Minnesota cold wave risk
Hennepin County has the highest cold wave risk in Minnesota, scoring 99.8 out of 100 — rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hennepin County | 99.8 | Very High |
| 2 | St. Louis County | 99.4 | Very High |
| 3 | Ramsey County | 99.1 | Very High |
| 4 | Carlton County | 97 | Relatively High |
| 5 | Itasca County | 96.7 | Relatively High |
| 6 | Blue Earth County | 93.3 | Relatively High |
| 7 | Olmsted County | 92.8 | Relatively High |
| 8 | Crow Wing County | 91.4 | Relatively High |
| 9 | Otter Tail County | 91.4 | Relatively High |
| 10 | Polk County | 90.2 | Relatively High |
| 11 | Dakota County | 90.1 | Relatively High |
| 12 | Brown County | 89.6 | Relatively High |
| 13 | Pine County | 88.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 14 | Washington County | 87.5 | Relatively Moderate |
| 15 | Stearns County | 86.3 | Relatively Moderate |
| 16 | Clay County | 85.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 17 | Cass County | 84 | Relatively Moderate |
| 18 | Aitkin County | 83.7 | Relatively Moderate |
| 19 | Lake County | 82.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 20 | Kandiyohi County | 81.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| 21 | Scott County | 81.3 | Relatively Moderate |
| 22 | Winona County | 80.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 23 | Beltrami County | 80.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 24 | Douglas County | 79.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 25 | Rice County | 79.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 26 | McLeod County | 78.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 27 | Nobles County | 74.7 | Relatively Moderate |
| 28 | Martin County | 74.3 | Relatively Moderate |
| 29 | Carver County | 73.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 30 | Nicollet County | 73.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 31 | Koochiching County | 72.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 32 | Lyon County | 72.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| 33 | Renville County | 71.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| 34 | Anoka County | 71.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| 35 | Cottonwood County | 70.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 36 | Redwood County | 70.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 37 | Chippewa County | 68.7 | Relatively Moderate |
| 38 | Watonwan County | 68 | Relatively Moderate |
| 39 | Faribault County | 67.7 | Relatively Moderate |
| 40 | Fillmore County | 66 | Relatively Moderate |
| 41 | Kanabec County | 65.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 42 | Benton County | 65.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 43 | Swift County | 64.3 | Relatively Low |
| 44 | Houston County | 64.2 | Relatively Low |
| 45 | Freeborn County | 63.8 | Relatively Low |
| 46 | Lac qui Parle County | 63.7 | Relatively Low |
| 47 | Waseca County | 63.5 | Relatively Low |
| 48 | Marshall County | 63.3 | Relatively Low |
| 49 | Mille Lacs County | 62.8 | Relatively Low |
| 50 | Big Stone County | 62.5 | Relatively Low |
| 51 | Cook County | 61.8 | Relatively Low |
| 52 | Chisago County | 61.6 | Relatively Low |
| 53 | Norman County | 60.7 | Relatively Low |
| 54 | Jackson County | 60.1 | Relatively Low |
| 55 | Yellow Medicine County | 59.9 | Relatively Low |
| 56 | Pope County | 59.7 | Relatively Low |
| 57 | Morrison County | 59.5 | Relatively Low |
| 58 | Mower County | 57.8 | Relatively Low |
| 59 | Meeker County | 57.5 | Relatively Low |
| 60 | Hubbard County | 56.8 | Relatively Low |
| 61 | Roseau County | 56.6 | Relatively Low |
| 62 | Steele County | 55.3 | Relatively Low |
| 63 | Becker County | 55.1 | Relatively Low |
| 64 | Sibley County | 54.3 | Relatively Low |
| 65 | Sherburne County | 54 | Relatively Low |
| 66 | Stevens County | 53.1 | Relatively Low |
| 67 | Pipestone County | 51 | Relatively Low |
| 68 | Mahnomen County | 48.1 | Relatively Low |
| 69 | Lincoln County | 48 | Relatively Low |
| 70 | Todd County | 47.8 | Relatively Low |
| 71 | Goodhue County | 47.7 | Relatively Low |
| 72 | Murray County | 47.6 | Relatively Low |
| 73 | Wright County | 47.3 | Relatively Low |
| 74 | Wabasha County | 43.2 | Relatively Low |
| 75 | Le Sueur County | 41.1 | Relatively Low |
| 76 | Pennington County | 40.8 | Relatively Low |
| 77 | Traverse County | 40.7 | Relatively Low |
| 78 | Wilkin County | 40.6 | Relatively Low |
| 79 | Dodge County | 40.5 | Relatively Low |
| 80 | Wadena County | 39.9 | Relatively Low |
| 81 | Rock County | 37.8 | Relatively Low |
| 82 | Isanti County | 37.7 | Relatively Low |
| 83 | Grant County | 37.3 | Relatively Low |
| 84 | Clearwater County | 34.6 | Relatively Low |
| 85 | Kittson County | 33.9 | Relatively Low |
| 86 | Red Lake County | 25.3 | Relatively Low |
| 87 | Lake of the Woods County | 16.7 | Very Low |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.
Cold Wave risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in Minnesota:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest cold wave risk county in Minnesota?
Hennepin County, MN has the highest cold wave risk in Minnesota, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 99.8 out of 100 (rated "Very High").
How many counties in Minnesota are rated Very High for cold wave risk?
3 of 87 scored Minnesota counties are rated "Very High" for cold wave risk by FEMA's National Risk Index.
What causes cold wave risk in Minnesota?
Cold wave risk captures expected losses from extended periods of extreme cold, including wind chill. The northern Plains, Great Lakes, and interior New England see the most severe and frequent cold events. Cold extremes cause significant excess mortality, especially among unhoused populations, the elderly, and those with inadequate heating or insulation. Cold and wind chill events are reported at forecast-zone level in NOAA Storm Events and are not included in county-level counts.