Cedar County, Nebraska
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 31027 · population 8,361 · 740 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 608 records for Cedar County, Nebraska from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 414 days; the most frequent are hail reports (200 records). The deadliest single record is the June 23, 2003 tornado: 1 death and $5.9 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 16 declarations naming the county since 1967, 14 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds” on July 27, 2022.
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
- 608on 414 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 17 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $56Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 31strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 16latest 2022
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 Cedar County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 200 since 1956. 48% of its hail reports since 1956 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 | 200 | 126 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 0 | $6.1M | 70 of 93 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 133 | 87 | 1960-2025 | 0 | 0 | $596K | 60 of 93 |
| Winter storms | 95 | 90 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 1 | – | 48 of 93 |
| Extreme cold | 60 | 60 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 of 93 |
| Tornadoes | 31 | 25 | 1953-2022 | 1 | 6 | $47M | 60 of 93 |
| High wind and dust storms | 26 | 26 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $47K | 74 of 93 |
| Floods | 23 | 20 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | 43 of 93 |
| Drought | 20 | 20 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 66 of 93 |
| Heat | 12 | 12 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 30 of 93 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 3 | 1997-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 41 of 93 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2010-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 52 of 93 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 1996-1997 | 0 | 0 | $194K | 41 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 Cedar County had?
NOAA records 31 tornadoes in Cedar County from 1953 to 2022, the strongest rated F4, with 1 death and 6 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 32 tornadoes whose track touched Cedar County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 31: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people, 1 of them in Cedar County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-06-23 20:43, as SPC files it | Coleridge | F4 | 13 mi | 1 |
| 1959-05-30 18:00, as SPC files it | Crofton to St. Helena | F2 | 26.8 mi | 1 |
| 2014-06-17 19:09, as SPC files it | Coleridge | EF3 | 3.96 mi | 0 |
| 1975-05-06 13:15, as SPC files it | Crofton | F3 | 44.8 mi | 0 |
| 1962-05-21 18:50, as SPC files it | Hartington | F3 | 71.7 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Nebraska.
Every tornado record filed for Cedar County (31)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-05-30 | Bow Vly, Cedar County | EF1 3.02 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-05-05 | Hartington, Cedar County | EF0 0.95 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-06-29 | Menominee, Cedar County | EF1 14.4 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-06-17 | Laurel, Cedar County | EF2 5.31 mi x 850 yd | 0 | 0 | $312K |
| 2014-06-17 | Laurel, Cedar County | EF2 0.94 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $62K |
| 2014-06-17 | Laurel, Cedar County | EF1 3.39 mi x 850 yd | 0 | 0 | $31K |
| 2014-06-17 | Coleridge, Cedar County | EF0 1.29 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-06-17 | Coleridge, Cedar County | EF3 3.96 mi x 2,059 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M |
| 2014-06-17 | Hartington Municipal Airport, Cedar County | EF1 3.94 mi x 630 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2003-06-24 | Obert, Cedar County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-23 | Coleridge, Cedar County | F4 13 mi x 1,200 yd | 1 | 0 | $5.9M |
| 2003-06-09 | Hartington, Cedar County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-07-08 | Coleridge, Cedar County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-05-31 | Magnet, Cedar County | F0 0.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-04-20 | Hartington, Cedar County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-05-03 | Belden, Cedar County | F0 3.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 1999-05-03 | Hartington, Cedar County | F1 4 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $89K |
| 1998-05-28 | Coleridge, Cedar County | F2 8 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 1992-06-16 | Cedar County | F1 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1992-05-16 | Cedar County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1986-07-28 | Cedar County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1984-06-11 | Cedar County | F1 19 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1975-08-11 | Cedar County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1973-07-01 | Cedar County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1964-08-10 | Cedar County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1963-06-09 | Cedar County | F2 34.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1962-05-21 | Cedar County | F3 29 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M step |
| 1960-06-14 | Cedar County | 0 | 0 | $250K step | |
| 1959-05-30 | Cedar County | F2 17.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1959-05-26 | Cedar County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1953-06-07 | Cedar County | F2 18.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 4 | $25K 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 Cedar County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 17, 2014 flash flood ($312,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
