FEMA Records
25
High volume
Minnesota · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Traverse County, MN
25 FEMA disaster declarations (1965-2023), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low. Most common hazard: Flood.
- 25
- FEMA declarations
- 20
- Major disasters
- 6
- NRI risk · Very Low
- Flood
- Top hazard
The verdict
Two federal records point in the busier direction for Traverse County. Its 25 FEMA declarations are 41% above the Minnesota county mean and exceed the count for 71% of the 3,266 counties in this registry. Separately, FEMA's National Risk Index places it safer than 6%, based on modeled expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
- Safer than 6%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Very Low
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 25
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 146
- NFIP flood insurance claims filed
FEMA's National Risk Index and its declaration registry are separate measures. This county's registry includes Major Disaster (DR) and Emergency (EM) records; an EM authorizes a narrower set of federal assistance than a DR.
How does Traverse County compare?
Traverse County vs. all counties in this dataset
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time
25 Top 29% higher than 71% of 3,266 counties
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 · 2026-08-03
Traverse County's FEMA Risk Index score
FEMA National Risk Index composite score vs. the Minnesota county average
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for Traverse County is led by Riverine Flooding (about $1.7M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Relatively Moderate), while Hail carries the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively Low). EAL and risk score use different inputs; they need not agree.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025 release) - Expected Annual Loss vs composite risk rating by hazard.
What does Traverse County's hazard record show?
Reading the federal records together
The NFIP claims register shows a middle-volume loss record here: 146 paid claims, totaling $1.1M. PlainHazard uses 50-499 claims for this descriptive band; FEMA does not publish it as a safety or coverage category. The $7.3K average describes payments on recorded claims only, leaving uninsured damage and properties without a claim outside the measure.
The declaration register points in the busier direction. Traverse County's 25 federal records stand 41% above the Minnesota county mean of 17.7. That comparison describes how often federal action was recorded, including any Major Disaster, Emergency, and Fire Management entries shown on this page; it does not convert the count into future probability.
Declaration frequency
The FEMA register is busy by both local and national comparisons. It contains 25 entries for Traverse County, including 20 Major Disaster records, 41% above the Minnesota county mean. Across the 58-year span, that works out to 0.4 declarations a year. Flood leads the file with 12 entries. Declaration type records the federal action taken, not every assistance program approved.
FEMA National Risk Index
FEMA's National Risk Index places this county in the low end of the national distribution, composite score 6.2/100 (Very Low). Expected Annual Loss is rated Very Low (roughly $3.5M in annualized losses). Two modifiers shape how that exposure becomes real-world harm here: social vulnerability (Relatively Low) and community resilience (Relatively Moderate). Even the county's top-rated hazard, Hail, only reaches Relatively Low on FEMA's scale, none of the 18 modeled hazards stand out here. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at an average of 3.7 times per year here, based on 142 historical events on record.
71 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
Traverse County, MN · PlainHazard-derived composite from federal records
This 0–100 index is an explicit PlainHazard composite from FEMA declaration history only on the county surface (this DB has no county-level NOAA damage row) . It is not FEMA's National Risk Index, not a forecast, and not a safety, insurance, or preparedness rating. Open the calculator · Methodology
FEMA Declarations (1953–present) High
18/30
25 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (1.2x national county average)
County Disaster Density High
18/25
25 declarations (1.4x state county average of 18)
Major Disaster Share Very High
20/25
20 of 25 declarations are major disasters (80%)
Hazard Diversity Very High
15/20
6 different disaster types declared in Traverse County
Historical Declaration Activity
Activity Band
High
vs. Minnesota Avg
+41%
State avg: 17.7
vs. National Avg
+21%
National avg: 20.7
Avg Per Year
0.4
Over 58 years
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Traverse County
How to read this radar
Each axis: NRI risk rating (Very Low-Very High) on a 0-100 scale. Rounder = broad exposure; spiky = one or two hazards dominate.
Major Disaster share
80%
Mostly major
NRI risk score
6
Very Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Traverse County?
FEMA's National Risk Index models a historical event count and an annualized frequency for each hazard type. Most hazards are expressed as modeled occurrences per year; FEMA expresses drought and heat-wave frequency as event-days per year. These modeled frequencies are not forecasts.
| Hazard | NRI Risk Rating | Recurrence |
|---|---|---|
| Hail | Relatively Low | an average of 3.7 times per year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | an average of 21 times per year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | an average of 14 times per year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | an average of 2.7 times per year |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | roughly once every 4 years |
| Tornado | Very Low | roughly once every 3 years |
| Landslide | Very Low | roughly once every 19 years |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 2.4 modeled event-days per year |
| Wildfire | Very Low | roughly once every 2,384 years |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | roughly once every 1 years |
| Lightning | Very Low | an average of 32 times per year |
| Earthquake | Very Low | roughly once every 4,329 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Flood 12
Severe Storm 8
Biological 2
Hurricane 1
Snowstorm 1
Drought 1
What Flood declarations mean here
Flood is the most frequent declaration type on Traverse County's record, 48% of its declarations. Federal flood declarations cover two mechanisms that behave very differently: riverine flooding, which builds over days as a watershed drains and is usually forecast well in advance, and flash flooding, which can arrive in under an hour from rainfall that fell somewhere upstream.
Flood is also the one hazard class where a second federal dataset exists for the same events. The National Flood Insurance Program records what was actually paid on insured losses, so it measures a narrower thing than the declaration count: uninsured damage, and flooding outside mapped special flood hazard areas, never enters it. Reading the two together is more informative than either alone.
Declaration counts describe past federal action. They are a record of what was declared, not a forecast of future hazard probability.
Declaration Types
What DR / EM / FM mean
FEMA categorizes declarations as Major Disasters (DR), Emergencies (EM), or Fire Management Assistance (FM).
Major Disaster - 20 80.0%
of all 25 declarations
Emergency - 5 20.0%
of all 25 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 2 | |
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2019 | 1 | |
| 2013 | 1 | |
| 2011 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 2 | |
| 2009 | 2 | |
| 2006 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 1 | |
| 2001 | 1 | |
| 1997 | 2 | |
| 1996 | 2 | |
| 1993 | 1 | |
| 1989 | 1 | |
Show 4 earlier declaration years
| 1978 | 1 | |
| 1976 | 1 | |
| 1969 | 1 | |
| 1965 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 25 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 25 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4722 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2023-07-19 |
| 4666 | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2022-08-09 |
| 4658 | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2022-07-08 |
| 4531 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-04-07 |
| 3453 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4442 | SEVERE WINTER STORM, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2019-06-12 |
| 4131 | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2013-07-25 |
| 1982 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2011-05-10 |
| 1900 | FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2010-04-19 |
| 3310 | FLOODING | EM | Flood | 2010-03-19 |
| 1830 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2009-04-09 |
| 3304 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | EM | Severe Storm | 2009-03-26 |
| 1622 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | DR | Severe Storm | 2006-01-04 |
| 3242 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-13 |
| 1370 | SEVERE WINTER STORMS, FLOODING, AND TORNADOES | DR | Flood | 2001-05-16 |
| 1175 | SEVERE FLOODING, HIGH WINDS,SEVERE STORMS | DR | Flood | 1997-04-08 |
| 1158 | SEVERE WINTER STORMS | DR | Severe Storm | 1997-01-16 |
| 1116 | FLOODING AND SEVERE STORMS | DR | Flood | 1996-06-01 |
| 1078 | HIGH WINDS, FREEZING RAIN, HEAVY SNOWFALL | DR | Snowstorm | 1996-01-05 |
| 993 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES & FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 1993-06-11 |
Show 5 earlier declaration records
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 824 | FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1989-05-08 |
| 555 | STORMS, ICE JAMS, SNOWMELT & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1978-04-22 |
| 3013 | DROUGHT | EM | Drought | 1976-06-17 |
| 255 | FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1969-04-18 |
| 188 | FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1965-04-11 |
Storm Events in Minnesota
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Traverse County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 4,420 | 13 | 25 | $68.2M |
| Hail | 4,203 | 0 | 0 | $34.5M |
| Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | 1,789 | 7 | 4 | $55.0K |
| Winter Storm | 1,695 | 2 | 17 | $10.0M |
| Heavy Snow | 1,190 | 9 | 14 | $1.0M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
146
Total Paid
$1.1M
Avg Per Claim
$7.3K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Very Low
Score: 6.2/100
Expected Annual Loss
Very Low
$3.5M/year
Social Vulnerability
Relatively Low
Community Resilience
Relatively Moderate
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Hail Relatively Low
Winter Weather Relatively Low
Cold Wave Relatively Low
Strong Wind Relatively Low
Ice Storm Very Low
Tornado Very Low
Landslide Very Low
Heat Wave Very Low
Wildfire Very Low
Riverine Flooding Very Low
Lightning Very Low
Earthquake Very Low
Drought No Rating
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) Ratings reflect relative scores among all US counties. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
The model's sharpest exposure here: Hail
Hail is among the most expensive hazards in the model relative to how little it threatens life. It concentrates on roofs, vehicles and crops, and a single severe storm can generate an insurance loss across a metropolitan area without a single injury.
