Natural Disaster Risk — ZIP Code 57242

Natural Hazard Profile: ZIP 57242, South Dakota

ZIP 57242 in Hazel sits in the interior eastern United States. Its semi-arid continental climate produces harsh winters, hot summers, and significant seasonal variation, and notably severe blizzards and spring flooding. These conditions define the natural disaster environment for households across this ZIP code.

According to FEMA's National Risk Index, ZIP 57242 carries an overall risk score of 4.5/10, placing it in the moderate category. Ice storm risk tops the local winter hazard profile, with freezing rain events capable of coating roads, trees, and power lines with ice that causes widespread outages and dangerous travel conditions. The area also faces notable exposure to hail and cold wave.

Within South Dakota, ZIP 57242's risk is, slightly below the 4.9/10 state average. Nationally, it ranks near the U.S. national average of 4.5/10. FEMA's analysis of South Dakota identifies ice storm as the foremost hazard, followed by hail and cold wave. These rankings reflect the relative frequency and severity of each hazard type in the local environment.

ZIP 57242'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 ice storm exposure is adequately protected is a worthwhile step for property owners.