Banner County, Nebraska
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 31007 · population 670 · 746 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 388 records for Banner County, Nebraska from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 302 days; the most frequent are hail reports (132 records). The most damaging was the April 4, 1997 blizzard ($9.2 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 8 declarations naming the county since 1997, 6 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line Winds” on May 24, 2024.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 388on 302 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 02 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $21Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 31strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 8latest 2024
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Banner County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 132 since 1974. 64% of its hail reports since 1974 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among Nebraska's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 132 | 96 | 1974-2026 | 0 | 0 | $281K | 87 of 93 |
| Winter storms | 82 | 76 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $11M | 56 of 93 |
| High wind and dust storms | 78 | 73 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 2 | $15K | 8 of 93 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 37 | 33 | 1965-2025 | 0 | 0 | $25K | 89 of 93 |
| Tornadoes | 31 | 26 | 1956-2017 | 0 | 0 | $8.4M | 57 of 93 |
| Extreme cold | 11 | 11 | 2008-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 74 of 93 |
| Floods | 10 | 10 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 69 of 93 |
| Heavy rain | 4 | 4 | 2014-2017 | 0 | 0 | – | 38 of 93 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2011-2013 | 0 | 0 | – | 59 of 93 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2016-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 of 93 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Banner County had?
NOAA records 31 tornadoes in Banner County from 1956 to 2017, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 31 tornadoes whose track touched Banner County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 31, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985-05-27 16:08, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 48 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Nebraska.
Every tornado record filed for Banner County (31)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-06-12 | Harrisburg, Banner County | EFU 0.74 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-06-12 | Harrisburg, Banner County | EF1 4.19 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| 2013-06-22 | Harrisburg, Banner County | EF0 1.15 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-06-22 | Harrisburg, Banner County | EF1 7.87 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-07-14 | Harrisburg, Banner County | EF0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-06-22 | Harrisburg, Banner County | EF0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-06-22 | Harrisburg, Banner County | EF0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-06-22 | Harrisburg, Banner County | EF0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-06-07 | Harrisburg, Banner County | EF0 0.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-06-05 | Harrisburg, Banner County | EF0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-27 | Harrisburg, Banner County | F2 17 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $453K |
| 2000-07-05 | Harrisburg, Banner County | F0 0.3 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-09-02 | Harrisburg, Banner County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-06-26 | Harrisburg, Banner County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-05-30 | Harrisburg, Banner County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $56K |
| 1994-07-25 | Banner County | F1 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-08-11 | Banner County | F1 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1988-08-09 | Banner County | F1 12 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1988-05-17 | Banner County | F1 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1987-06-23 | Banner County | F1 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1985-05-27 | Banner County | F3 21.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1984-06-15 | Banner County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1983-06-18 | Banner County | F1 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1978-08-31 | Banner County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1978-08-31 | Banner County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1976-05-30 | Banner County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1971-07-01 | Banner County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1971-05-30 | Banner County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1965-07-02 | Banner County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1958-07-19 | Banner County | 0 | 0 | $30 step | |
| 1956-07-04 | Banner County | F1 7.4 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Banner County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 22, 2025 hail ($30,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Video NW of Harrisburg. Photos sent to office with windows broken and large branches down.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1263481)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-29 | HailHarrisburg, Banner County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | High WindBanner County · forecast zone Banner | 64 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-17 | High WindBanner County · forecast zone Banner | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-25 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillBanner County · forecast zone Banner | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-15 | High WindBanner County · forecast zone Banner | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-19 | High WindBanner County · forecast zone Banner | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindBanner County · forecast zone Banner | 59 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-09 | High WindBanner County · forecast zone Banner | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-09-10 | HailHarrisburg, Banner County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindHarrisburg, Banner County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-22 | HailHarrisburg, Banner County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-22 | HailHarrisburg, Banner County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $30K |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-12-29 | High WindBanner County · forecast zone Banner The RAWS site 13 miles west-southwest of Harrisburg measured sustained winds of 40 mph or greater, with a peak gust of 76 mph at 29/1442L. The high winds were blamed for three traffic accidents on a two-mile stretch of State Highway 71 just south of Harrisburg. The Nebraska State patrol reported that a semi-truck and ... | 66 kt wind | 0 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-04-04 | BlizzardBanner County · forecast zone Banner | 0 | 0 | $9.2M | |
| 1997-06-02 | Flash FloodCountywide, Banner County | 0 | 0 | $919K | |
| 2005-06-27 | TornadoHarrisburg, Banner County | F2 17 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $453K |
| 2024-06-02 | HailHarrisburg, Banner County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 1996-05-30 | TornadoHarrisburg, Banner County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $56K |
| 2017-06-12 | TornadoHarrisburg, Banner County | EF1 4.19 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| 2025-06-22 | HailHarrisburg, Banner County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $30K |
| 2001-08-06 | Thunderstorm WindHarrisburg, Banner County | 0 | 0 | $25K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 27, 1985 (tornado, Banner County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Banner County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 31 | 34 | 40 | 19 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 9 | 14 | 39 | 20 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 8 | 4 | 37 | 29 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 15 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
64% of its hail reports since 1974 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 25 · Feb 21 · Mar 27 · Apr 26 · May 38 · Jun 86 · Jul 52 · Aug 36 · Sep 13 · Oct 14 · Nov 20 · Dec 30 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Banner County
FEMA's register lists 8 declarations that include Banner County: 6 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (4) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-24 | DR-4786 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4521 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3483 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-03-21 | DR-4420 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2017-08-01 | DR-4325 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3245 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuees |
| 2001-05-16 | DR-1373 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes |
| 1997-11-01 | DR-1190 | Severe Storm | Severe Snow Storms, Rain, and Strong Winds |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Banner County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Banner County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $1.6 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $584K | 87 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $352K | 5.7 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $40K | once in about 774 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | $169K | 4.7 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $9K | once in about 22 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | $10K | 16 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $54K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $14 | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Banner County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in NebraskaEvery Nebraska tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Hail in NebraskaThe state's hail reports, by county, year and month
- The Nebraska recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Banner CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Banner County's FEMA declarations (CSV)8 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis