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Sheridan County, North Dakota

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
42nd of 53highest risk in North Dakota
$4Mexpected losses a year
20federal declarations
Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0

Sheridan County, North Dakota has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 95% of US counties. It ranks 42nd of 53 counties in North Dakota. The costliest hazards here are hail, cold waves and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $4.2 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $3,335 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (19 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2025 (severe storm, tornadoes and straight-line winds). 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 Sheridan County

Hail

Moderate
$1.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
  • Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
$1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 20 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$862,276 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 15 years.
  • 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
HailModerate78.2
$1M
Cold waveLow43.1
$1M
Inland floodingVery Low4.1
$862K
TornadoVery Low22.4
$401K
Ice stormModerate70.0
$302K
Winter weatherModerate76.5
$243K
WildfireVery Low63.3
$145K
Strong windVery Low12.4
$133K
DroughtVery Low24.1
$14K
EarthquakeVery Low5.6
$8K
LightningVery Low1.5
$7K
Heat waveVery Low4.7
$7K
LandslideVery Low10.5
$41

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 very low and community resilience is relatively low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Sheridan County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood9
Severe Storm9
Coastal Storm1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Sep 11, 2025Severe Storm, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2020FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 21, 2020FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 12, 2013Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 10, 2011FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 21, 2010Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Mar 24, 2009Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Nov 21, 2005Severe Winter Storm and Record And/Or Near Record SnowMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 28, 2001Severe Storms, Flooding, & Ground SaturationMajor disaster
Show all 20
Jun 27, 2000Severe Storms, Flooding and Ground SaturationMajor disaster
Jun 8, 1999Severe Storms, Flooding, Snow, Ice, Ground Saturation, Lanslides, Mudslides, and TorMajor disaster
Apr 7, 1997Severe Flooding,Severe Winter Storms, Snowmelt, Spring RainsMajor disaster
Jan 12, 1997Severe Winter Storms and Blizzard ConditionsMajor disaster
Jun 5, 1996Severe Storms,Flooding, & Ice JamsMajor disaster
May 16, 1995Severe Storms, Flooding, and Ground SaturationMajor disaster
Jul 1, 1994Severe Storms, FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 26, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 26, 1979Severe Storms, Snowmelt & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 18, 1969FloodingMajor disaster

North Dakota also had 25 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1957

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 123 storm reports in Sheridan County since 1957, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries and about $3.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF2 tornado on September 14, 2025 near Denhoff.

19tornadoes
64hail reports, largest 4 inches
38damaging thunderstorm winds
2floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Sep 14, 2025EF2Denhoff0 / 0
Aug 25, 1983F1–0 / 0
Jun 20, 1988F1–0 / 0
Sep 15, 1991F1–0 / 0
Jul 13, 2003F1Pickardville1 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Sep 14, 2025TornadoDenhoff$750K
Sep 20, 2019Flash FloodGoodrich$450K
Jun 24, 1966Tornado–$250K
Aug 25, 1983Tornado–$250K
Jun 20, 1988Tornado–$250K
Sep 15, 1991Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 27, 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 Sheridan County

Check your address flood zone ›
0%of homes have federal flood insurance (0 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$139,900paid on 5 flood claims since 1978
2009costliest year, with $139,900 paid

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 Sheridan County

$110,300median home value (North Dakota $249,900, US $332,700)
1967median year homes were built (North Dakota 1982, US 1980)
76%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
7%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

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; 838 housing units.

Compare in North Dakota

All 53 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Cass CountyModerateInland flooding
Burleigh CountyModerateInland flooding
Grand Forks CountyLowInland flooding
Ward CountyLowCold wave
Williams CountyLowCold wave
Stark CountyVery LowCold wave
Morton CountyLowInland flooding
Stutsman CountyLowCold wave

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Burleigh CountyModerate20
McLean CountyLow23
McHenry CountyVery Low30
Pierce CountyVery Low21
Wells CountyVery Low27
Kidder CountyVery Low24

Common questions about Sheridan County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Sheridan County?

Hail has the highest expected yearly losses in Sheridan County, about $1.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $1 million.

How many federal disasters has Sheridan County had?

Sheridan County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 19 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storm, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds in September 2025.

Is Sheridan County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 42nd 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 Sheridan 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 Sheridan County had?

NOAA records list 19 tornadoes in Sheridan County since 1950. The strongest was an EF2 tornado on September 14, 2025 near Denhoff. The weather service has also logged 64 hail reports and 2 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.