Sioux County, North Dakota
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 38085 · population 3,885 · 1,094 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 418 records for Sioux County, North Dakota from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 334 days; the most frequent are hail reports (113 records). 211 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 July 8, 2019 flash flood: 2 deaths, 2 injuries and $866,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1969, 20 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
- 418on 334 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 520 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $30Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 17strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 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 Sioux County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 113 since 1980. 67% of its hail reports since 1980 fell in June and July. 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 | 113 | 72 | 1980-2025 | 0 | 2 | $6.4M | 39 of 53 |
| Winter storms | 106 | 103 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 5 | $18M | 28 of 53 |
| High wind and dust storms | 67 | 67 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 7 | $87K | 10 of 53 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 60 | 44 | 1959-2025 | 0 | 4 | $2.7M | 42 of 53 |
| Extreme cold | 25 | 25 | 1996-2025 | 3 | 0 | – | 34 of 53 |
| Tornadoes | 17 | 15 | 1956-2024 | 0 | 0 | $81K | 44 of 53 |
| Floods | 14 | 12 | 1997-2019 | 2 | 2 | $2.5M | 27 of 53 |
| Drought | 7 | 7 | 2021-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 40 of 53 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 3 | 2006-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 52 of 53 |
| Wildfires | 4 | 4 | 2002-2015 | 0 | 0 | $934K | 1 of 53 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 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 Sioux County had?
NOAA records 17 tornadoes in Sioux County from 1956 to 2024, the strongest rated EF1, 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 Sioux County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 17, 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 Sioux County (17)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-08-28 | Selfridge, Sioux County | EF1 2.19 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2010-05-24 | Ft Yates, Sioux County | EF0 1.35 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2010-05-24 | Selfridge, Sioux County | EF1 0.73 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 2009-06-16 | Ft Yates, Sioux County | EF0 0.15 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-05-25 | Selfridge, Sioux County | EF0 0.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-08-10 | Selfridge, Sioux County | F0 2 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-26 | Solen, Sioux County | F0 2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-26 | Solen, Sioux County | F0 2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-06-25 | Selfridge, Sioux County | F1 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-06-06 | Ft Yates, Sioux County | F0 1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-06-28 | Ft Yates, Sioux County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $24K |
| 1983-06-21 | Sioux County | F1 0.3 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1977-07-04 | Sioux County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1975-05-17 | Sioux County | F0 2.3 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1966-07-31 | Sioux County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1966-06-24 | Sioux County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1956-07-03 | Sioux County | 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 Sioux County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 20, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Multiple large trees were blown down.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1275059)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-03 | Heavy SnowSioux County · forecast zone Sioux | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-14 | Heavy SnowSioux County · forecast zone Sioux | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | High WindSioux County · forecast zone Sioux | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-15 | High WindSioux County · forecast zone Sioux | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindSioux County · forecast zone Sioux | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-09 | High WindSioux County · forecast zone Sioux | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-10-20 | High WindSioux County · forecast zone Sioux | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-09-12 | HailCannon Ball, Sioux County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-09-12 | HailSolen, Sioux County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-09-12 | HailSolen, Sioux County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-07 | Thunderstorm WindSelfridge, Sioux County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-20 | Thunderstorm WindFt Yates, Sioux County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-07-08 | Flash FloodFt Yates, Sioux County Flash flooding resulted in a section of BIA Road 3, locally known as the Kenel Road which connects with ND Highway 1806, being washed out at the crossing with Joe Bush Creek. The culvert washed out and the road collapsed. Four vehicles drove into the washout and resulted in two fatalities and two injuries. | 2 | 2 | $866K | |
| 2014-02-04 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillSioux County · forecast zone Sioux A woman on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in Sioux County succumbed to very cold temperatures in her home due to the lack of propane for her heat. There was no heat for the house. Low temperatures were in the single digits below zero and highs were around 10 with an average wind speed for the day of less than 10 ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2003-02-13 | Cold/Wind ChillSioux County · forecast zone Sioux A young woman died of hperthermia approxiately several days before finding her body in a open field near her home. Time of death is unknown. The young woman was intoxicated when she left her home. Nearby weather reporting stations indicated overnight lows between 10 to 20 below zero prior to finding her body. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2003-02-05 | Cold/Wind ChillSioux County · forecast zone Sioux A women, age unknown, left her home walking to the grocery store. She took refuge in an abandon house with no electricity or heat. She died of hypothermia. No other information was available. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-03-11 | High WindSioux County · forecast zone Sioux Estimated peak winds up to 60 mph occurred across Sioux County. An accident between a school bus and a pickup truck, which was caused by the strong winds, resulted in seven injuries. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 7 | $20K |
| 1997-01-09 | BlizzardSioux County · forecast zone Sioux 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 ... | 0 | 3 | $2.8M | |
| 2010-07-13 | HailCannon Ball, Sioux County A North Dakota state record tying hailstone of five inches in diameter fell at Prairie Knights Casino and Resort. The resort, and all vehicles outside, sustained severe damage from the extreme hail. One of these large hail stones crashed through the windshield of a car, injuring the two occupants. This tied the record ... | 5.00 in hail | 0 | 2 | $2.7M |
| 2002-08-08 | Thunderstorm WindSelfridge, Sioux County In the small community of Porcupine, a trailer home was destroyed by the wind. Two occupants in the home received minor injuries. | 52 kt wind | 0 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-04-02 | Winter StormSioux County · forecast zone Sioux | 0 | 0 | $9.5M | |
| 2010-07-13 | HailCannon Ball, Sioux County | 5.00 in hail | 0 | 2 | $2.7M |
| 2010-01-25 | BlizzardSioux County · forecast zone Sioux | 0 | 0 | $2.4M | |
| 1997-04-04 | BlizzardSioux County · forecast zone Sioux | 0 | 2 | $2.4M | |
| 1996-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindCannonball, Sioux County | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 2010-07-13 | HailCannon Ball, Sioux County | 4.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 1994-07-04 | HailLemmon Sd, Sioux County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 2015-10-11 | WildfireSioux County · forecast zone Sioux | 0 | 0 | $934K |
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 $3K, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 21, 1983 (tornado, Sioux 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 Sioux 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 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 37 | 46 | 14 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 18 | 28 | 39 | 21 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 19 | 23 | 23 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 14 | 11 | 22 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 9 | 10 | 4 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
67% of its hail reports since 1980 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 37 · Feb 27 · Mar 35 · Apr 17 · May 39 · Jun 73 · Jul 78 · Aug 35 · Sep 7 · Oct 19 · Nov 20 · Dec 31 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Sioux County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Sioux County: 17 major disasters, 4 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for severe storm (9) and flood (8).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-09-11 | DR-4888 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2021-09-01 | DR-4613 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2020-04-01 | DR-4509 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3477 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013-10-31 | DR-4154 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2011-05-10 | DR-1981 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011-04-07 | EM-3318 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010-04-21 | DR-1901 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2010-02-26 | DR-1879 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2009-03-24 | DR-1829 | 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 |
| 2002-06-29 | FM-2435 | Fire | Nd - Again Fire - 06/29/2002 |
| 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 |
| 1995-05-16 | DR-1050 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Ground Saturation |
| 1993-07-26 | DR-1001 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-04-17 | DR-554 | Flood | Storms, Ice Jams, Snowmelt & Flooding |
| 1978-02-16 | EM-3061 | Snowstorm | Blizzard & Snowstorms |
| 1975-05-24 | DR-469 | Flood | Flooding From Rains & Snowmelt |
| 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 Sioux County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 14 flood or flash flood records for Sioux County from 1997 to 2019, on 12 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Sioux County ranks 2756th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $374 on 2 claims filed in Sioux County; the most in one year was 1 in 1978. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1997: 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 Sioux County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Sioux County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $12.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $10M | 13 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $123K | 20 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $422K | 2.8 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $436K | 2 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $236K | once in about 774 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $41K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $201K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Very Low | $5K | 22 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Sioux 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 Sioux CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Sioux County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis