Every federal disaster in Sioux Falls since 1954
Each square is a disaster or emergency declaration by the President or FEMA that covered Minnehaha County. Declarations make federal aid available after hurricanes, floods, storms, fires and other events, so this is a record of the big ones.
- Declarations
- 30since 1954
- Major disasters
- 24the most serious kind
- Since 2000
- 21declarations
- Most recent
- 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Minnehaha County's overall natural hazard risk relatively moderate, led by ice storm, tornado and winter weather. The history above shows what has actually happened; the risk index estimates what is likely.
All declarations
| Declared | Event | Type | FEMA number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-4941 |
| Sep 11, 2025 | Severe Storm and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-4890 |
| Nov 1, 2024 | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-4842 |
| Aug 15, 2024 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-4807 |
| Feb 20, 2023 | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorm | Major disaster | DR-4688 |
| Feb 20, 2023 | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorm | Major disaster | DR-4687 |
| Jun 29, 2022 | Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-4656 |
| Apr 5, 2020 | COVID-19 Pandemic | Major disaster | DR-4527 |
| Mar 13, 2020 | COVID-19 | Emergency | EM-3475 |
| Mar 13, 2020 | COVID-19 | Emergency | EM-3526 |
| Mar 13, 2020 | COVID-19 | Emergency | EM-3513 |
| Mar 13, 2020 | COVID-19 | Emergency | EM-3536 |
| Nov 18, 2019 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-4469 |
| Jun 20, 2019 | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-4448 |
| Jun 7, 2019 | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-4440 |
| Aug 7, 2015 | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-4237 |
| Jul 28, 2014 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-4186 |
| May 10, 2013 | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm | Major disaster | DR-4115 |
| Sep 23, 2010 | Severe Storms and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-1938 |
| Sep 10, 2005 | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Emergency | EM-3234 |
| Jul 20, 2004 | Severe Storms and Flooding | Major disaster | DR-1531 |
| Apr 7, 1997 | Severe Flooding, Sever Winter Storms,Heavy Rains High Winds | Major disaster | DR-1173 |
| Feb 28, 1997 | Severe Winter Storm | Major disaster | DR-1161 |
| Jan 10, 1997 | Severe Winter Storms and Blizzard Conditions | Major disaster | DR-1156 |
| Jul 19, 1993 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Major disaster | DR-999 |
| Jun 17, 1976 | Drought | Emergency | EM-3015 |
| Apr 18, 1969 | Flooding | Major disaster | DR-257 |
| Jul 27, 1962 | Floods & Tornadoes | Major disaster | DR-132 |
| Apr 8, 1960 | Floods | Major disaster | DR-99 |
| Jul 31, 1954 | Flood | Major disaster | DR-20 |
Frequently asked questions
How many federal disasters has Sioux Falls had?
Since 1954, the federal government has issued 30 disaster or emergency declarations covering Minnehaha County, including 24 major disaster declarations. 21 of them came in 2000 or later.
What was the most recent federal disaster in Sioux Falls?
Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding (Major disaster, declared September 1, 2026).
What kinds of disasters hit Sioux Falls most often?
By FEMA incident type: severe storm (12), flood (9), biological (5) and winter storm (2).
New to Sioux Falls? 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 Minnehaha 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.