Chase County, Nebraska
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 31029 · population 3,884 · 894 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 756 records for Chase County, Nebraska from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 482 days; the most frequent are hail reports (349 records). The most damaging was the July 1, 2012 drought ($13.5 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 12 declarations naming the county since 1990, 10 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight Line Winds, and Flooding” on August 12, 2011.
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
- 756on 482 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 06 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $103Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 31strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 12latest 2020
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 Chase County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 349 since 1955. 53% of its hail reports since 1955 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 | 349 | 202 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 0 | $26M | 31 of 93 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 183 | 137 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.0M | 40 of 93 |
| High wind and dust storms | 61 | 59 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $171K | 26 of 93 |
| Drought | 56 | 56 | 2012-2026 | 0 | 0 | $14M | 41 of 93 |
| Winter storms | 48 | 48 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 1 | $104K | 81 of 93 |
| Tornadoes | 31 | 22 | 1951-2019 | 0 | 3 | $58M | 73 of 93 |
| Floods | 13 | 12 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 68 of 93 |
| Extreme cold | 7 | 7 | 2011-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 87 of 93 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 2009-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 58 of 93 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2002-2011 | 0 | 2 | $131K | 48 of 93 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2010-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 66 of 93 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 70 of 93 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2019-2019 | 0 | 0 | $52K | 36 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 Chase County had?
NOAA records 31 tornadoes in Chase County from 1951 to 2019, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 3 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 Chase County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 31, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Nebraska.
Every tornado record filed for Chase County (31)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-05-27 | Imperial Airport, Chase County | EF0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 2019-05-27 | Imperial, Chase County | EF0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 2019-05-27 | Imperial, Chase County | EF1 5.51 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $231K |
| 2019-05-27 | Lamar, Chase County | EF0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-08-07 | Champion, Chase County | EF0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-24 | Enders Res, Chase County | EF0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $61K |
| 2010-06-06 | Imperial Airport, Chase County | EF0 2.02 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-06-04 | Champion, Chase County | EF1 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $55K |
| 2008-06-04 | Wauneta, Chase County | EF0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-06-04 | Champion, Chase County | EF1 0.86 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $151K |
| 2008-06-04 | Champion, Chase County | EF0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 2008-05-22 | Wauneta, Chase County | EF0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-04-23 | Enders, Chase County | EF0 0.25 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-04-23 | Enders, Chase County | EF0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-03-28 | Lamar, Chase County | EF1 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2007-03-28 | Imperial, Chase County | EF0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-08-24 | Enders, Chase County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 1997-08-21 | Enders Res, Chase County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-06-01 | Chase County | F1 4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1991-05-16 | Chase County | F0 1.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-06-01 | Chase County | F2 15 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25M step |
| 1984-06-11 | Chase County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-06-11 | Chase County | F2 2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1983-06-12 | Chase County | F0 0.1 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1978-05-26 | Chase County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1968-05-06 | Chase County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1967-06-14 | Chase County | F2 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1962-05-18 | Chase County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1960-06-20 | Chase County | F2 1 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 3 | $25K step |
| 1958-07-18 | Chase County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1951-05-30 | Chase County | F1 2 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 Chase County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 24, 2025 flash flood ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-24 | HailWauneta, Chase County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-24 | HailImperial Airport, Chase County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-21 | HailImperial, Chase County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-21 | HailEnders, Chase County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-21 | HailImperial, Chase County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-08 | Thunderstorm WindImperial Airport, Chase County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-08 | Thunderstorm WindEnders Res, Chase County | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtChase County · forecast zone Chase | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-30 | HailLamar, Chase County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtChase County · forecast zone Chase | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtChase County · forecast zone Chase | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | High WindChase County · forecast zone Chase | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960-06-20 | TornadoChase County | F2 1 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 3 | $25K step |
| 2002-08-08 | LightningWauneta, Chase County Lightning struck two teenage boys as they corralled cattle. One boy was struck and then the lightning bolt branched off striking the other boy. Both were knocked unconscious. The first boy that was struck was treated for 2nd degree burns on his legs, chest, and bottoms of feet and 3rd degree burns on his arms. The ... | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1997-12-25 | Winter StormChase County · forecast zone Chase Icy roads and strong winds caused several accidents in which vehicles slipped on patches of ice and went into the ditch and rolled. | 0 | 1 | $48K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-07-01 | DroughtChase County · forecast zone Chase | 0 | 0 | $13M | |
| 1999-08-17 | HailImperial, Chase County | 4.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $8.9M |
| 1997-08-21 | HailImperial, Chase County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $4.6M |
| 2024-07-19 | HailLamar, Chase County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.9M |
| 1999-06-28 | HailImperial, Chase County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $974K |
| 2008-06-04 | HailChampion, Chase County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $891K |
| 2007-06-11 | Flash FloodChampion, Chase County | 0 | 0 | $761K | |
| 1996-05-22 | HailChampion, Chase County | 4.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $753K |
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: June 1, 1990 (tornado, Chase 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 Chase 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 | 4 | 10 | 15 | 8 | 73 | 106 | 90 | 43 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 5 | 15 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 37 | 53 | 46 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 17 | 21 | 19 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 25 | 31 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 11 | 21 | 11 | 5 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 7 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
53% of its hail reports since 1955 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 21 · Feb 20 · Mar 35 · Apr 48 · May 134 · Jun 178 · Jul 150 · Aug 84 · Sep 20 · Oct 30 · Nov 17 · Dec 19 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Chase County
FEMA's register lists 12 declarations that include Chase County: 10 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (8) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4521 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3483 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011-08-12 | DR-4014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2010-07-15 | DR-1924 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2009-07-31 | DR-1853 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2008-06-20 | DR-1770 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2007-08-29 | DR-1721 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2007-01-07 | DR-1674 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3245 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuees |
| 2001-05-16 | DR-1373 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes |
| 1993-07-19 | DR-998 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1990-07-04 | DR-873 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & 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.
FEMA's modeled risk for Chase County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Chase County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.8 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 Moderate | $1.7M | 8 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $619K | 91 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $676K | 4.1 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $317K | 3.2 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $494K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $14K | once in about 2,355 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | $30K | 13 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Very Low | $103K | 44 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 Chase 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 Chase CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Chase County's FEMA declarations (CSV)12 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis