Natural Disaster Risk in Beach

Natural Hazard Profile: Beach, North Dakota

Beach, in Golden Valley County, is a small community of about 1,161 situated in the northern tier of the continental United States. Its continental climate brings extremely cold winters and short, warm summers with prairie wind exposure, and in particular severe blizzards and spring flooding. These conditions collectively define the natural hazard environment that Beach residents and property owners must navigate.

Beach's overall natural disaster risk is rated 4.1/10 (Moderate) by FEMA's National Risk Index. Cold wave events are the primary hazard risk, driven by periodic invasions of Arctic air that drive wind chills to life-threatening levels and stress heating systems. Secondary hazards include winter and hail.

Within North Dakota, Beach's risk is, slightly below the 4.7/10 state average. Nationally, it ranks near the U.S. national average of 4.5/10. FEMA's analysis of Golden Valley County identifies cold wave as the foremost hazard, followed by winter and hail. These rankings reflect the relative frequency and severity of each hazard type in the local environment.

Beach's moderate risk profile means that while catastrophic events are less frequent, they do occur. Standard homeowners insurance typically covers many common hazards here, but confirming that cold wave exposure is adequately protected is a worthwhile step for property owners.