Grand Forks County, ND
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Grand Forks County has experienced 38 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Grand Forks County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, ice storm, and hail, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 50% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Grand Forks County has been designated in 38 declarations since 1965, covering 4 disaster types including flood (23), severe storm (12), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2023 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2020 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2013 | Flood | Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 38 total declarations since 1965.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 55.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 61.7 | 21 | 0 | $2.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 13 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 37.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 60.7 | 31 | 0 | $35K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 90.3 | 85 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 78.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 97.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 91.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 74 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 35.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 25.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 34.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Grand Forks County ranks in the 32nd percentile (Low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 32nd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 29th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 2nd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 48th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 87th | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 30th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 30th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 30.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 138 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 92 in 2016–20 vs 46 in 2021–25 (-50% — frequency decreasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Grand Forks County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Grand Forks County, North Dakota are winter weather, ice storm, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Grand Forks County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Grand Forks County has received 38 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (23 declarations).
Has Grand Forks County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Grand Forks County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Grand Forks County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Polk County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Griggs County, ND has the lowest (Very Low). Grand Forks County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Grand Forks County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Grand Forks County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Grand Forks County's composite score of 58 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 58% of US counties.