PlainHazard

Cass County, Nebraska

County storm and disaster record · FIPS 31025 · population 26,592 · 557 sq mi

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 781 records for Cass County, Nebraska from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 463 days; the most frequent are hail reports (258 records). The deadliest single record is the February 14, 2010 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Cass, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 27 declarations naming the county since 1967, 25 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
781on 463 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
Deaths recorded
421 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$45Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
Tornadoes
52strongest F4
FEMA declarations
27latest 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 Cass County most?

The most frequent records are hail reports: 258 since 1967. 49% of its hail reports since 1967 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.

Cass County: records by hazard, 1950 to June 30, 2026
HazardRecordsDaysFirst, lastKilledInjuredDamageRank in state
Hail 258 152 1967-2026 0 0 $4.5M 15 of 93
Severe thunderstorm wind 198 126 1965-2026 1 11 $1.8M 13 of 93
Winter storms 81 78 1996-2026 3 2 $5.9M 37 of 93
Floods 76 55 1996-2026 0 0 $20M 9 of 93
Tornadoes 52 32 1952-2026 0 8 $12M 16 of 93
Extreme cold 33 33 1996-2025 0 0 – 22 of 93
Heat 29 29 1999-2025 0 0 – 9 of 93
High wind and dust storms 25 25 1996-2026 0 0 $6K 59 of 93
Drought 12 12 1999-2013 0 0 – 76 of 93
Fog, smoke and funnel clouds 8 7 1996-2024 0 0 – 3 of 93
Heavy rain 7 4 2017-2021 0 0 – 31 of 93
Lightning 2 2 1996-1997 0 0 $560K 28 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 Cass County had?

NOAA records 52 tornadoes in Cass County from 1952 to 2026, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 8 injuries recorded in the county. That is 16th of 93 Nebraska counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 52 tornadoes whose track touched Cass County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 52, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.

The deadliest and strongest tornadoes that touched Cass County, whole tracks
DateTornadoRatingPathKilled
1952-08-13 19:00, as SPC files itWahoo to AshlandF426.7 mi0

Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Nebraska.

Every tornado record filed for Cass County (52)
Every tornado recorded in Cass County, newest first
DatePlaceCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-06-11 Union, Cass County EF1 2 mi x 40 yd 0 0 –
2026-06-11 Weeping Water Airport, Cass County EF0 0.34 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2026-06-11 Weeping Water, Cass County EF1 1.97 mi x 40 yd 0 0 –
2026-05-22 Murray, Cass County EF0 0.12 mi x 5 yd 0 0 –
2026-05-17 Ashland, Cass County EF1 0.83 mi x 100 yd 0 0 –
2025-04-17 Manley, Cass County EF0 2.23 mi x 75 yd 0 0 –
2025-04-17 Alvo, Cass County EFU 1.31 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
2025-04-17 Alvo, Cass County EF0 0.84 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
2022-06-14 Murdock, Cass County EF1 2.16 mi x 150 yd 0 0 –
2021-12-15 Avoca, Cass County EF2 3.3 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2021-12-15 Murray, Cass County EF2 2.6 mi x 200 yd 0 0 –
2021-12-15 Nehawka, Cass County EF2 3.59 mi x 150 yd 0 0 –
2018-06-11 Plattsmouth Municipal Arp, Cass County EF0 0.26 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2018-06-11 Cole Airport, Cass County EF0 0.26 mi x 75 yd 0 0 –
2018-06-11 Louisville, Cass County EF0 0.1 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
2016-05-09 Nehawka, Cass County EF2 3.27 mi x 100 yd 0 0 –
2013-10-03 Elmwood, Cass County EF0 4.46 mi x 100 yd 0 0 –
2012-04-14 South Bend, Cass County EF1 0.7 mi x 50 yd 0 0 –
2010-06-01 Cedar Creek, Cass County EF1 0.55 mi x 200 yd 0 0 $5K
2009-03-23 Alvo, Cass County EF1 10.65 mi x 880 yd 0 0 $1.4M
2009-03-23 Eagle, Cass County EF1 3.99 mi x 50 yd 0 3 –
2009-03-23 Eagle, Cass County EF1 1.88 mi x 50 yd 0 5 –
2008-06-11 Louisville, Cass County EF1 5.36 mi x 80 yd 0 0 –
2008-06-11 Greenwood, Cass County EF0 0.22 mi x 40 yd 0 0 –
2004-06-13 Elmwood, Cass County F0 1 mi x 200 yd 0 0 –
2004-06-13 Alvo, Cass County F0 0.2 mi x 150 yd 0 0 –
2004-06-13 Alvo, Cass County F0 1 mi x 150 yd 0 0 –
2004-05-22 Murray, Cass County F1 1 mi x 150 yd 0 0 –
2004-05-22 Nehawka, Cass County F1 4 mi x 250 yd 0 0 –
2004-05-22 Murdock, Cass County F1 1.5 mi x 150 yd 0 0 –
2003-11-17 Weeping Water, Cass County F0 0.1 mi x 40 yd 0 0 –
2003-05-04 Plattsmouth, Cass County F0 0.3 mi x 100 yd 0 0 –
2000-06-13 Greenwood, Cass County F0 0.1 mi x 40 yd 0 0 –
1999-05-16 Plattsmouth, Cass County F0 1 mi x 60 yd 0 0 $9K
1999-04-21 Alvo, Cass County F0 0 0 –
1996-06-23 Louisville, Cass County F0 0.2 mi x 5 yd 0 0 –
1995-05-08 Alvo, Cass County F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1995-05-08 Weeping Water, Cass County F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1995-05-08 1 N Alvo, Cass County F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1995-05-08 Weeping Water, Cass County F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1995-05-08 Murray, Cass County F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1992-09-05 Cass County F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd 0 0 –
1985-04-19 Cass County F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd 0 0 –
1984-06-12 Cass County F2 0.5 mi x 50 yd 0 0 $3K step
1984-06-12 Cass County F2 11 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $2.5M step
1983-05-01 Cass County F1 2 mi x 40 yd 0 0 $250K step
1975-05-22 Cass County F0 0.2 mi x 17 yd 0 0 –
1965-05-08 Cass County F1 0 0 –
1958-09-05 Cass County 0 0 $3K step
1958-08-05 Cass County F1 0 0 $25K step
1956-07-28 Cass County F1 1 mi x 100 yd 0 0 $3K step
1952-08-13 Cass County F4 7.3 mi x 33 yd 0 0 $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 Cass County?

