Traverse County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Traverse County has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Traverse County's highest-rated hazards are hail, winter weather, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 45 storm events in the county over the past decade. 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. Traverse County has been designated in 25 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including flood (12), severe storm (8), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 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 | Very Low | 15.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 13.7 | 17 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 17.2 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 18.5 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 57.5 | 18 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 33.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 57 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 19.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 40.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 5.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 18.3 | 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
Traverse 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 | 7th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 43rd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 40th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 37th | 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 | 27th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 35th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 44.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 45 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 23 in 2016–20 vs 22 in 2021–25 (-4% — 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 Traverse County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Traverse County, Minnesota are hail, 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 Traverse County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Traverse County has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is flood (12 declarations).
Has Traverse County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Traverse County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023.
How does Traverse County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Roberts County, SD has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Grant County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). Traverse County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Traverse County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Traverse 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. Traverse County's composite score of 6 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 6% of US counties.