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Every federal disaster in Rapid City since 1954

Each square is a disaster or emergency declaration by the President or FEMA that covered Pennington County. Declarations make federal aid available after hurricanes, floods, storms, fires and other events, so this is a record of the big ones.

Declarations
34since 1954
Major disasters
23the most serious kind
Since 2000
24declarations
Most recent
2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
19541960196019621965197019721976198019901995199719971997200020002002200320052005201020132015201720192019201920202020202020202020202020212021202320232024202520262026
Floods (10)Severe storms and tornadoes (10)Fires (5)Biological (COVID-19) (5)Winter storms (2)Other (1)Hurricanes and tropical storms (1)

FEMA's National Risk Index rates Pennington County's overall natural hazard risk relatively low, led by winter weather, hail and lightning. The history above shows what has actually happened; the risk index estimates what is likely.

All declarations

DeclaredEventTypeFEMA number
Sep 1, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4941
Apr 7, 2026Straight-Line WindsMajor disasterDR-4903
Sep 11, 2025Severe Storm and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4890
Nov 1, 2024Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4842
Feb 20, 2023Severe Winter Storms and SnowstormMajor disasterDR-4688
Feb 20, 2023Severe Winter Storms and SnowstormMajor disasterDR-4687
Oct 4, 2021Auburn FireFire managementFM-5418
Mar 29, 2021Schroeder FireFire managementFM-5384
Apr 5, 2020COVID-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4527
Mar 13, 2020COVID-19EmergencyEM-3475
Mar 13, 2020COVID-19EmergencyEM-3526
Mar 13, 2020COVID-19EmergencyEM-3513
Mar 13, 2020COVID-19EmergencyEM-3536
Sep 23, 2019Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4463
Jun 20, 2019Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4448
Jun 7, 2019Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4440
Feb 1, 2017Severe Winter StormMajor disasterDR-4298
Aug 7, 2015Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4237
Nov 8, 2013Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4155
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3234
Jul 16, 2005Sd Skyline #2 Fire 7/16/05Fire managementFM-2569
Nov 20, 2003Sd - Mill Road Wildfire - 11/19/2003Fire managementFM-2513
Aug 18, 2002Sd - Battle Creek Fire - 08/18/02Fire managementFM-2458
May 19, 2000Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides and MudslidesMajor disasterDR-1330
Apr 7, 1997Severe Flooding, Sever Winter Storms,Heavy Rains High WindsMajor disasterDR-1173
Feb 28, 1997Severe Winter StormMajor disasterDR-1161
Jan 10, 1997Severe Winter Storms and Blizzard ConditionsMajor disasterDR-1156
May 26, 1995FloodingMajor disasterDR-1052
Jun 17, 1976DroughtEmergencyEM-3015
Jun 10, 1972Heavy Rains & FloodingMajor disasterDR-336
May 26, 1965FloodingMajor disasterDR-197
Jul 27, 1962Floods & TornadoesMajor disasterDR-132
Apr 8, 1960FloodsMajor disasterDR-99
Jul 31, 1954FloodMajor disasterDR-20

Frequently asked questions

How many federal disasters has Rapid City had?

Since 1954, the federal government has issued 34 disaster or emergency declarations covering Pennington County, including 23 major disaster declarations. 24 of them came in 2000 or later.

What was the most recent federal disaster in Rapid City?

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding (Major disaster, declared September 1, 2026).

What kinds of disasters hit Rapid City most often?

By FEMA incident type: flood (10), severe storm (9), fire (5) and biological (5).

New to Rapid City? The city profile covers flood maps and emergency alerts, and the risk summary shows FEMA's hazard ratings.

Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), downloaded October 18, 2026. We list declarations that named Pennington County, plus early statewide declarations from before FEMA designated individual counties. "Major disaster" declarations bring the widest federal aid; "emergency" declarations cover shorter-term help; "fire management" declarations help pay to fight large wildfires.