Mountrail County, North Dakota
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Mountrail County, North Dakota has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 79% of US counties. It ranks 19th of 53 counties in North Dakota. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and hail. FEMA estimates about $7.4 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $756 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (22 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2023 (flooding). No homes here carry federal flood insurance.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Mountrail County
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold wave | 79.2 | $3M | ||
| Inland flooding | 11.9 | $1M | ||
| Hail | 75.7 | $699K | ||
| Tornado | 32.5 | $579K | ||
| Winter weather | 90.1 | $400K | ||
| Wildfire | 78.8 | $350K | ||
| Strong wind | 25.6 | $238K | ||
| Ice storm | 69.5 | $209K | ||
| Lightning | 18.7 | $62K | ||
| Drought | 33.0 | $33K | ||
| Heat wave | 13.6 | $29K | ||
| Earthquake | 5.9 | $6K | ||
| Landslide | 22.3 | $145 |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively moderate and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Mountrail County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 25
North Dakota also had 25 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1952
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 388 storm reports in Mountrail County since 1952, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries and about $5.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on July 5, 1955.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 5, 1955 | F4 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 30, 1958 | F2 | – | 2 / 0 |
| Jun 14, 1962 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 17, 1977 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 24, 1979 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sanish | $600K |
| Aug 23, 2022 | Hail | Parshall | $500K |
| Jul 31, 2016 | Hail | New Town Arpt | $400K |
| Jun 28, 2014 | Flood | White Earth | $354K |
| Jul 6, 2014 | Hail | New Town | $275K |
| May 17, 1977 | Tornado | – | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 5, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Flood insurance in Mountrail County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Mountrail County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 5,099 housing units.
Compare in North Dakota
All 53 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Cass County | Inland flooding | |
| Burleigh County | Inland flooding | |
| Grand Forks County | Inland flooding | |
| Ward County | Cold wave | |
| Williams County | Cold wave | |
| Stark County | Cold wave | |
| Morton County | Inland flooding | |
| Stutsman County | Cold wave |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Ward County | 26 | |
| Williams County | 18 | |
| McKenzie County | 22 | |
| McLean County | 23 | |
| Dunn County | 16 | |
| Burke County | 20 |
Common questions about Mountrail County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Mountrail County?
Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Mountrail County, about $3.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.5 million.
How many federal disasters has Mountrail County had?
Mountrail County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 22 major disasters. The most recent was Flooding in July 2023.
Is Mountrail County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 19th highest of 53 in North Dakota. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Mountrail County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Mountrail County had?
NOAA records list 31 tornadoes in Mountrail County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on July 5, 1955. The weather service has also logged 189 hail reports and 15 floods here.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.