Cold Wave Risk in South Dakota
All South Dakota counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index cold wave score
Cold Wave risk — prolonged spells of dangerously low temperatures — is rated for 66 of 66 South Dakota counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Dewey County carries the state's highest cold wave score at 99.0, with $20M in expected annual cold wave losses.
5 South Dakota counties are rated High or Very High for cold wave, and expected annual losses from cold wave total roughly $188M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Cold Wave
| # | County | Cold Wave Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dewey County | Very High | 9.21 / yr | $20M | |
| 2 | Brown County | High | 13.37 / yr | $16M | |
| 3 | Brule County | High | 6.47 / yr | $14M | |
| 4 | Minnehaha County | High | 8.53 / yr | $17M | |
| 5 | Corson County | High | 10.11 / yr | $5M | |
| 6 | Walworth County | Medium | 11.16 / yr | $5M | |
| 7 | Ziebach County | Medium | 7.79 / yr | $3M | |
| 8 | Charles Mix County | Medium | 5.84 / yr | $5M | |
| 9 | Pennington County | Medium | 4.96 / yr | $5M | |
| 10 | Tripp County | Medium | 5.47 / yr | $3M | |
| 11 | Codington County | Medium | 13.37 / yr | $5M | |
| 12 | Roberts County | Medium | 14.37 / yr | $3M | |
| 13 | Lyman County | Medium | 5.74 / yr | $2M | |
| 14 | Grant County | Medium | 13.63 / yr | $5M | |
| 15 | Buffalo County | Medium | 7.16 / yr | $2M | |
| 16 | Beadle County | Medium | 9.95 / yr | $3M | |
| 17 | Aurora County | Medium | 7.00 / yr | $3M | |
| 18 | Brookings County | Medium | 11.79 / yr | $4M | |
| 19 | Todd County | Medium | 5.32 / yr | $2M | |
| 20 | Day County | Medium | 14.11 / yr | $2M | |
| 21 | Gregory County | Medium | 5.58 / yr | $3M | |
| 22 | Yankton County | Medium | 6.42 / yr | $2M | |
| 23 | McPherson County | Medium | 12.47 / yr | $2M | |
| 24 | Oglala Lakota County | Medium | 4.84 / yr | $1M | |
| 25 | Marshall County | Medium | 14.26 / yr | $2M | |
| 26 | Potter County | Medium | 10.16 / yr | $2M | |
| 27 | Jerauld County | Medium | 8.32 / yr | $2M | |
| 28 | Davison County | Medium | 7.74 / yr | $2M | |
| 29 | Hutchinson County | Medium | 6.74 / yr | $2M | |
| 30 | Spink County | Medium | 11.68 / yr | $3M | |
| 31 | Faulk County | Low | 11.21 / yr | $1M | |
| 32 | Lake County | Low | 10.21 / yr | $2M | |
| 33 | Douglas County | Low | 6.26 / yr | $2M | |
| 34 | Butte County | Low | 6.74 / yr | $1M | |
| 35 | Meade County | Low | 6.39 / yr | $2M | |
| 36 | Hand County | Low | 9.05 / yr | $2M | |
| 37 | Haakon County | Low | 6.21 / yr | $1M | |
| 38 | Lincoln County | Low | 7.63 / yr | $2M | |
| 39 | Lawrence County | Low | 4.26 / yr | $1M | |
| 40 | Clark County | Low | 12.47 / yr | $2M | |
| 41 | Edmunds County | Low | 11.95 / yr | $2M | |
| 42 | Kingsbury County | Low | 10.79 / yr | $2M | |
| 43 | Jackson County | Low | 5.63 / yr | $572K | |
| 44 | Sully County | Low | 7.74 / yr | $2M | |
| 45 | Hughes County | Low | 6.68 / yr | $2M | |
| 46 | Bon Homme County | Low | 6.21 / yr | $1M | |
| 47 | Turner County | Low | 7.16 / yr | $1M | |
| 48 | Hamlin County | Low | 12.74 / yr | $1M | |
| 49 | Perkins County | Low | 8.57 / yr | $1M | |
| 50 | Hyde County | Low | 8.63 / yr | $658K | |
| 51 | Moody County | Low | 10.84 / yr | $844K | |
| 52 | Hanson County | Low | 7.89 / yr | $610K | |
| 53 | Deuel County | Low | 13.11 / yr | $1M | |
| 54 | Campbell County | Low | 11.21 / yr | $1M | |
| 55 | Mellette County | Low | 5.47 / yr | $443K | |
| 56 | Bennett County | Low | 5.11 / yr | $415K | |
| 57 | Fall River County | Low | 4.28 / yr | $480K | |
| 58 | McCook County | Low | 8.11 / yr | $969K | |
| 59 | Union County | Low | 6.47 / yr | $734K | |
| 60 | Miner County | Low | 9.74 / yr | $932K | |
| 61 | Sanborn County | Low | 8.89 / yr | $529K | |
| 62 | Custer County | Very Low | 3.98 / yr | $399K | |
| 63 | Clay County | Very Low | 6.32 / yr | $434K | |
| 64 | Jones County | Very Low | 5.74 / yr | $356K | |
| 65 | Harding County | Very Low | 8.05 / yr | $354K | |
| 66 | Stanley County | Very Low | 6.11 / yr | $297K |
66 South Dakota counties with measurable cold wave risk. See the national cold wave ranking or all South Dakota counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which South Dakota county has the highest cold wave risk?
Dewey County has the highest FEMA cold wave risk score in South Dakota at 99.0 (Very High), with $20M in expected annual losses and about 9.21 events per year.
How many South Dakota counties face significant cold wave risk?
66 South Dakota counties record measurable cold wave risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 5 of them are rated High or Very High.