Walsh County, ND
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Walsh County has experienced 41 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.
Walsh County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, ice storm, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 49% 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. Walsh County has been designated in 41 declarations since 1965, covering 4 disaster types including flood (25), severe storm (13), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| 2020 | Flood | 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 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 41 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 | 79.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 35.4 | 6 | 0 | $2.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 6.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 12.7 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 40.3 | 7 | 0 | $6K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 76.7 | 48 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 37.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 90.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 83 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 67.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 13.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 29.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 28.4 | 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
Walsh County ranks in the 34th 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 | 34th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 23rd | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 45th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 47th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 48th | 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 | 36th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 37th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 46.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 62 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 41 in 2016–20 vs 21 in 2021–25 (-49% — 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 Walsh County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Walsh County, North Dakota are winter weather, ice storm, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Walsh County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Walsh County has received 41 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is flood (25 declarations).
Has Walsh County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Walsh County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Flooding in 2023.
How does Walsh 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). Walsh County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Walsh County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Walsh 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. Walsh County's composite score of 29 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 29% of US counties.