Natural hazards · Williston

Williston, ND natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Williston comes from cold waves, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Williston?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Williston to be higher than in 12% of U.S. communities, mostly from cold waves and inland flooding.

Cold waves50%Inland flooding27%Tornadoes7%Winter weather6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Williston faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Cold waves

50% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Recorded about 19 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

27% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Winter weather

6% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about 16 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Williston flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Williston.

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Williston isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Williams County.

Disasters that hit Williston

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Williston itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Williston.

Brought FEMA money into WillistonDeclared for Williams County only

2024

Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds

$10K to the City of Williston for repairs

2022

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$183K to the City of Williston for repairs

2021

Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$1.3M to the City of Williston for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm

$59K to the City of Williston for repairs

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

11 households applied for aid $19K aid approved

2004

Snow

$12K to the City of Williston for repairs

Williams County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Williston

Williston and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Willistonmostly cold wavesVery low

Stony Creekmostly inland floodingVery low

Pherrinmostly inland floodingVery low

Willistonmostly cold wavesVery low

Missouri Ridgemostly cold wavesVery low

Montmostly cold wavesVery low

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Williston covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Williston’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Williston. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Williston total about $12.3M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.