The nearly stationary supercell over Cedar County produced very heavy rain and flash flooding. Flooding was reported over State Highway 57 south of Hartington. In addition to this flooding, numerous secondary gravel roads were flooded and impassable during the late evening on June 17th from torrential rains.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 514404)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-29 | HailBow Vly, Cedar County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-29 | HailFordyce, Cedar County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-29 | HailFordyce, Cedar County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtCedar County · forecast zone Cedar | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtCedar County · forecast zone Cedar | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtCedar County · forecast zone Cedar | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | BlizzardCedar County · forecast zone Cedar | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-06 | HailBelden, Cedar County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtCedar County · forecast zone Cedar | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-17 | DroughtCedar County · forecast zone Cedar | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillCedar County · forecast zone Cedar | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-21 | High WindCedar County · forecast zone Cedar | 52 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-06-23 | TornadoColeridge, Cedar County An eventual f4 tornado began its destructive path around 6 miles southwest of Coleridge. The tornado moved northeast and crossed the northern sections of the city uprooting trees, downing power lines and destroying a couple of grain bins. A construction business in a garage was also destroyed. The tornado then ... | F4 13 mi x 1,200 yd | 1 | 0 | $5.9M |
| 1953-06-07 | TornadoCedar County | F2 18.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 4 | $25K step |
| 2010-12-11 | BlizzardCedar County · forecast zone Cedar Blizzard conditions developed over Cedar county during the early morning hours of Dec. 11 as snowfall of 3 to 6 inches combined with northwest winds of 35 to 40 mph with gusts of 55 mph. The snow and winds caused visibilities to frequently drop below 1/4 mile and to near zero at times. The Cedar County Sheriff's Dept. ... | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1998-05-28 | TornadoColeridge, Cedar County Three farms damaged. Eight to ten power poles downed 8 -10 miles east southeast of Hartington. Injury occurred about 9 miles east of Hartington southeast of the Highway 84/57 interchange. | F2 8 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 1962-05-21 | TornadoCedar County | F3 29 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 1 | $2.5M 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-06-23 | TornadoColeridge, Cedar County | F4 13 mi x 1,200 yd | 1 | 0 | $5.9M |
| 1997-08-14 | HailHartington, Cedar County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $5.5M |
| 2014-06-17 | TornadoColeridge, Cedar County | EF3 3.96 mi x 2,059 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M |
| 1996-07-16 | FloodCedar County · forecast zone Cedar | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 1997-09-18 | HailFordyce, Cedar County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $552K |
| 2014-06-17 | TornadoLaurel, Cedar County | EF2 5.31 mi x 850 yd | 0 | 0 | $312K |
| 2014-06-17 | Flash FloodHartington, Cedar County | 0 | 0 | $312K | |
| 1999-07-21 | Flash FloodHartington, Cedar County | 0 | 0 | $266K |
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 21, 1962 (tornado, Cedar County); May 16, 1992 (tornado, Cedar 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 Cedar 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 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 27 | 86 | 46 | 18 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 29 | 33 | 22 | 27 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 12 | 33 | 31 | 19 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 12 | 20 | 22 | 6 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 2 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 12 | 3 | 4 | 7 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
48% of its hail reports since 1956 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 54 · Feb 39 · Mar 26 · Apr 40 · May 68 · Jun 130 · Jul 103 · Aug 59 · Sep 24 · Oct 6 · Nov 16 · Dec 43 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Cedar County
FEMA's register lists 16 declarations that include Cedar County: 13 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (6) and flood (5).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2018-08-27 | DR-4387 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2014-07-24 | DR-4183 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-06-18 | EM-3323 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2010-02-25 | DR-1878 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorm |
| 2007-01-07 | DR-1674 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3245 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuees |
| 2003-07-21 | DR-1480 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 1984-07-03 | DR-716 | Tornado | Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1975-05-07 | DR-467 | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes |
| 1971-07-07 | DR-308 | Flood | Floods |
| 1971-02-23 | DR-303 | Flood | Floods |
| 1967-07-18 | DR-228 | Flood | Severe 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 Cedar County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 23 flood or flash flood records for Cedar County from 1996 to 2024, on 20 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Cedar County ranks 2636th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $24,000 on 4 claims filed in Cedar County; the most in one year was 4 in 2019. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2019: 4; 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 Cedar County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Cedar County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $9.3 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 | $1.6M | 35 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.4M | 6 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $229K | once in about 738 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $100K | 16 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $103K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.2M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $490K | 3.5 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $442K | 6.7 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 Cedar 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 Cedar CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Cedar County's FEMA declarations (CSV)16 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis