North Dakota lightning risk
Stark County has the highest lightning risk in North Dakota, scoring 65.6 out of 100 — rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stark County | 65.6 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 2 | Cass County | 63.2 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 3 | Burleigh County | 51.8 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 4 | Pembina County | 42.3 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 5 | Williams County | 41 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 6 | Grand Forks County | 35.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 7 | Rolette County | 27.1 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 8 | McKenzie County | 25.3 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 9 | Morton County | 23.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 10 | Grant County | 20.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 11 | Sioux County | 19.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 12 | Mountrail County | 18.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 13 | Divide County | 14.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 14 | Walsh County | 13.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 15 | Bottineau County | 12.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 16 | Dunn County | 11.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 17 | McLean County | 11.6 | Very Low | 0 |
| 18 | Mercer County | 11 | Very Low | 0 |
| 19 | Ramsey County | 10.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 20 | Barnes County | 10.6 | Very Low | 0 |
| 21 | Cavalier County | 10.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 22 | Richland County | 10.2 | Very Low | 0 |
| 23 | Hettinger County | 10.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 24 | Emmons County | 9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 25 | Benson County | 8.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 26 | Burke County | 7.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 27 | Adams County | 7.6 | Very Low | 0 |
| 28 | Golden Valley County | 7.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 29 | McHenry County | 6.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 30 | Ward County | 6.6 | Very Low | 0 |
| 31 | Bowman County | 6.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 32 | Stutsman County | 5.6 | Very Low | 0 |
| 33 | Nelson County | 5.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 34 | McIntosh County | 5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 35 | Traill County | 4.8 | Very Low | 0 |
| 36 | Pierce County | 4.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 37 | Logan County | 3.8 | Very Low | 1 |
| 38 | Ransom County | 3.2 | Very Low | 0 |
| 39 | Towner County | 2.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 40 | Renville County | 2.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 41 | Billings County | 2.1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 42 | Griggs County | 2 | Very Low | 0 |
| 43 | Dickey County | 1.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 44 | Kidder County | 1.6 | Very Low | 0 |
| 45 | Slope County | 1.6 | Very Low | 0 |
| 46 | Sheridan County | 1.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 47 | LaMoure County | 1.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 48 | Foster County | 1.2 | Very Low | 0 |
| 49 | Steele County | 1.2 | Very Low | 0 |
| 50 | Eddy County | 1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 51 | Sargent County | 1 | Very Low | 0 |
| 52 | Wells County | 0.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 53 | Oliver County | 0.8 | Very Low | 0 |
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.
Lightning risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in North Dakota:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest lightning risk county in North Dakota?
Stark County, ND has the highest lightning risk in North Dakota, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 65.6 out of 100 (rated "Relatively Moderate").
What causes lightning risk in North Dakota?
Lightning risk reflects expected annual losses from cloud-to-ground strikes, which ignite building fires, damage electrical systems, and cause fatalities. Florida consistently leads the US in lightning density. High scores also appear across the Gulf Coast, Southeast, and central Plains, where afternoon convective storms are most frequent in summer months.