Natural Disaster Risk in Melrose

Natural Hazard Profile: Melrose, Wisconsin

Melrose is a small community of about 2,259 in Jackson County, in the interior eastern United States. The area experiences long, cold winters with lake-effect snow and warm summers, with severe blizzards and spring tornado outbreaks shaping the pattern of natural hazards that residents encounter. Understanding the local risk profile is essential for anyone living in, moving to, or owning property in Melrose.

According to FEMA's National Risk Index, Melrose carries an overall risk score of 5.4/10, placing it in the moderate category. Slope instability and debris flows are the primary natural hazard, driven by a combination of local geology, precipitation intensity, and terrain that creates susceptibility to failure. The area also faces notable exposure to cold wave and hail.

Melrose's risk score, near the 5.4/10 state average and above the U.S. national average of 4.5/10. Of the 18 hazard categories tracked by FEMA for Jackson County, the highest-scoring are landslide, cold wave, and hail. These scores reflect county-level data and represent the baseline risk that all communities in the county share.

With a moderate risk rating, Melrose residents are well-served by maintaining standard preparedness practices — an emergency supply kit, awareness of local hazard seasonality, and insurance that covers the top local risks. Periodic review of coverage for landslide is recommended.