Pembina County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Pembina County: 0.
2. Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.

Smoke overhead

1. A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.

NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Claims by ZIP code

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

River crests

River gauges

1. Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.

NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.

1. The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.

NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.

Mapped landslides

Mapped by ND GS (180), USGS MN (42).

1. Landslides mapped in the USGS compilation of landslide inventories across the United States (version 3.0, 2025), rated probable or better. The compilation joins inventories made by federal and state agencies for different purposes and areas, so the number mapped in a county reflects how closely it has been surveyed as much as how often its slopes fail. An area with few records may simply not have been mapped. Deaths are as recorded in the inventories; a slide listed in two inventories is counted once.

USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0, retrieved October 27, 2026.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Apr 21, 1997Flood, Pembina$20.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The rising Red River closed Interstate 29 near Pembina. The city of Drayton was evacuated on the 22nd, but many floodfighters returned and saved most of the city by constructing a plywood dike. Earthen dikes held in Pembina, although most of the people were also evacuated on the 22nd. One dike did fail on the south side of Pembina, flooding 25 homes. Throughout the county, numerous homes east of Interstate 29 were flooded, including the customs station north of Pembina. The tiny town of Bowesmont and both the Pembina and Drayton airports were under water. At Drayton, the river was estimated to be 20 miles wide. Further north in Pembina, it was reported to be 25 miles wide. New…

2. Apr 5, 1997Blizzard, Pembina$6.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   With falling temperatures on the back side of the low, the freezing rain turned to ice pellets and then to snow. A strong pressure gradient created winds up to 65 mph, dropping visibilities down to zero. The strong wind, on top of heavy ice accumulations, caused thousands of power poles to snap. This cut power to over 100,000 people in eastern North Dakota and northwest Minnesota and resulted in $30 million in damages just to the power infrastructure. A 2,060 foot television tower collapsed near Galesburg on April 5th. With power cut, many people had to seek shelters with generator power in order to keep warm. Some smaller communities were without power for more than a week. Most…

3. Apr 4, 1997Ice Storm, Pembina$6.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   An intense low pressure system, with center pressures around 28.8 inches, tracked from Fergus Falls to International Falls, Minnesota. The initial rain was accompanied by lightning and thunder in southern Grand Forks county, and then changed to freezing rain as the temperature dropped. One-half to 2 inches of ice built up on exposed surfaces. Hundreds of power poles and lines snapped due to the weight of the ice, cutting power to many homes and businesses, many of which were beginning to fight the spring flood. The wind reporting systems on the AWOS and ASOS sites across eastern North Dakota froze in place, remaining out for 7 days. The three inches of liquid equivalent from the…

4. Jun 19, 2005Thunderstorm Wind$2.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Widespread tree damage was reported in Walhalla. One tree fell on a tent in Walhalla, injuring one man. The other person in the tent was able to go for help. Widespread power outages occurred throughout the county. The Walhalla school building roof was heavily damaged. Flooding occurred in the school basement, due to the numerous holes in the roof. Emergency routes were blocked by fallen trees. Trees fell on cars, homes, garages, fences, and power lines.

5. Mar 27, 2004Flood, Pembina$1.1 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   [See antecedent conditions written in brackets under Ramsey county]. For Pembina county, river flood warnings were issued for the Pembina River at Neche and the Red River at Drayton and Pembina. Of these, Neche crested over moderate (19 feet) flood stage around March 30th. The Red River crest at Drayton and Pembina would occur in early April. The Hamilton area had lots of overland floodwater, completely cutting off the town for a while. Two roads were cut around Hamilton to stop the water rise in town. Several culverts around Hamilton washed out and some farmsteads were completely cut off. The most damage occurred in Crystal, where city streets were damaged. The elementary school…

6. Jun 6, 1999Tornado$1.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A tornado touched down southeast of Mountain, where it damaged several farmsteads. One farm home was completely lifted up and tossed 100 yards. A combine was also picked up and thrown several hundred feet. A swather was picked up and wrapped around several trees. In the town of Mountain, numerous trees were knocked flat. 2 mobile homes were destroyed, the roof was torn off a house, and a garage was destroyed.

7. Jul 15, 2000Thunderstorm Wind$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Strong winds destroyed eight grain bins, knocked down some trees, and damaged the doors on a scale house. One of the 50 foot tall bins was carried away nearly 1000 feet, landing in a nearby farm field. The 8 bins were empty at the time, each capable of holding 50,000 bushels. Three large grain augers were also ruined.

8. Apr 7, 2001Flood, Pembina$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A near normal winter left a snowpack with 1.5 to 2.5 inches of snow water equivalent to the Pembina county area. The snow melted first over the northern Red River basin. A heavy rain event dropped 1 to 2 inches of rain over the Red River Valley on the 7th. Another heavy rain event occurred over the southern Red River basin on the 11th and 12th, and a winter storm also dropped a foot of snow over that same area on the 22nd and 23rd. These events kept the Red River near its crest level for nearly a week. The Red River crested in Drayton at 41.38 feet on April 21st and crested at 49.43 feet in Pembina on April 26th. The crest at Drayton was the 8th highest ever, while the crest at…

9. May 29, 2010Flash Flood$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Three to seven inches of rain fell over portions of northeast Pembina County, causing street flooding, basement flooding, and sewer backup. Many fields were flooded outside of town.

10. Jun 9, 2017Thunderstorm Wind$500,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Numerous large tree branches and limbs were broken down or snapped across much of Thingvalla Township. Sheet metal roofing and shingles were blown off buildings in various locations.

1. Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.

All-time high

110°FJul 11, 1936

All-time low

−41°F2 times, most recently Feb 12, 1936

Warmest night

76°F2 times, most recently Jul 11, 1936

Coldest day

−29°FFeb 2, 1996

Wettest day

4.56 inJun 11, 2002

Snowiest day

13.5 inApr 8, 1948

Hottest year

1987mean 42.4°F

Coldest year

1996mean 33.6°F

Wettest year

201631.86 in

Driest year

198910.94 in

Snowiest season

72.9 in1949-50

Station Cavalier 7NW (USC00321435), 899 ft elevation, 7.5 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1934 to October 27, 2026; 97.1% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.

NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.

Neighbouring counties

• Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
• Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
• Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
• Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
• Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
• Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USC00321435.
• River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
• Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Landslides USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0 (2025).
• Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.

Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.