North Dakota strong wind risk
Cass County has the highest strong wind risk in North Dakota, scoring 98.3 out of 100 — rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cass County | 98.3 | Very High | 0 |
| 2 | Grand Forks County | 78.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 3 | Steele County | 78.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 4 | Barnes County | 73.3 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 5 | McLean County | 69.8 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 6 | Benson County | 69 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 7 | Foster County | 67.9 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 8 | Burleigh County | 65 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 9 | Stutsman County | 64.7 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 10 | Sioux County | 62.9 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 11 | Ramsey County | 62.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 12 | Ward County | 61.3 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 13 | LaMoure County | 59.5 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 14 | Sargent County | 58.9 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 15 | Griggs County | 54.5 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 16 | Stark County | 53.8 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 17 | Morton County | 51.3 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 18 | McKenzie County | 50.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 19 | Richland County | 49.3 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 20 | Ransom County | 48.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 21 | Dickey County | 47.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 22 | Cavalier County | 42.3 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 23 | Williams County | 41.1 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 24 | Rolette County | 40.2 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 25 | McIntosh County | 37.9 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 26 | Walsh County | 37.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 27 | Bottineau County | 34.1 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 28 | Logan County | 33.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 29 | Traill County | 33.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 30 | Emmons County | 31.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 31 | Nelson County | 28.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 32 | Pembina County | 28.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 33 | Kidder County | 25.9 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 34 | Mountrail County | 25.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 35 | Hettinger County | 24.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 36 | Grant County | 24.2 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 37 | Golden Valley County | 21.9 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 38 | Mercer County | 21.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 39 | Dunn County | 18.1 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 40 | McHenry County | 17.9 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 41 | Pierce County | 16.9 | Very Low | 0 |
| 42 | Wells County | 16.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 43 | Bowman County | 13.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 44 | Eddy County | 13.3 | Very Low | 0 |
| 45 | Divide County | 12.6 | Very Low | 0 |
| 46 | Adams County | 12.5 | Very Low | 0 |
| 47 | Sheridan County | 12.4 | Very Low | 0 |
| 48 | Billings County | 11.2 | Very Low | 0 |
| 49 | Slope County | 7.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 50 | Towner County | 7.4 | Very Low | 0 |
| 51 | Renville County | 6.7 | Very Low | 0 |
| 52 | Oliver County | 6.2 | Very Low | 0 |
| 53 | Burke County | 6.1 | 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.
Strong Wind risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in North Dakota:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest strong wind risk county in North Dakota?
Cass County, ND has the highest strong wind risk in North Dakota, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 98.3 out of 100 (rated "Very High").
How many counties in North Dakota are rated Very High for strong wind risk?
1 of 53 scored North Dakota counties are rated "Very High" for strong wind risk by FEMA's National Risk Index.
What causes strong wind risk in North Dakota?
Strong wind risk covers non-convective, non-tropical sustained high winds — including derechos and general high-wind events, but excluding tornado and hurricane winds. High scores appear in mountain passes, coastal headlands, and open plains where topography amplifies wind speeds. Damage concentrates on utility infrastructure, trees, and lightweight structures.