Nelson County, North Dakota: hazard risk
FEMA rates Nelson County's overall risk Very Low (score 7.9 of 100, higher than 7% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 725 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 81.0 | $676K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 79.6 | $283K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 74.4 | $116K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 67.8 | $106K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 57.3 | $908K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 28.8 | $203K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 31.7 | $256 |
| Drought | Very Low | 27.3 | $12K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 21.5 | $193K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 8.0 | $9K |
| Lightning | Very Low | 5.1 | $12K |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | 4.3 | $460K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 1.6 | $1K |
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 | 187 | 0 | $18M | 13th of 53 | 1574th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 155 | 0 | $22M | 8th of 53 | 1009th of 3,077 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 139 | 0 | $159K | 13th of 53 | 2401st of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 90 | 0 | $8K | 4th of 53 | 197th of 3,076 |
| Floods | 59 | 0 | $50M | 1st of 53 | 1359th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 41 | 0 | $1.4M | 9th of 53 | 1520th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 32 | 0 | $177K | 32nd of 53 | 1311th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 7 | 0 | – | 34th of 53 | 2106th of 3,063 |
| Heat | 2 | 0 | – | 14th of 53 | 2188th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 0 | – | 14th of 53 | 1911th 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 Nelson County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.