The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 14, 2022 thunderstorm wind (1 injury).

Emergency manager reported campers flipped over at a campground.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1036974)
The 12 most recent records kept for Cass County
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2026-06-11 Thunderstorm WindUnion, Cass County 70 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-11 Thunderstorm WindPlattsmouth, Cass County 50 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-11 Thunderstorm WindPlattsmouth, Cass County 56 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-11 Thunderstorm WindMurray, Cass County 70 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-11 Thunderstorm WindLouisville, Cass County 50 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-11 Thunderstorm WindMurdock, Cass County 57 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-11 HailUnion, Cass County 1.00 in hail 0 0 –
2026-06-11 Thunderstorm WindGreenwood, Cass County 70 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-11 Thunderstorm WindAlvo, Cass County 67 kt wind 0 0 –
2026-06-11 TornadoUnion, Cass County EF1 2 mi x 40 yd 0 0 –
2026-06-11 TornadoWeeping Water Airport, Cass County EF0 0.34 mi x 20 yd 0 0 –
2026-06-11 TornadoWeeping Water, Cass County EF1 1.97 mi x 40 yd 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

Records with deaths or injuries in Cass County, most deaths first
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2010-02-14 Winter WeatherCass County · forecast zone Cass Snow, mostly light, combined with northwest winds which increased to 25 to 35 mph. The strong winds and snow caused widespread blowing and drifting snow and poor visibilities beginning on 2/14. The visibilities occasionally dropped to near zero for an hour or two late in the morning of the 14th. The poor visibility ... 2 0 –
1994-07-04 Thunderstorm WindLouisville State Park, Cass County Strong winds blew down a 100 foot tall cottonwood tree. The two to three feet diameter upper limbs hit a tent that two people were camping in. A 58 year old male was killed and a 31 year old female was injured. (M58O) 1 1 –
2006-12-31 Winter WeatherCass County · forecast zone Cass A period of moderate to heavy snow caused poor visiblities and slick roads that resulted in a vehicle crash which killed a 2-year-old boy south of Plattsmouth on Highway 75. Snowfall totals in the area were in the 2 to 4 inch range. 1 0 –
2009-03-23 TornadoEagle, Cass County This is the third and longest tracked of 5 cyclic tornadoes that a low-topped supercell thunderstorm produced at it tracked southeast through east of the Lincoln area. This tornado touched down around 2.5 miles west of Bennet, in Lancaster county, tracked northeast clipping the far northwest corner of Otoe county and ... EF1 1.88 mi x 50 yd 0 5 –
1985-07-18 Thunderstorm WindCass County 0 5 –
2017-06-16 Thunderstorm WindPlattsmouth, Cass County Substantial wind damage was reported in Plattsmouth. Trees down on most roads. Power lines were blown down, with no power between Louisville, Plattsmouth, and Weeping Water. Maintenance building was destroyed. Several farmsteads on Highway 66 had buildings destroyed. There were 3 people injured in Plattsmouth. 70 kt wind 0 3 –
2009-03-23 TornadoEagle, Cass County This is the fourth of 5 cyclic tornadoes that a low-topped supercell thunderstorm produced at it tracked southeast through east of the Lincoln area. This tornado touched down on the southwest side of Eagle and caused tree and some building damage along its path before lifting around 1 mile south of Alvo. Three people ... EF1 3.99 mi x 50 yd 0 3 –
2011-01-09 Winter WeatherCass County · forecast zone Cass A prolonged period of light to moderate snow fell over the county with snow totals based on reports from surrounding counties likely between 8 and 10 inches. The snow fell over a 36+ hour period and caused several accidents which resulted in injuries. Winds during much of the snow were relatively light, but they did ... 0 2 –
The costliest records in Cass County since 1993, damage in 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2019-03-13 FloodOreapolis, Cass County 0 0 $17M
1997-10-25 Heavy SnowCass County · forecast zone Cass 0 0 $5.9M
1996-07-28 HailPlattsmouth, Cass County 1.50 in hail 0 0 $2.4M
1995-07-24 HailPlattsmouth, Cass County 1.75 in hail 0 0 $2.1M
2009-03-23 TornadoAlvo, Cass County EF1 10.65 mi x 880 yd 0 0 $1.4M
1994-07-04 Thunderstorm WindLouisville, Cass County 0 0 $995K
2010-03-17 FloodPlattsmouth, Cass County 0 0 $846K
2006-08-10 Thunderstorm WindGreenwood, Cass County 85 kt wind 0 0 $732K

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: June 12, 1984 (tornado, Cass 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 Cass 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).

Cass County: records per decade (the 2020s to June 30, 2026)
Hazard1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020-26
Hail01101227937540
Severe thunderstorm wind0372219473664
Winter storms––––10293012
Floods––––1319359
Tornadoes4114914712
Extreme cold––––91194

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).

What time of year?

49% of its hail reports since 1967 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.

The values, month by month

Jan 43 · Feb 39 · Mar 51 · Apr 97 · May 109 · Jun 200 · Jul 95 · Aug 51 · Sep 36 · Oct 17 · Nov 10 · Dec 33 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.

Federal disaster declarations for Cass County

FEMA's register lists 27 declarations that include Cass County: 23 major disasters, 3 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for severe storm (13) and flood (8).

Declarations including Cass County, newest first
DeclaredNumberTypeTitle
2025-05-21DR-4868Winter StormSevere Winter Storm and Straight-Line Winds
2024-10-21DR-4838Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding
2023-04-09FM-5462FireWaconda-Beaver Lake Fire Complex
2022-02-23DR-4641Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes
2021-09-06DR-4616Severe StormSevere Storms and Straight-Line Winds
2020-04-04DR-4521BiologicalCovid-19 Pandemic
2020-03-13EM-3483BiologicalCovid-19
2019-03-21DR-4420FloodSevere Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
2017-08-01DR-4325Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds
2015-06-25DR-4225Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
2014-07-28DR-4185Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding
2011-08-12DR-4013FloodFlooding
2011-06-18EM-3323FloodFlooding
2010-10-21DR-1945Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, Tornado, and Straight-Lin
2010-07-15DR-1924Severe StormSevere Storms and Flooding
2010-04-21DR-1902FloodSevere Storms, Ice Jams, and Flooding
2010-02-25DR-1878Severe StormSevere Winter Storms and Snowstorm
2008-06-20DR-1770Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
2007-06-06DR-1706Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes
2005-09-13EM-3245HurricaneHurricane Katrina Evacuees
2004-05-25DR-1517Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding
1997-11-01DR-1190Severe StormSevere Snow Storms, Rain, and Strong Winds
1993-07-19DR-998FloodSevere Storms and Flooding
1984-07-03DR-716TornadoTornadoes & Flooding
1978-03-24DR-552FloodStorms, Ice Jams, Snowmelt & Flooding
1973-10-20DR-406FloodSevere Storms & Flooding
1967-07-18DR-228FloodSevere Storms & 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 Cass County had?

NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 76 flood or flash flood records for Cass County from 1996 to 2026, on 55 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Cass County ranks 589th of 2,942 U.S. counties.

The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $8.6 million on 410 claims filed in Cass County; the most in one year was 119 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.

The values, year by year

1978: 1 · 1979: 1 · 1982: 2 · 1984: 32 · 1987: 6 · 1988: 1 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 14 · 1991: 1 · 1993: 88 · 1994: 1 · 1996: 2 · 1999: 3 · 2002: 2 · 2004: 2 · 2008: 9 · 2010: 27 · 2011: 119 · 2012: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2019: 84 · 2022: 1 · 2024: 7; 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 Cass County

FEMA's National Risk Index rates Cass County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $15.4 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.

National Risk Index ratings for Cass County (December 2025 release), by FEMA's rating, then score
HazardRisk ratingExpected annual lossModeled frequency
HailRelatively Moderate$1.8M7.2 a year (modeled)
DroughtRelatively Moderate$754K13 modeled event-days a year
Ice StormRelatively Moderate$284Kabout once a year (modeled)
WildfireRelatively Low$367Konce in about 939 years (modeled)
LandslideRelatively Low$10Konce in about 8 years (modeled)
TornadoRelatively Low$3.0Monce in about 2 years (modeled)
Heat WaveRelatively Low$667K8.4 modeled event-days a year
Strong WindRelatively Low$831K4.3 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 Cass County

  1. Lancaster County 1,227
  2. Saunders County 967
  3. Otoe County 848
  4. Cass County 781
  5. Sarpy County 743
  6. Fremont County, IA 536
  7. Mills County, IA 516

Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.

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