Lightning Risk in North Dakota
All North Dakota counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index lightning score
Lightning risk — electrical discharges from storms that ignite fires and cause casualties — is rated for 53 of 53 North Dakota counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Stark County carries the state's highest lightning score at 65.6, with $517K in expected annual lightning losses.
No North Dakota county reaches the High band for lightning, and expected annual losses from lightning total roughly $3M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Lightning
| # | County | Lightning Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stark County | Medium | 31.43 / yr | $517K | |
| 2 | Cass County | Medium | 29.59 / yr | $640K | |
| 3 | Burleigh County | Low | 30.16 / yr | $320K | |
| 4 | Pembina County | Low | 25.88 / yr | $150K | |
| 5 | Williams County | Low | 26.40 / yr | $234K | |
| 6 | Grand Forks County | Low | 27.26 / yr | $172K | |
| 7 | Rolette County | Low | 25.67 / yr | $60K | |
| 8 | McKenzie County | Low | 28.55 / yr | $125K | |
| 9 | Morton County | Very Low | 31.16 / yr | $131K | |
| 10 | Grant County | Very Low | 32.00 / yr | $52K | |
| 11 | Sioux County | Very Low | 31.37 / yr | $37K | |
| 12 | Mountrail County | Very Low | 27.16 / yr | $62K | |
| 13 | Divide County | Very Low | 25.53 / yr | $40K | |
| 14 | Walsh County | Very Low | 26.15 / yr | $59K | |
| 15 | Bottineau County | Very Low | 26.27 / yr | $47K | |
| 16 | Dunn County | Very Low | 29.75 / yr | $39K | |
| 17 | McLean County | Very Low | 28.39 / yr | $48K | |
| 18 | Mercer County | Very Low | 29.70 / yr | $50K | |
| 19 | Ramsey County | Very Low | 26.37 / yr | $46K | |
| 20 | Barnes County | Very Low | 29.91 / yr | $31K | |
| 21 | Cavalier County | Very Low | 25.67 / yr | $30K | |
| 22 | Richland County | Very Low | 31.64 / yr | $38K | |
| 23 | Hettinger County | Very Low | 32.49 / yr | $29K | |
| 24 | Emmons County | Very Low | 30.86 / yr | $25K | |
| 25 | Benson County | Very Low | 26.58 / yr | $16K | |
| 26 | Burke County | Very Low | 26.31 / yr | $36K | |
| 27 | Adams County | Very Low | 31.89 / yr | $18K | |
| 28 | Golden Valley County | Very Low | 30.56 / yr | $20K | |
| 29 | McHenry County | Very Low | 26.66 / yr | $31K | |
| 30 | Ward County | Very Low | 27.29 / yr | $32K | |
| 31 | Bowman County | Very Low | 33.33 / yr | $27K | |
| 32 | Stutsman County | Very Low | 30.24 / yr | $20K | |
| 33 | Nelson County | Very Low | 26.99 / yr | $12K | |
| 34 | McIntosh County | Very Low | 31.23 / yr | $11K | |
| 35 | Traill County | Very Low | 28.48 / yr | $25K | |
| 36 | Pierce County | Very Low | 26.40 / yr | $19K | |
| 37 | Logan County | Very Low | 30.57 / yr | $10K | |
| 38 | Ransom County | Very Low | 30.84 / yr | $13K | |
| 39 | Towner County | Very Low | 25.93 / yr | $12K | |
| 40 | Renville County | Very Low | 26.23 / yr | $10K | |
| 41 | Billings County | Very Low | 31.16 / yr | $10K | |
| 42 | Griggs County | Very Low | 28.45 / yr | $7K | |
| 43 | Dickey County | Very Low | 31.35 / yr | $6K | |
| 44 | Kidder County | Very Low | 29.63 / yr | $7K | |
| 45 | Slope County | Very Low | 32.36 / yr | $7K | |
| 46 | Sheridan County | Very Low | 28.27 / yr | $7K | |
| 47 | LaMoure County | Very Low | 31.06 / yr | $6K | |
| 48 | Foster County | Very Low | 28.24 / yr | $5K | |
| 49 | Steele County | Very Low | 28.44 / yr | $6K | |
| 50 | Sargent County | Very Low | 31.51 / yr | $6K | |
| 51 | Eddy County | Very Low | 27.31 / yr | $6K | |
| 52 | Wells County | Very Low | 28.18 / yr | $4K | |
| 53 | Oliver County | Very Low | 30.11 / yr | $6K |
53 North Dakota counties with measurable lightning risk. See the national lightning ranking or all North Dakota counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which North Dakota county has the highest lightning risk?
Stark County has the highest FEMA lightning risk score in North Dakota at 65.6 (Medium), with $517K in expected annual losses and about 31.43 events per year.
How many North Dakota counties face significant lightning risk?
53 North Dakota counties record measurable lightning risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 0 of them are rated High or Very High.