32,995
Recorded events
53
Counties covered
83
Direct deaths
$5.6B
Property damage
North Dakota severe weather history covers 32,995 recorded events across 53 counties between 1950 and 2026.
The North Dakota severe weather history record is dominated by hail, which accounts for 30.2% of everything logged statewide across 53 counties. Statewide, recorded events have caused 83 direct deaths since 1950.
By hazard type
North Dakota severe weather history by hazard
| Hazard | Events | Counties | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 9,959 | 53 | 0 | $592.8M | 1955–2025 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 6,724 | 53 | 4 | $311.0M | 1955–2026 |
| Blizzard | 2,735 | 0 | 11 | $307.7M | 1996–2026 |
| High Wind | 2,572 | 0 | 2 | $11.6M | 1996–2026 |
| Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | 1,839 | 0 | 2 | $0 | 2000–2026 |
| Tornado | 1,793 | 53 | 29 | $190.8M | 1950–2025 |
| Winter Storm | 1,767 | 0 | 5 | $40.0M | 1996–2025 |
| Heavy Snow | 1,677 | 0 | 0 | $9.1M | 1996–2026 |
| Drought | 676 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2006–2025 |
| Flood | 661 | 53 | 7 | $3.8B | 1996–2024 |
| Cold/Wind Chill | 641 | 0 | 8 | $360K | 1996–2025 |
| Flash Flood | 557 | 50 | 5 | $164.2M | 1996–2025 |
| Funnel Cloud | 540 | 53 | 0 | $0 | 1997–2025 |
| Winter Weather | 208 | 2 | 3 | $1.3M | 1997–2024 |
| Ice Storm | 154 | 0 | 0 | $106.2M | 1996–2023 |
| Heavy Rain | 112 | 38 | 1 | $20K | 1996–2022 |
| Lightning | 109 | 37 | 2 | $2.3M | 1996–2024 |
| Frost/Freeze | 73 | 1 | 1 | $15K | 1997–2021 |
| Excessive Heat | 65 | 0 | 0 | $700K | 2011–2020 |
| Wildfire | 36 | 6 | 2 | $25.0M | 2002–2024 |
| Dense Smoke | 36 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2023–2023 |
| Heat | 27 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2001–2001 |
| Strong Wind | 18 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2019–2024 |
| Dense Fog | 9 | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | 2022–2023 |
| Freezing Fog | 6 | 0 | 1 | $385K | 1996–2021 |
| Dust Devil | 1 | 1 | 0 | $0 | 2006–2006 |
County index
Most active counties
| County | Events | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Cass County | 1,139 | 15 |
| Grand Forks County | 1,011 | 4 |
| Morton County | 805 | 3 |
| Richland County | 708 | 2 |
| Burleigh County | 681 | 3 |
| Barnes County | 607 | 0 |
| Ward County | 585 | 1 |
| Stutsman County | 577 | 1 |
| McLean County | 555 | 1 |
| Benson County | 551 | 0 |
| Walsh County | 513 | 0 |
| Stark County | 493 | 1 |
| Ramsey County | 492 | 0 |
| Pembina County | 468 | 0 |
| Williams County | 462 | 1 |
| Cavalier County | 427 | 1 |
| Nelson County | 425 | 0 |
| McKenzie County | 413 | 2 |
| Mountrail County | 409 | 0 |
| Traill County | 407 | 0 |
| Ransom County | 365 | 1 |
| Sargent County | 361 | 0 |
| Steele County | 360 | 0 |
| McHenry County | 354 | 0 |
| Grant County | 324 | 5 |
Full index
Every county in North Dakota
- Cass County
- Grand Forks County
- Morton County
- Richland County
- Burleigh County
- Barnes County
- Ward County
- Stutsman County
- McLean County
- Benson County
- Walsh County
- Stark County
- Ramsey County
- Pembina County
- Williams County
- Cavalier County
- Nelson County
- McKenzie County
- Mountrail County
- Traill County
- Ransom County
- Sargent County
- Steele County
- McHenry County
- Grant County
- Griggs County
- Mercer County
- Emmons County
- Bottineau County
- Dunn County
- Hettinger County
- Bowman County
- Dickey County
- Adams County
- Towner County
- Eddy County
- LaMoure County
- McIntosh County
- Kidder County
- Wells County
- Golden Valley County
- Burke County
- Sioux County
- Foster County
- Logan County
- Oliver County
- Pierce County
- Renville County
- Billings County
- Divide County
- Slope County
- Rolette County
- Sheridan County
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events are recorded in North Dakota?
32,995 events are on record across North Dakota, covering 53 counties between 1950 and 2026.
Which county in North Dakota has the most severe weather on record?
Cass County leads North Dakota with 1,139 recorded events. Ranking reflects reported events, so densely populated counties tend to report more than sparsely populated ones.
Where does the North Dakota severe weather history data come from?
Totals are aggregated from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of United States severe weather reports, with FEMA and U.S. Census records providing risk and population context. Dates are UTC and recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“North Dakota Severe Weather History.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/state/north-dakota/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.