County | High | 37.12 / yr | $2M | |
| 6 | Oconto County | High | 29.89 / yr | $1M | |
| 7 | Rock County | High | 38.50 / yr | $1M | |
| 8 | Racine County | High | 35.44 / yr | $957K | |
| 9 | Winnebago County | High | 34.17 / yr | $989K | |
| 10 | Marinette County | High | 27.88 / yr | $788K | |
| 11 | Jefferson County | Medium | 36.91 / yr | $896K | |
| 12 | Waupaca County | Medium | 32.15 / yr | $633K | |
| 13 | Burnett County | Medium | 31.91 / yr | $501K | |
| 14 | Shawano County | Medium | 31.10 / yr | $725K | |
| 15 | Trempealeau County | Medium | 35.43 / yr | $621K | |
| 16 | St. Croix County | Medium | 34.86 / yr | $943K | |
| 17 | Oneida County | Medium | 29.06 / yr | $651K | |
| 18 | Menominee County | Medium | 30.29 / yr | $395K | |
| 19 | Walworth County | Medium | 37.60 / yr | $711K | |
| 20 | Grant County | Medium | 37.89 / yr | $567K | |
| 21 | Portage County | Medium | 33.01 / yr | $867K | |
| 22 | Douglas County | Medium | 29.46 / yr | $611K | |
| 23 | Langlade County | Medium | 29.71 / yr | $520K | |
| 24 | Taylor County | Medium | 32.30 / yr | $519K | |
| 25 | Clark County | Medium | 33.15 / yr | $340K | |
| 26 | Polk County | Medium | 33.37 / yr | $513K | |
| 27 | Eau Claire County | Medium | 34.09 / yr | $629K | |
| 28 | Washburn County | Medium | 31.80 / yr | $499K | |
| 29 | Chippewa County | Medium | 33.45 / yr | $585K | |
| 30 | Barron County | Medium | 33.39 / yr | $423K | |
| 31 | Vilas County | Medium | 26.91 / yr | $344K | |
| 32 | Manitowoc County | Medium | 30.51 / yr | $489K | |
| 33 | Wood County | Medium | 32.95 / yr | $461K | |
| 34 | Dunn County | Medium | 34.63 / yr | $563K | |
| 35 | Sheboygan County | Medium | 31.51 / yr | $474K | |
| 36 | Lincoln County | Medium | 30.78 / yr | $420K | |
| 37 | Fond du Lac County | Medium | 34.30 / yr | $449K | |
| 38 | Bayfield County | Medium | 27.26 / yr | $297K | |
| 39 | Milwaukee County | Medium | 33.72 / yr | $309K | |
| 40 | Waukesha County | Medium | 36.33 / yr | $606K | |
| 41 | Dodge County | Medium | 34.87 / yr | $391K | |
| 42 | Washington County | Medium | 33.91 / yr | $577K | |
| 43 | Sawyer County | Medium | 31.21 / yr | $218K | |
| 44 | Ashland County | Low | 27.90 / yr | $242K | |
| 45 | La Crosse County | Low | 35.85 / yr | $349K | |
| 46 | Calumet County | Low | 32.99 / yr | $518K | |
| 47 | Juneau County | Low | 34.28 / yr | $218K | |
| 48 | Sauk County | Low | 35.60 / yr | $298K | |
| 49 | Price County | Low | 31.00 / yr | $225K | |
| 50 | Door County | Low | 26.49 / yr | $217K | |
| 51 | Rusk County | Low | 32.52 / yr | $192K | |
| 52 | Monroe County | Low | 35.02 / yr | $164K | |
| 53 | Pierce County | Low | 36.41 / yr | $292K | |
| 54 | Iron County | Low | 27.69 / yr | $149K | |
| 55 | Jackson County | Low | 34.34 / yr | $145K | |
| 56 | Ozaukee County | Low | 32.08 / yr | $344K | |
| 57 | Kewaunee County | Low | 29.40 / yr | $214K | |
| 58 | Forest County | Low | 27.98 / yr | $128K | |
| 59 | Columbia County | Low | 35.52 / yr | $165K | |
| 60 | Vernon County | Low | 36.37 / yr | $90K | |
| 61 | Adams County | Low | 33.48 / yr | $80K | |
| 62 | Green County | Low | 38.37 / yr | $130K | |
| 63 | Green Lake County | Low | 34.15 / yr | $72K | |
| 64 | Waushara County | Low | 33.79 / yr | $104K | |
| 65 | Buffalo County | Low | 36.35 / yr | $100K | |
| 66 | Crawford County | Very Low | 37.48 / yr | $81K | |
| 67 | Richland County | Very Low | 36.08 / yr | $63K | |
| 68 | Florence County | Very Low | 27.32 / yr | $63K | |
| 69 | Marquette County | Very Low | 34.00 / yr | $53K | |
| 70 | Iowa County | Very Low | 37.58 / yr | $69K | |
| 71 | Lafayette County | Very Low | 38.09 / yr | $58K | |
| 72 | Pepin County | Very Low | 36.17 / yr | $51K |
72 Wisconsin counties with measurable lightning risk. See the national lightning ranking or all Wisconsin counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Wisconsin county has the highest lightning risk?
Marathon County has the highest FEMA lightning risk score in Wisconsin at 95.2 (High), with $2M in expected annual losses and about 31.86 events per year.
How many Wisconsin counties face significant lightning risk?
72 Wisconsin counties record measurable lightning risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 10 of them are rated High or Very High.