Garfield County, Nebraska
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 31071 · population 1,813 · 569 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 449 records for Garfield County, Nebraska from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 315 days; the most frequent are hail reports (196 records). The most damaging was the April 11, 2023 wildfire ($1.1 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 14 declarations naming the county since 1994, 12 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
- 449on 315 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 03 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $8.6Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 15strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 14latest 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 Garfield County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 196 since 1959. 51% of its hail reports since 1959 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 | 196 | 108 | 1959-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | 59 of 93 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 73 | 58 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | 65 of 93 |
| Drought | 57 | 55 | 2012-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | 11 of 93 |
| Winter storms | 57 | 57 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $166K | 57 of 93 |
| High wind and dust storms | 19 | 19 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $37K | 77 of 93 |
| Extreme cold | 16 | 16 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 36 of 93 |
| Tornadoes | 15 | 11 | 1960-2014 | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | 79 of 93 |
| Floods | 9 | 8 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | $325K | 64 of 93 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2001-2010 | 0 | 1 | $174K | 12 of 93 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 75 of 93 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 61 of 93 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2023-2023 | 0 | 2 | $1.1M | 25 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 Garfield County had?
NOAA records 15 tornadoes in Garfield County from 1960 to 2014, the strongest rated EF2, 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 17 tornadoes whose track touched Garfield County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 15: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Nebraska.
Every tornado record filed for Garfield County (15)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-06-16 | Burwell, Garfield County | EF0 0.2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2014-06-16 | Burwell, Garfield County | EF2 0.3 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2014-06-16 | Burwell, Garfield County | EF2 1.56 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 0 | $125K |
| 2014-06-16 | Burwell, Garfield County | EF2 5.19 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $125K |
| 2014-06-16 | Burwell, Garfield County | EF1 2.4 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 2004-07-12 | Burwell, Garfield County | F0 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2004-05-21 | Burwell, Garfield County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-07-17 | Burwell, Garfield County | F0 1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-09-12 | Garfield County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1991-05-30 | Garfield County | F0 0.1 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-06-21 | Garfield County | F1 8 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1981-08-04 | Garfield County | F2 0.2 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1975-07-19 | Garfield County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1962-05-18 | Garfield County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1960-05-18 | Garfield County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Garfield County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 13, 2026 hail ($50,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-13 | HailBurwell, Garfield County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-13 | HailBurwell, Garfield County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2026-06-09 | Thunderstorm WindBurwell, Garfield County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-09 | Thunderstorm WindBurwell, Garfield County | 62 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtGarfield County · forecast zone Garfield | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtGarfield County · forecast zone Garfield | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtGarfield County · forecast zone Garfield | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtGarfield County · forecast zone Garfield | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-18 | High WindGarfield County · forecast zone Garfield | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-18 | HailBurwell, Garfield County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-19 | HailBurwell, Garfield County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindBurwell, Garfield County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-11 | WildfireGarfield County · forecast zone Garfield Fire started approximately 15 miles north of Burwell during the morning of April 11th. Named the Lowry Fire and aided by strong southerly winds, low relative humidity, and hot temperatures, the fire traveled north approximately 6 miles to the north northeast consuming approximately 6000 acres. Along with two injuries, ... | 0 | 2 | $1.1M | |
| 2001-08-12 | LightningBurwell, Garfield County A 52 year old man was struck by lightning as he was heading into his camper at a campground near Calamus Reservoir. He was knocked unconscious temporarily and then taken to the hospital. He was kept in the hospital overnight and was treated for minor burns to his feet and back. Another man was knocked to the ground ... | 0 | 1 | $8K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-11 | WildfireGarfield County · forecast zone Garfield | 0 | 2 | $1.1M | |
| 2025-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindBurwell, Garfield County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 1997-08-21 | HailBurwell, Garfield County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $463K |
| 2014-06-16 | TornadoBurwell, Garfield County | EF2 5.19 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $125K |
| 2002-08-11 | Thunderstorm WindBurwell, Garfield County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $82K |
| 2026-06-13 | HailBurwell, Garfield County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2014-08-17 | Thunderstorm WindBurwell, Garfield County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $44K |
| 2001-07-17 | HailBurwell, Garfield County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $33K |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: August 4, 1981 (tornado, Garfield County); June 21, 1986 (tornado, Garfield 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 Garfield 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 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 23 | 76 | 51 | 27 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 2 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 6 | 15 | 18 | 14 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 21 | 36 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 13 | 20 | 17 | 7 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 2 | 9 | 3 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
51% of its hail reports since 1959 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 27 · Feb 24 · Mar 18 · Apr 24 · May 57 · Jun 95 · Jul 74 · Aug 60 · Sep 18 · Oct 15 · Nov 14 · Dec 23 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Garfield County
FEMA's register lists 14 declarations that include Garfield County: 12 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (8) and biological (2).
| 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 |
| 2018-06-29 | DR-4375 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2017-06-26 | DR-4321 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2010-07-15 | DR-1924 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms 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 |
| 2007-06-06 | DR-1706 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 1994-05-09 | DR-1027 | Snowstorm | Severe Snow and Ice Storm |
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 Garfield County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Garfield County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $1.4 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.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Low | $73K | 31 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $162K | 5.8 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $35K | 15 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $146K | 2 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $46K | once in about 940 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $20K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $191K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Very Low | $56K | 41 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 Garfield 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 Garfield CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Garfield County's FEMA declarations (CSV)14 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis