Lake County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Lake County has experienced 12 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Lake County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, winter weather, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 32 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (8th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Lake County has been designated in 12 declarations since 1972, covering 5 disaster types including flood (5), severe storm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2022 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 1999 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Winds, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 12 total declarations since 1972.
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 | 62.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 29.8 | 11 | 0 | $30K |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 13.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | No Rating | 0 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 22 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 10.7 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 20.6 | 19 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 89.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 83.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 23.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 70.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 18.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 34.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Lake County ranks in the 8th percentile (Very 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 | 8th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 7th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 29th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 5th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 19th | Very low |
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 | 69th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 76th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 68.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 32 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 16 in 2016–20 vs 16 in 2021–25 (0% — relatively stable).
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 Lake County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Lake County, Minnesota are strong wind, winter weather, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Lake County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Lake County has received 12 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (5 declarations).
Has Lake County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Lake County include Severe Storms And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Lake County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, St. Louis County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Cook County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). Lake County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Lake County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Lake 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. Lake County's composite score of 34 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 34% of US counties.