Alaska ranked second most cursed state for natural hazards

A new study by Legal US Poker Sites has ranked Alaska as the second most “cursed” state in the United States based on 26 years of natural hazard data. Montana took the top spot, while Alaska followed with a score of 59.36, narrowly ahead of Alabama.

After adjusting for population, Alaska led the nation in five specific categories: winter storms, earthquakes, extreme cold, ice storms, and coastal flooding. The state also secured second-place national rankings for high winds, floods, avalanches, and high surf.

Between 2000 and 2025, the study recorded 1,756 winter storm episodes and 1,606 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater within the state. Winter storms were the most frequent hazard, averaging nearly 68 episodes annually. The data reflects a wide variety of natural misfortunes, with Alaska experiencing 16 different types of natural hazards.