Foster County, North Dakota
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 38031 · population 3,391 · 634 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 405 records for Foster County, North Dakota from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 320 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (115 records). 206 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the January 9, 1997 blizzard, filed for the forecast zone Foster, which covers the county: 1 death and $2.8 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 23 declarations naming the county since 1969, 21 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storm, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds” on September 11, 2025.
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
- 405on 320 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 13 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $37Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 15strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 23latest 2025
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 Foster County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 115 since 1996. 48% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 115 | 111 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 1 | $8.7M | 6 of 53 |
| Hail | 101 | 66 | 1957-2025 | 0 | 2 | $394K | 16 of 53 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 66 | 44 | 1974-2025 | 0 | 0 | $24M | 22 of 53 |
| High wind and dust storms | 42 | 42 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $26K | 7 of 53 |
| Extreme cold | 37 | 37 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 53 |
| Tornadoes | 15 | 12 | 1963-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 29 of 53 |
| Drought | 9 | 9 | 2021-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 53 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 9 | 8 | 2000-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 53 |
| Floods | 7 | 7 | 2005-2023 | 0 | 0 | $2.3M | 26 of 53 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 2001-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 53 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 1996-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 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 Foster County had?
NOAA records 15 tornadoes in Foster County from 1963 to 2025, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. 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 17 tornadoes whose track touched Foster County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 15: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Dakota.
Every tornado record filed for Foster County (15)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-28 | Bordulac, Foster County | EFU 0.54 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-28 | Bordulac, Foster County | EFU 0.65 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-20 | Grace City, Foster County | EF1 5.79 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $300K |
| 2018-05-30 | Bordulac, Foster County | EF0 0.89 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-07-17 | Glenfield, Foster County | EF0 0.02 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-07-17 | Juanita, Foster County | EF0 1.46 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-27 | Mc Henry, Foster County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-08-18 | Carrington, Foster County | F1 2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-08-18 | Carrington, Foster County | F1 2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $119K |
| 1987-07-21 | Foster County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1982-05-15 | Foster County | F0 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1977-07-23 | Foster County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1977-06-26 | Foster County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1972-07-29 | Foster County | F2 2.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1963-07-05 | Foster County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Foster County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 26, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A couple of trees were uprooted and a fence was blown over at a park on the north side of Carrington. At CrossRoads Golf Course, multiple tree branches were blown down.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1285327)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-03 | Heavy SnowFoster County · forecast zone Foster | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | High WindFoster County · forecast zone Foster | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-18 | BlizzardFoster County · forecast zone Foster | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-18 | Thunderstorm WindGlenfield, Foster County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-08 | Thunderstorm WindGlenfield, Foster County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-26 | Thunderstorm WindGlenfield, Foster County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-26 | Thunderstorm WindCarrington, Foster County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-06-28 | TornadoBordulac, Foster County | EFU 0.54 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-28 | TornadoBordulac, Foster County | EFU 0.65 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-28 | HailMc Henry, Foster County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-21 | Thunderstorm WindBordulac, Foster County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $250K |
| 2025-06-20 | Thunderstorm WindCarrington, Foster County | 54 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-01-09 | BlizzardFoster County · forecast zone Foster The second blizzard in less than 1 week brought North Dakota to a virtual standstill. This blizzard didn't bring as much snow as the first storm, but the winds gusted from the northwest as high at 40 mph and they lasted for 3 days. Snowfall amounts from this storm varied from 1-2 inches in the southwest to 2-4 inches ... | 1 | 0 | $2.8M | |
| 1994-08-18 | HailCarrington, Foster County A severe hailstorm that lasted nearly twenty minutes damaged buildings, homes, and vehicles. The large hail put holes in roofs and broke windows. Fifty percent of the homes in Carrington were damaged. Three golfers were caught in the storm, their injuries ranged from cuts and bruises to a broken hand. | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 2 | $110K |
| 1997-01-15 | BlizzardFoster County · forecast zone Foster 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 |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindMelville, Foster County | 0 | 0 | $18M | |
| 2014-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindBordulac, Foster County | 91 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3.7M |
| 1997-01-09 | BlizzardFoster County · forecast zone Foster | 1 | 0 | $2.8M | |
| 2011-08-06 | Flash FloodBordulac, Foster County | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | |
| 2009-04-01 | FloodBarlow, Foster County | 0 | 0 | $763K | |
| 2014-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindGrace City, Foster County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $748K |
| 2014-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindMelville, Foster County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $405K |
| 2017-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindJuanita, Foster County | 64 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $301K |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: July 21, 1987 (tornado, Foster 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 Foster 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 17 | 34 | 43 | 21 |
| Hail | 1 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 26 | 20 | 24 | 14 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 30 | 17 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 11 | 15 | 14 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 11 | 20 | 4 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
48% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in December and January. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 43 · Feb 35 · Mar 28 · Apr 19 · May 14 · Jun 71 · Jul 67 · Aug 47 · Sep 11 · Oct 13 · Nov 16 · Dec 41 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Foster County
FEMA's register lists 23 declarations that include Foster County: 20 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (12) and severe storm (8).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-09-11 | DR-4888 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Tornadoes, 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 |
| 2013-05-29 | DR-4118 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011-05-10 | DR-1981 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010-04-30 | DR-1907 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010-03-14 | EM-3309 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2009-03-24 | DR-1829 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3247 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 1994-07-01 | DR-1032 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding |
| 1979-04-26 | DR-581 | Flood | Severe Storms, Snowmelt & Flooding |
| 1974-05-14 | DR-434 | Flood | Heavy Rains, Snowmelt & Flooding |
| 1969-04-18 | DR-256 | 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 Foster County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 7 flood or flash flood records for Foster County from 2005 to 2023, on 7 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Foster County ranks 2321st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $98,000 on 11 claims filed in Foster County; the most in one year was 5 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1997: 3 · 2001: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2011: 5 · 2019: 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 Foster County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Foster County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $3.9 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 | $153K | 22 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $920K | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.6M | 20 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $366K | 3.2 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $116K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $44K | once in about 1,163 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Very Low | $11K | 12 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Very Low | $212K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Foster 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
- Winter storms in North DakotaThe state's winter storm records, 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 Foster CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Foster County's FEMA declarations (CSV)23 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis