Boone County, Nebraska
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 31011 · population 5,372 · 687 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 537 records for Boone County, Nebraska from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 385 days; the most frequent are hail reports (187 records). The deadliest single record is the May 8, 1965 tornado: 4 deaths and 53 injuries. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1966, 18 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line Winds” on May 21, 2025.
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
- 537on 385 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 457 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $259Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 29strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 2025
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 Boone County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 187 since 1955. 45% of its hail reports since 1955 fell in May and June. 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 | 187 | 125 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 63 of 93 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 109 | 84 | 1960-2026 | 0 | 0 | $511K | 53 of 93 |
| Winter storms | 64 | 62 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $12M | 63 of 93 |
| Extreme cold | 47 | 46 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 2 | – | 19 of 93 |
| High wind and dust storms | 32 | 32 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $37K | 58 of 93 |
| Floods | 31 | 27 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | $498K | 26 of 93 |
| Tornadoes | 29 | 26 | 1953-2024 | 4 | 55 | $245M | 51 of 93 |
| Drought | 21 | 21 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 62 of 93 |
| Heat | 12 | 12 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 of 93 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 1996-1998 | 0 | 0 | $140K | 38 of 93 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 1 | 2018-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 78 of 93 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 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 Boone County had?
NOAA records 29 tornadoes in Boone County from 1953 to 2024, the strongest rated F4, with 4 deaths and 55 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 30 tornadoes whose track touched Boone County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 29: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 4 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965-05-08 17:30, as SPC files it | Tilden to Wausa | F4 | 125.7 mi | 4 |
| 1964-05-05 15:25, as SPC files it | Wolbach to Petersburg | F4 | 51.2 mi | 0 |
| 1953-06-07 16:15, as SPC files it | Albion | F3 | 8 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Nebraska.
Every tornado record filed for Boone County (29)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-04-26 | Boone County | EFU 1.01 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-04-26 | Albion, Boone County | EFU 2.03 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-04-26 | Cedar Rapids Airport, Boone County | EF2 19.56 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-05-12 | Closter, Boone County | EF1 1.25 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-06-06 | Petersburg, Boone County | EFU 0.05 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-05-25 | Akron, Boone County | EF0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-10-02 | Boone County | EF0 0.28 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-05-27 | Closter, Boone County | EF0 1.71 mi x 55 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-05-27 | Closter, Boone County | EF0 1.35 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-05-05 | Petersburg, Boone County | EF0 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-10-09 | Cedar Rapids, Boone County | F0 1 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-04-08 | St Edward, Boone County | F0 1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 1990-06-16 | Boone County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1990-03-13 | Boone County | F1 1.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1985-04-21 | Boone County | F0 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1984-07-05 | Boone County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1981-06-13 | Boone County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1975-06-20 | Boone County | F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1975-05-22 | Boone County | F0 0.2 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1973-07-24 | Boone County | F1 10.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1971-06-06 | Boone County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1970-08-02 | Boone County | F2 2 mi x 167 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1969-06-25 | Boone County | F1 13.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1967-06-14 | Boone County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1966-06-05 | Boone County | F2 0.7 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 1965-05-08 | Boone County | F4 27.2 mi x 33 yd | 4 | 53 | $25M step |
| 1964-05-05 | Boone County | F4 39.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1960-06-09 | Boone County | F1 2.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1953-06-07 | Boone County | F3 8 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
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 Boone County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 18, 2018 thunderstorm wind ($59,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Semi tractor trailer overturned. Large 12 inch diameter tree branches were also blown down.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 772483)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-09 | Thunderstorm WindAlbion Municipal Airport, Boone County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-09 | Thunderstorm WindAlbion Municipal Airport, Boone County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-09 | Thunderstorm WindCedar Rapids Airport, Boone County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtBoone County · forecast zone Boone | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtBoone County · forecast zone Boone | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtBoone County · forecast zone Boone | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-03 | DroughtBoone County · forecast zone Boone | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-21 | High WindBoone County · forecast zone Boone | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-18 | High WindBoone County · forecast zone Boone | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-09 | High WindBoone County · forecast zone Boone | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-11-25 | High WindBoone County · forecast zone Boone | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-27 | Excessive HeatBoone County · forecast zone Boone | 0 | 0 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965-05-08 | TornadoBoone County | F4 27.2 mi x 33 yd | 4 | 53 | $25M step |
| 1996-01-17 | Cold/Wind ChillBoone County · forecast zone Boone In two separate incidents, two men suffered from frostbite after their cars stalled. An 80 year old man from Battlecreek was traveling home when rain changed to snow and froze his accelerator pedal. After trying to flee his vehicle, he turned back and spent the night in his truck. A 46 year old Tilden man slid off the ... | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1966-06-05 | TornadoBoone County | F2 0.7 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 1953-06-07 | TornadoBoone County | F3 8 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-12-30 | Winter StormBoone County · forecast zone Boone | 0 | 0 | $12M | |
| 1994-06-24 | HailLoretto, Boone County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $995K |
| 1998-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindRaeville, Boone County | 0 | 0 | $181K | |
| 2018-07-18 | Thunderstorm WindCedar Rapids, Boone County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $59K |
| 2000-05-29 | Thunderstorm WindAlbion, Boone County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 1999-04-08 | TornadoSt Edward, Boone County | F0 1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 1995-06-15 | Thunderstorm WindGordon, Boone County | 0 | 0 | $19K |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 8, 1965 (tornado, Boone County, 4 killed).
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 Boone 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 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 23 | 85 | 32 | 21 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 3 | 8 | 13 | 19 | 23 | 20 | 23 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 9 | 23 | 19 | 13 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 13 | 16 | 14 | 4 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 7 | 8 | 7 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 17 | 9 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
45% of its hail reports since 1955 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 49 · Feb 25 · Mar 25 · Apr 47 · May 76 · Jun 116 · Jul 60 · Aug 52 · Sep 28 · Oct 18 · Nov 12 · Dec 29 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Boone County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Boone County: 18 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (8) and flood (6).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-21 | DR-4868 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2024-05-03 | DR-4778 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 2022-07-27 | DR-4662 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms 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 |
| 2018-06-29 | DR-4375 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2010-07-15 | DR-1924 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2010-04-21 | DR-1902 | Flood | Severe Storms, Ice Jams, and Flooding |
| 2010-02-25 | DR-1878 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorm |
| 2008-06-20 | DR-1770 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2007-01-07 | DR-1674 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2006-01-26 | DR-1627 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3245 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuees |
| 2004-05-25 | DR-1517 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 1993-07-19 | DR-998 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1990-07-04 | DR-873 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1971-02-23 | DR-303 | Flood | Floods |
| 1967-07-18 | DR-228 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1966-08-31 | DR-221 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
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.
How many floods has Boone County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 31 flood or flash flood records for Boone County from 1998 to 2025, on 27 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Boone County ranks 2212th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $135,000 on 15 claims filed in Boone County; the most in one year was 6 in 2007. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1993: 1 · 2007: 6 · 2010: 1 · 2019: 6 · 2022: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Boone County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Boone County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $12.9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | Relatively High | $4.2M | 5.9 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $1.6M | 40 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $888K | 2.8 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $95K | 15 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $142K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1000K | 5.6 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.2M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $81K | 42 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Boone 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 Boone CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Boone County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis