McCook County, South Dakota: hazard risk
FEMA rates McCook County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 43.4 of 100, higher than 43% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 745 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 82.0 | $358K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 76.5 | $1.2M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 69.0 | $325K |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 67.5 | $3.6M |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 71.2 | $918K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 58.4 | $13M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 38.5 | $969K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 27.4 | $412K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 62.3 | $154K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 27.7 | $395 |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 20.1 | $44K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 19.6 | $91K |
| Lightning | Very Low | 5.4 | $26K |
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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 194 | 0 | $5.9M | 8th of 66 | 427th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 188 | 2 | $13M | 9th of 66 | 282nd of 3,077 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 128 | 0 | $2.9M | 17th of 66 | 2010th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 50 | 0 | $40M | 11th of 66 | 422nd of 3,063 |
| High wind and dust storms | 48 | 0 | $158K | 19th of 66 | 476th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 42 | 6 | $57M | 3rd of 66 | 717th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 31 | 0 | – | 19th of 66 | 440th of 3,076 |
| Floods | 30 | 0 | $50M | 23rd of 66 | 1712th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 25 | 0 | – | 11th of 66 | 588th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 0 | – | 1st of 66 | 1124th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 2 | 0 | $73K | 18th of 66 | 1521st of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full McCook County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.