McPherson County, SD
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
McPherson County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
McPherson County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, cold wave, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 65% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (18th 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. McPherson County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1969, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (7), flood (5), biological (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 total declarations since 1969.
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 | Relatively Low | 70.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 8 | 10 | 0 | $122K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 12.6 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 24 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 70.6 | 55 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 31.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 76.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 45.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 71.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 0.9 | 1 | 0 | $1K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 38.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 2.7 | 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
McPherson County ranks in the 18th 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 | 18th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 25th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 36th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 5th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 20th | 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 | 56th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 64th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 76.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 73 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 54 in 2016–20 vs 19 in 2021–25 (-65% — 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 McPherson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in McPherson County, South Dakota are winter weather, cold wave, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has McPherson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. McPherson County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (7 declarations).
Has McPherson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for McPherson County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2022.
How does McPherson County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Brown County, SD has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Campbell County, SD has the lowest (Very Low). McPherson County is rated Very Low overall.
How is McPherson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
McPherson 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. McPherson County's composite score of 11 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 11% of US counties.