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Moody County, South Dakota

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

Very Low overall risk
27th of 66highest risk in South Dakota
$9Mexpected losses a year
19federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Moody County, South Dakota has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 73% of US counties. It ranks 27th of 66 counties in South Dakota. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and ice storms. FEMA estimates about $8.8 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,392 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (17 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2024 (severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding). Only 16 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $759,000 on 59 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Moody County

$3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • 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.
$1.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
  • Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
$1.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Trim branches that hang over the roof or power lines.
  • Plan for several days without power.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low26.1
$3M
TornadoLow62.9
$2M
Ice stormHigh93.0
$1M
Cold waveLow47.4
$844K
HailLow70.8
$564K
Strong windLow44.9
$469K
DroughtLow62.5
$324K
Winter weatherModerate77.3
$180K
Heat waveVery Low34.6
$171K
WildfireVery Low54.0
$59K
LightningVery Low4.6
$15K
EarthquakeVery Low12.5
$12K
LandslideVery Low23.8
$167

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 relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Flood9
Severe Storm8
Drought1
Coastal Storm1

Most recent

Aug 15, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 29, 2022Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Nov 18, 2019Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 7, 2019Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 13, 2011FloodingMajor disaster
Nov 2, 2010Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 13, 2010FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 17, 2001Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Ice JamsMajor disaster
Show all 19
Apr 7, 1997Severe Flooding, Sever Winter Storms,Heavy Rains High WindsMajor disaster
Feb 28, 1997Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 10, 1997Severe Winter Storms and Blizzard ConditionsMajor disaster
May 26, 1995FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 19, 1993Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 2, 1992Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 19, 1984Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 17, 1976DroughtEmergency
Apr 18, 1969FloodingMajor disaster

South Dakota also had 46 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1956

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 325 storm reports in Moody County since 1956, with 0 deaths and 1 injury and about $22.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on June 29, 1956.

10tornadoes
123hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
96damaging thunderstorm winds
91floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 29, 1956F2–1 / 0
May 7, 1993F1Colman To0 / 0
Jun 5, 2008EF1Trent0 / 0
May 5, 1983F0–0 / 0
May 5, 1983F0–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 1, 2019FloodColman$16M
Jun 19, 1996HailFlandreau$1M
May 5, 2012Thunderstorm WindFlandreau$1M
Sep 12, 2019FloodColman$666K
May 7, 1993TornadoColman To$500K
Sep 11, 2019FloodFlandreau$350K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 24, 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 Moody County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (16 policies)
7.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$759,023paid on 59 flood claims since 1978
2019costliest year, with $384,641 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 Moody County

$226,500median home value (South Dakota $257,400, US $332,700)
1972median year homes were built (South Dakota 1980, US 1980)
60%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
3.2%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; 2,759 housing units.

Compare in South Dakota

All 66 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Minnehaha CountyModerateTornado
Pennington CountyLowInland flooding
Lincoln CountyLowTornado
Brown CountyLowCold wave
Brookings CountyLowInland flooding
Meade CountyLowInland flooding
Codington CountyLowInland flooding
Lawrence CountyLowInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Minnehaha CountyModerate15
Brookings CountyLow19
Lake CountyVery Low18
Rock County, MNVery Low14
Pipestone County, MNVery Low12
Lincoln County, MNVery Low12

Common questions about Moody County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Moody County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Moody County, about $3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.9 million.

How many federal disasters has Moody County had?

Moody County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 17 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in August 2024.

Is Moody County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 27th highest of 66 in South 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 Moody County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Moody County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Moody County had?

NOAA records list 10 tornadoes in Moody County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on June 29, 1956. The weather service has also logged 123 hail reports and 91 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.