Natural hazards · Sisseton

Sisseton, SD natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sisseton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1978. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Sisseton?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sisseton to be higher than in 73% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding39%Cold waves38%Tornadoes10%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Sisseton faces

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

Inland flooding

39% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

38% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about 14 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 93 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Sisseton flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Sisseton, from FEMA’s records.

9paid claims since 1978

$95Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Midwest Flooding: 1 claim, $2K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Roberts County.

Disasters that hit Sisseton

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SissetonDeclared for Roberts County only

2011

Flooding

$3K to the Township of Sisseton for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$3K to the Township of Sisseton for repairs

2001

Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, and Ice Jams

$6K to the Township of Sisseton for repairs

Roberts County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Sisseton

Sisseton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Sissetonmostly inland floodingHigh

Grantmostly cold wavesModerate

Goodwillmostly cold wavesModerate

Enterprisemostly inland floodingModerate

Long Hollowmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Sisseton covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Sisseton’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Sisseton. 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 Sisseton total about $2.1M 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.