Worth noting for Traverse County: the model and the federal record do NOT point at the same hazard. Hail carries the highest modeled rating (Relatively Low), while the county's declaration history is led by Flood. That is not a contradiction, the two measure genuinely different things. Declarations record federal ACTION, which requires damage costly enough to exceed state and local capacity; the Risk Index models EXPECTED annual loss across all 18 hazards whether or not any declaration ever followed. A hazard can be the county's largest modeled exposure and never once have driven a declaration.
National Risk Index ratings are modeled estimates of expected annual loss, not predictions of what will happen in any given year.
Data-matched county comparisons
Traverse County's closest FEMA peer: Leflore County, MS
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Traverse County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Traverse County shows 25 FEMA declarations, led by Flood.
Similar Major-disaster share
Traverse County: 20 of 25 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Traverse County: NRI composite 6.2 (Very Low).
How these peers are chosen
Cohort: Published U.S. county equivalents outside the source state or territory. Each metric keeps six ETL candidates; three unique destinations are shown after de-duplicating across axes. Declaration-volume ranking combines count and Major-disaster share and prefers a different leading incident type; Major-share ranks the Major fraction adjusted for volume; NRI ranks the modeled composite score only.
Retained FEMA snapshot feed for Traverse County - capture-dated entries only.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
Traverse County's NFIP claims file (146 claims) and FEMA declaration history measure different federal records - this guide separates them from modeled NRI risk.
More PlainHazard guides
- Most disaster-prone counties - U.S. counties ranked by FEMA declaration totals.
- Understanding disaster data - declarations vs storm events vs NRI scores.
- Preparing for natural disasters - household checklist (not county-specific advice).
Related
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common disaster type in Traverse County?
The most common disaster type in Traverse County is Flood, with 12 declarations. Other disaster types include Severe Storm (8), Biological (2), Hurricane (1).
How does Traverse County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Minnesota average?
FEMA lists 25 declaration records for Traverse County. That is 41% above the Minnesota county mean of 17.7. Its count is also 21% above the national county mean of 20.7. A larger declaration history records more federal actions; it is not a forecast of the county's next hazard.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Traverse County received?
Traverse County has received 20 major disaster declarations, representing 80% of all 25 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Traverse County filed?
Traverse County has 146 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $1.1M in payments, with an average of $7.3K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Traverse County?
No. In Traverse County, Hail has the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively Low), while Riverine Flooding leads Expected Annual Loss at about $1.7M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Traverse County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Traverse County was 1996, with 2 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1965 to 2023.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Traverse County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Traverse County, Minnesota has an overall risk score of 6.2 out of 100 (Very Low). Social vulnerability here rates Relatively Low, while community resilience comes in at Relatively Moderate. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Very Low, representing $3.5M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Traverse County?
FEMA's NRI data points to Traverse County is Hail (risk rating: Relatively Low). Other significant hazards include Winter Weather (Relatively Low) and Cold Wave (Relatively Low). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts hail here at an average of 3.7 times per year, drawn from 142 historical events on record. The underlying methodology weighs historical event frequency against exposed assets and community vulnerability.
Data Sources & Methodology
Disaster declaration data comes from the FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 API, which includes all federally declared disasters, emergencies, and fire management assistance grants.
Storm event data is sourced from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025), which tracks significant weather events including thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, and winter storms.
Flood insurance data comes from the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA claims dataset.
This data is provided for informational purposes only. FEMA disaster declarations represent federal response actions and may not capture all local emergencies or weather events.
What this means for Traverse County
Traverse County, MN has 25 federal declaration records, 41% more than the Minnesota county mean of 18; its history sits in PlainHazard's high activity band.
- Within this above-state-average declaration file, major disaster leads with 20 of 25 records; the category describes past federal action, not the next likely hazard. Minnesota overview
- The state benchmark and national rank point the same way: this count tops the Minnesota mean and the totals for 71% of 3,266 U.S. counties. Most-disaster rankings
- Use the data guide to separate this mid-volume insurance-claims file from declaration counts and modeled NRI risk. Disaster-data guide
An above-average declaration count records past federal responses; it does not predict the next event. Current warnings come from the National Weather Service and local emergency officials.
PlainHazard derives this profile from FEMA's Disaster Declarations Summaries and National Risk Index data. The declaration comparison covers 3,266 U.S. counties and county equivalents in this database, refreshed as of 2026-08-03. Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 - all federally-declared disasters for this county. fema.gov/openfema/disaster-declarations
- FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) - per-county per-hazard risk ratings and expected annual loss. hazards.fema.gov/nri
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database - state-level storm/severe-weather event records, 2015-2025. ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainHazard Editorial
Verify with FEMA → · Verify with FEMA NRI → · Verify with NOAA →
Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, the data & editorial changelog, or report a data error.