Dickey County, North Dakota
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 38021 · population 4,995 · 1,131 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 496 records for Dickey County, North Dakota from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 361 days; the most frequent are hail reports (140 records). The most damaging was the July 10, 2011 thunderstorm wind ($3.0 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 32 declarations naming the county since 1966, 30 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line Winds” on February 15, 2024.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 496on 361 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 06 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $31Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 35strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 32latest 2024
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Dickey County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 140 since 1961. 56% of its hail reports since 1961 fell in July and August. The rank column places the county among North Dakota's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 140 | 86 | 1961-2025 | 0 | 0 | $6.0M | 32 of 53 |
| Winter storms | 122 | 119 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 4 | $12M | 21 of 53 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 94 | 66 | 1960-2026 | 0 | 2 | $7.3M | 27 of 53 |
| High wind and dust storms | 38 | 38 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $33K | 30 of 53 |
| Tornadoes | 35 | 27 | 1957-2020 | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | 17 of 53 |
| Extreme cold | 29 | 29 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 of 53 |
| Floods | 13 | 13 | 1997-2023 | 0 | 0 | $3.3M | 24 of 53 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 12 | 10 | 2009-2023 | 0 | 0 | $71K | 14 of 53 |
| Drought | 6 | 6 | 2021-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 47 of 53 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 2 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 53 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 2001-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 of 53 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2000-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 of 53 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Dickey County had?
NOAA records 35 tornadoes in Dickey County from 1957 to 2020, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 17th of 53 North Dakota counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 35 tornadoes whose track touched Dickey County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 35, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Dakota.
Every tornado record filed for Dickey County (35)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-06-20 | Ellendale Airport, Dickey County | EFU 0.27 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-06-07 | Merricourt, Dickey County | EFU 0.42 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-07-17 | Fullerton, Dickey County | EF0 0.05 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-07-10 | Glover, Dickey County | EF0 0.14 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-07-10 | Monango, Dickey County | EF0 0.38 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-07-10 | Merricourt, Dickey County | EF1 0.49 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $98K |
| 2008-05-24 | Oakes, Dickey County | EF0 7.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2008-05-24 | Guelph, Dickey County | EF0 4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2008-05-24 | Guelph, Dickey County | EF0 5.64 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2006-08-20 | Monango, Dickey County | F0 0.3 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-07 | Merricourt, Dickey County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-07-20 | Oakes, Dickey County | F1 2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-27 | Oakes, Dickey County | F0 5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-27 | Ludden, Dickey County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-07-04 | Fullerton, Dickey County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-07-27 | Ellendale, Dickey County | F2 2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 1998-06-26 | Fullerton, Dickey County | F0 0.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-06-18 | Dickey County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-06-18 | Dickey County | F0 0.1 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-06-03 | Dickey County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-06-03 | Dickey County | F1 4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1991-05-30 | Dickey County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1985-06-14 | Dickey County | F0 0.2 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-07-25 | Dickey County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1978-07-16 | Dickey County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1974-06-13 | Dickey County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1971-08-17 | Dickey County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1970-05-28 | Dickey County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1967-06-30 | Dickey County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1967-06-30 | Dickey County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1966-07-31 | Dickey County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1965-05-20 | Dickey County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1960-08-02 | Dickey County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1958-07-04 | Dickey County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1957-06-20 | Dickey County | F2 2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Dickey County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 14, 2025 hail ($50,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Crops in the area were damaged by the hail.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1285152)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-09 | Thunderstorm WindOakes, Dickey County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-09 | Thunderstorm WindEllendale Airport, Dickey County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-03 | Heavy SnowDickey County · forecast zone Dickey | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-14 | Heavy SnowDickey County · forecast zone Dickey | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | High WindDickey County · forecast zone Dickey | 62 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindDickey County · forecast zone Dickey | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-09 | High WindDickey County · forecast zone Dickey | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-11-25 | Heavy SnowDickey County · forecast zone Dickey | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-14 | HailEllendale, Dickey County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2025-06-20 | Thunderstorm WindEllendale Airport, Dickey County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-01 | Heavy SnowDickey County · forecast zone Dickey | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-16 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillDickey County · forecast zone Dickey | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-03-01 | Winter StormDickey County · forecast zone Dickey Twelve to fifteen inches of snow accumulation was reported across Dickey County, along with light freezing rain and sleet. Precipitation continued from February 28. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1997-01-21 | BlizzardDickey County · forecast zone Dickey The last in a string of 4 blizzards to hit North Dakota struck in the morning of the 22nd. Snow amounts with this storm ranged from 2-4 inches, but northwest winds gusted to near 45 mph. Again, east-central and eastern North Dakota were hardest hit. I-29 in North Dakota and I-94 from Bismarck to Fargo were closed ... | 0 | 1 | $1.5M | |
| 1997-01-15 | BlizzardDickey County · forecast zone Dickey The 3rd blizzard to hit North Dakota in less than 3 weeks affected mainly the east-central and eastern part of the state. Again, like the previous blizzard, the winds was the major weather factor. Wind gusts at times were over 50 mph. This created widespread blowing and drifting snow. All major roads in the area were ... | 0 | 1 | $1.7M | |
| 1989-08-02 | Thunderstorm WindDickey County | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1989-08-02 | Thunderstorm WindDickey County | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-07-10 | Thunderstorm WindMerricourt, Dickey County | 109 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3.0M |
| 1997-04-04 | BlizzardDickey County · forecast zone Dickey | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | |
| 1998-06-26 | HailOakes, Dickey County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $2.7M |
| 1997-01-15 | BlizzardDickey County · forecast zone Dickey | 0 | 1 | $1.7M | |
| 1999-07-27 | TornadoEllendale, Dickey County | F2 2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 2005-06-07 | Flash FloodMerricourt, Dickey County | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 2007-07-15 | Thunderstorm WindMerricourt, Dickey County | 83 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 2022-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindEllendale, Dickey County | 96 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 20, 1957 (tornado, Dickey County); May 20, 1965 (tornado, Dickey County); July 31, 1966 (tornado, Dickey County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Dickey County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 0 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 20 | 44 | 39 | 19 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 29 | 48 | 28 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 22 | 30 | 12 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 10 | 13 | 13 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 2 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 9 | 14 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
56% of its hail reports since 1961 fell in July and August. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 39 · Feb 33 · Mar 31 · Apr 24 · May 34 · Jun 89 · Jul 105 · Aug 56 · Sep 18 · Oct 11 · Nov 15 · Dec 41 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Dickey County
FEMA's register lists 32 declarations that include Dickey County: 28 major disasters, 4 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (17) and severe storm (9).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-02-15 | DR-4760 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2023-07-05 | DR-4717 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2023-02-05 | DR-4686 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2022-07-13 | DR-4660 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Flooding |
| 2020-07-09 | DR-4553 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2020-04-01 | DR-4509 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3477 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2020-01-21 | DR-4475 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2019-06-12 | DR-4444 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011-05-10 | DR-1981 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010-04-30 | DR-1907 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010-03-14 | EM-3309 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010-02-26 | DR-1879 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2009-03-24 | DR-1829 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2007-07-17 | DR-1713 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3247 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-07-22 | DR-1597 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Ground Saturation |
| 2001-05-28 | DR-1376 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, & Ground Saturation |
| 2000-06-27 | DR-1334 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding and Ground Saturation |
| 1999-06-08 | DR-1279 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow, Ice, Ground Saturation, Lanslides, Mudslides, and Tor |
| 1998-06-15 | DR-1220 | Flood | Flooding, Ground Saturation,Severe Storms |
| 1997-04-07 | DR-1174 | Flood | Severe Flooding,Severe Winter Storms, Snowmelt, Spring Rains |
| 1997-01-12 | DR-1157 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Blizzard Conditions |
| 1996-06-05 | DR-1118 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms,Flooding, & Ice Jams |
| 1995-05-16 | DR-1050 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Ground Saturation |
| 1993-07-26 | DR-1001 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1979-04-26 | DR-581 | Flood | Severe Storms, Snowmelt & Flooding |
| 1978-04-17 | DR-554 | Flood | Storms, Ice Jams, Snowmelt & Flooding |
| 1976-07-21 | EM-3016 | Drought | Drought |
| 1975-07-11 | DR-475 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1969-04-18 | DR-256 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1966-03-23 | DR-216 | Flood | Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Dickey County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 13 flood or flash flood records for Dickey County from 1997 to 2023, on 13 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Dickey County ranks 2523rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $20,000 on 6 claims filed in Dickey County; the most in one year was 3 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1997: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2011: 3 · 2012: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Dickey County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Dickey County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $6.1 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $244K | 23 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $3.2M | 17 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $717K | 3.6 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $107K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $501K | 2.2 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $66K | once in about 1,416 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Very Low | $15K | 6 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Very Low | $356K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Dickey County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in North DakotaEvery North Dakota tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Hail in North DakotaThe state's hail reports, by county, year and month
- The North Dakota recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Dickey CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Dickey County's FEMA declarations (CSV)32 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis