Pembina County, ND
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Pembina County has experienced 38 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Flooding in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Pembina County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, ice storm, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 50% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (12th 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. Pembina County has been designated in 38 declarations since 1965, covering 4 disaster types including flood (24), severe storm (11), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| 2020 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2017 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2013 | 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 | Relatively Low | 63.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 28.7 | 15 | 0 | $1.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 2.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 11.9 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 21.3 | 3 | 0 | $200K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 57.3 | 43 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 28.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 81.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 78.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 72 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 42.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 31.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 34.6 | 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
Pembina County ranks in the 12th 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 | 12th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 19th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 14th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 30th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 14th | 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 | 34th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 34th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 42.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 63 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 42 in 2016–20 vs 21 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 Pembina County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Pembina County, North Dakota are winter weather, ice storm, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Pembina County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Pembina County has received 38 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is flood (24 declarations).
Has Pembina County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Pembina County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Flooding in 2023.
How does Pembina County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Grand Forks County, ND has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Kittson County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). Pembina County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Pembina County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Pembina 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. Pembina County's composite score of 21 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 21% of US counties.