Carlton County, Minnesota: hazard risk
FEMA rates Carlton County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 70.1 of 100, higher than 70% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 13 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by cold wave. Its storm record holds 570 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 97.0 | $18M |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 65.9 | $471K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 64.0 | $11M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 61.3 | $677K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 52.5 | $105K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 47.6 | $65K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 46.6 | $253K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 33.5 | $694K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 33.1 | $38K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 24.0 | $246K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 41.0 | $31K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 14.6 | $65 |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 1.5 | $2K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 163 | 7 | $21M | 45th of 87 | 790th of 3,077 |
| Hail | 131 | 0 | $28K | 74th of 87 | 2036th of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 107 | 0 | $32K | 72nd of 87 | 2425th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 58 | 4 | – | 22nd of 87 | 311th of 3,076 |
| Drought | 42 | 0 | – | 5th of 87 | 969th of 3,063 |
| Floods | 31 | 0 | $79M | 56th of 87 | 2276th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 13 | 0 | $831K | 64th of 87 | 2124th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 9 | 0 | $2.5M | 81st of 87 | 2493rd of 3,080 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 7 | 2 | $202K | 1st of 87 | 116th of 2,080 |
| Lightning | 5 | 0 | $1.1M | 19th of 87 | 1114th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 3 | 5 | – | 65th of 87 | 2038th of 3,076 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Carlton County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.