Otter Tail County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Otter Tail County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Otter Tail County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, cold wave, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 48% 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. Otter Tail County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including flood (7), severe storm (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2010 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Flood | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 1997 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 1997 | Flood | Severe Flooding, High Winds,Severe Storms |
| 1995 | Severe Storm | Severe Thunderstorms, Winds, Flooding, Tornadoes, And Heat |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 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 | Relatively Low | 79.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 83.4 | 12 | 0 | $76K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 18.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 42.4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 84.2 | 14 | 1 | $3.1M |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 81.4 | 110 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 86.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 97.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 39.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 91.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 49.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 53.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 82 | 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
Otter Tail County ranks in the 33rd 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 | 33rd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 25th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 49th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 24th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 52nd | Moderate |
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 | 41st | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 44th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 71.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 137 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 90 in 2016–20 vs 47 in 2021–25 (-48% — 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 Otter Tail County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Otter Tail County, Minnesota are winter weather, cold wave, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Otter Tail County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Otter Tail County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (7 declarations).
Has Otter Tail County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Otter Tail County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Otter Tail County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Douglas County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Grant County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). Otter Tail County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Otter Tail County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Otter Tail 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. Otter Tail County's composite score of 79 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 79% of US counties.