Is North Dakota Prepared for Extreme Weather?

North Dakota has its fair share of storms from thunderstorms and flooding in the summer to sever winter storms in the winter. We know they're coming and when we get severe weather it can be devastating but not shocking.

But how does North Dakota rank in its severe weather preparedness compared to all the other states?

The National Health Security Preparedness Index (NHSPI) ranks each state every year on how prepared they are for disasters sent our way from Mother Nature.

Each state gets a ranking from 1 to 10 with 10 being the best. The national average for preparedness is a 6.7 on the scale.

North Dakota falls right at about the national average receiving a score of 6.5. There are many factors that allowed the NHPSI to get this number and you can look at the breakdown here.

Using the NHPSI and other factors, 24/7 Wallstreet ranked all the states in order from best prepared to least prepared.

24/7 Wallstreet took the NHPSI ranking and then also looked at the amount of funding each state sets aside for disaster preparedness and the amount of EMT's there are per 100,000 residents.

With all that taken into account, 24/7 Wallstreet ranked North Dakota at No. 18 out of 50 for their disaster preparedness. You can see their full report here.

When disaster strikes, Townsquare Media's Severe Weather Action Team (S.W.A.T.) keeps you informed. It is recommended that you keep a battery powered radio handy at all times and keep your radio tuned to Cool 98.7, Hot 97.5, 96.5 The Fox, 103.3 US Country, or Supertalk 1270 when severe weather sweeps through your community.