Tripp County, SD
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Tripp County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters since 1976, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Tripp County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, winter weather, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 57% 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. Tripp County has been designated in 20 declarations since 1976, covering 7 disaster types including flood (8), severe storm (6), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2023 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| 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 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 20 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 | Relatively Low | 79.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 37.1 | 14 | 0 | $41K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 23.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 24.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 37.7 | 4 | 0 | $25K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 67 | 62 | 0 | $1K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 28.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 80.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 55.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 83.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 19.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 55 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 15.4 | 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
Tripp County ranks in the 62nd percentile (Moderate) 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 | 62nd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 70th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 48th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 54th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 55th | 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 | 60th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 66th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 71.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 80 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 56 in 2016–20 vs 24 in 2021–25 (-57% — 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 Tripp County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Tripp County, South Dakota are cold wave, winter weather, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Tripp County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Tripp County has received 20 federal disaster declarations since 1976, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (8 declarations).
Has Tripp County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Tripp County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1976.
How does Tripp County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Brule County, SD has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Keya Paha County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Tripp County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Tripp County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Tripp 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. Tripp County's composite score of 37 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 37% of US counties.