Yellow Medicine County, MN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Yellow Medicine County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Yellow Medicine County's highest-rated hazards are heat wave, winter weather, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 42% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (24th 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. Yellow Medicine County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1965, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (11), flood (9), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2014 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2011 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2010 | Flood | Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 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 | 25.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 29.3 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 88.6 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 33.5 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 60.2 | 19 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 51 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 74.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 49.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 59.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 3.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 63.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 36.8 | 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
Yellow Medicine County ranks in the 24th 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 | 24th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 8th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 58th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 34th | 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 | 17th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 21st | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 44.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 29 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 12 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 (+42% — frequency increasing).
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 Yellow Medicine County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota are heat wave, winter weather, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Yellow Medicine County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Yellow Medicine County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).
Has Yellow Medicine County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Yellow Medicine County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2022.
How does Yellow Medicine County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Lyon County, MN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Lincoln County, MN has the lowest (Very Low). Yellow Medicine County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Yellow Medicine County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Yellow Medicine 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. Yellow Medicine County's composite score of 30 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 30% of US counties.