McCook County, SD
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
McCook County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1976, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
McCook County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, drought, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 76% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (4th 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. McCook County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1976, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (9), flood (7), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 total declarations since 1976.
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 | Relatively Low | 58.4 | 14 | 0 | $3.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 20.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 19.6 | 19 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 67.5 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 71.2 | 34 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 27.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 82 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 69 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 38.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 5.4 | 1 | 0 | $45K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 76.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 27.7 | 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
McCook County ranks in the 4th 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 | 4th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 8th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 14th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 17th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 4th | 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 | 28th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 30th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 58.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 69 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 25 in 2016–20 vs 44 in 2021–25 (+76% — frequency increasing).
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 McCook County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in McCook County, South Dakota are winter weather, drought, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has McCook County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. McCook County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1976, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (9 declarations).
Has McCook County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for McCook County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1976.
How does McCook County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Minnehaha County, SD has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Miner County, SD has the lowest (Very Low). McCook County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is McCook County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
McCook 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. McCook County's composite score of 43 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 43% of US counties.