Stark County, North Dakota
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 38089 · population 33,613 · 1,335 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 729 records for Stark County, North Dakota from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 476 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (227 records). The deadliest single record is the November 25, 2023 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Stark, which covers the county: 1 death and $15,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1966, 14 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms and Flooding” on July 12, 2013.
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
- 729on 476 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 38 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $54Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 26strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 2020
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 Stark County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 227 since 1957. 72% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 227 | 138 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 0 | $7.8M | 4 of 53 |
| Hail | 223 | 134 | 1961-2026 | 0 | 0 | $6.2M | 19 of 53 |
| Winter storms | 91 | 89 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 6 | $8.1M | 39 of 53 |
| High wind and dust storms | 85 | 85 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $133K | 8 of 53 |
| Tornadoes | 26 | 23 | 1952-2025 | 0 | 2 | $29M | 32 of 53 |
| Extreme cold | 24 | 23 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 43 of 53 |
| Drought | 21 | 21 | 2021-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 53 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 11 | 9 | 2000-2024 | 1 | 0 | $97K | 26 of 53 |
| Lightning | 8 | 8 | 1996-2019 | 1 | 0 | $698K | 2 of 53 |
| Floods | 7 | 7 | 2002-2022 | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | 41 of 53 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 35 of 53 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 2006-2012 | 0 | 0 | $32K | 6 of 53 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 39 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 Stark County had?
NOAA records 26 tornadoes in Stark County from 1952 to 2025, the strongest rated EF3, with 0 deaths and 2 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 26 tornadoes whose track touched Stark County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 26, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-07-08 20:15, as SPC files it | Dickinson | EF3 | 2.29 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Dakota.
Every tornado record filed for Stark County (26)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-19 | Dickinson Municipal, Stark County | EF1 1.38 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $300K |
| 2024-06-27 | South Heart, Stark County | EFU 0.54 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-05-31 | Richardton, Stark County | EF0 0.42 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-06-16 | Dickinson Municipal, Stark County | EF0 1.35 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-07-22 | South Heart, Stark County | EF0 1.53 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-07-22 | Belfield, Stark County | EF0 0.09 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-06-07 | Richardton, Stark County | EF0 0.25 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2009-07-11 | Gladstone, Stark County | EF0 4 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-07-08 | Dickinson, Stark County | EF3 2.29 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 2 | $28M |
| 2009-06-24 | Dickinson Municipal, Stark County | EF0 1.46 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 2009-06-24 | Belfield, Stark County | EF1 6.83 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 2005-06-06 | Belfield, Stark County | F1 1 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-01 | Lefor, Stark County | F1 4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-07-24 | Dickinson, Stark County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-05-13 | Richardton, Stark County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1980-06-04 | Stark County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1979-08-27 | Stark County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1978-09-11 | Stark County | F1 1 mi x 133 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1978-07-04 | Stark County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1978-06-15 | Stark County | F1 0.3 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1976-06-04 | Stark County | F2 5.7 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1972-06-11 | Stark County | F0 3.6 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1965-07-08 | Stark County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1965-07-08 | Stark County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1957-04-22 | Stark County | F2 0.5 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1952-06-10 | Stark County | F2 10.1 mi x 33 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 Stark County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 7, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($15,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Power out in the city of Dickinson, with multiple power lines down and a report of at least one tree on a house.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1348621)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-29 | HailSouth Heart, Stark County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindDickinson Municipal, Stark County | 59 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-09 | HailAntelope, Stark County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindDickinson, Stark County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2026-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindTaylor, Stark County | 73 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindDickinson, Stark County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $75K |
| 2026-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindDickinson, Stark County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2026-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindGladstone, Stark County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindDickinson Municipal, Stark County | 71 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-14 | High WindStark County · forecast zone Stark | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-03 | Heavy SnowStark County · forecast zone Stark | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-14 | Heavy SnowStark County · forecast zone Stark | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-25 | Winter WeatherStark County · forecast zone Stark A cold front moving through the area produced gusty winds which combined with a narrow band of snow to produce reduced visibility and some snow covered roads which became slippery. A 2003 GMC Sierra was traveling westbound on Interstate 94 near mile marker 69 about five miles east of Dickinson. The driver lost control ... | 1 | 0 | $15K | |
| 2023-01-15 | Dense FogStark County · forecast zone Stark Dense fog developed during the afternoon of January 15, continuing through much of the day of January 16. At 2:30 AM CST on January 16, a semi-truck traveling westbound on Interstate 94 eleven miles east of Dickinson lost control and jackknifed into the median, with the trailer blocking the westbound passing lane. A ... | 1 | 0 | $97K | |
| 2019-08-04 | LightningRichardton, Stark County A 32-year old male died when he was struck by lighting while working on a trail at the Schnell Recreation Area east of Richardton in Stark County. At the time of the strike the victim was loading mowing equipment into the back of a pickup truck. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1997-01-09 | BlizzardStark County · forecast zone Stark 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 | 4 | $2.8M | |
| 2009-07-08 | TornadoDickinson, Stark County Meteorologists from the National Weather Service conducted a storm damage survey in and around Dickinson on Thursday, July 9th, 2009. Meteorologists walked through the area and spoke with numerous people affected, many of whom were eye witnesses to the event. This tornado passed through the city of Dickinson on the ... | EF3 2.29 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 2 | $28M |
| 1997-04-04 | BlizzardStark County · forecast zone Stark Dickinson got 18 inches of snow | 0 | 1 | $3.7M | |
| 1997-01-04 | BlizzardStark County · forecast zone Stark The first blizzard of 1997 hit east-central North Dakota on the morning of the 4th. The blizzard was preceeded by freezing rain that lasted most of the day before switching over to snow. The snow became so heavy that the highway department pulled the plows off of the roads the evening of the 4th and all day on the ... | 0 | 1 | $460K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-07-08 | TornadoDickinson, Stark County | EF3 2.29 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 2 | $28M |
| 2005-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindDickinson, Stark County | 73 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4.5M |
| 1997-04-04 | BlizzardStark County · forecast zone Stark | 0 | 1 | $3.7M | |
| 1999-08-15 | HailDickinson, Stark County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $3.5M |
| 2013-08-06 | Thunderstorm WindDickinson, Stark County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 2009-06-24 | TornadoBelfield, Stark County | EF1 6.83 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 2014-08-15 | FloodSouth Heart, Stark County | 0 | 0 | $904K | |
| 1996-08-02 | LightningDickinson, Stark County | 0 | 0 | $564K |
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 10, 1952 (tornado, Stark County); June 4, 1976 (tornado, Stark 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 Stark 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 10 | 17 | 43 | 32 | 29 | 37 | 58 |
| Hail | 0 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 29 | 44 | 80 | 36 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 15 | 32 | 27 | 17 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 23 | 28 | 31 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 2 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 2 | 7 | 11 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
72% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 41 · Feb 27 · Mar 41 · Apr 24 · May 52 · Jun 177 · Jul 175 · Aug 89 · Sep 35 · Oct 18 · Nov 20 · Dec 30 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Stark County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Stark County: 14 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for flood (7) and severe storm (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-01 | DR-4509 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3477 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013-07-12 | DR-4128 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2010-02-26 | DR-1879 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2009-03-24 | DR-1829 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-11-21 | DR-1616 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Record and/Or Near Record Snow |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3247 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2005-07-22 | DR-1597 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Ground Saturation |
| 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 |
| 1993-07-26 | DR-1001 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-04-17 | DR-554 | Flood | Storms, Ice Jams, Snowmelt & Flooding |
| 1972-06-10 | DR-335 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1970-06-05 | DR-287 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1969-04-18 | DR-256 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1966-07-09 | DR-220 | Flood | Severe Storms & 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 Stark County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 7 flood or flash flood records for Stark County from 2002 to 2022, on 7 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Stark County ranks 1907th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $92,000 on 30 claims filed in Stark County; the most in one year was 6 in 1978. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 6 · 1982: 2 · 1983: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1994: 1 · 1995: 3 · 1996: 1 · 1997: 2 · 1998: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2009: 4 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2025: 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 Stark County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Stark County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $14.5 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 | Very High | $1.1M | 18 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.6M | 2.4 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.2M | 13 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $397K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $517K | 31 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $758K | 1.4 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.4M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $76K | once in about 3,685 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Stark 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
- Severe thunderstorm wind in North DakotaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, 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 Stark CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Stark County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis