Harlan County, Nebraska
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 31083 · population 3,070 · 553 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 542 records for Harlan County, Nebraska from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 404 days; the most frequent are hail reports (191 records). The most damaging was the December 1, 2002 drought ($32.8 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 14 declarations naming the county since 1967, 12 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes” on February 23, 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
- 542on 404 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 01 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $175Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 26strongest F2
- 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 Harlan County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 191 since 1955. 67% 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 | 191 | 123 | 1955-2024 | 0 | 0 | $56M | 34 of 93 |
| Winter storms | 111 | 111 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.2M | 20 of 93 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 88 | 63 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 1 | $43M | 62 of 93 |
| Drought | 50 | 50 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | $63M | 21 of 93 |
| High wind and dust storms | 36 | 33 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 32 of 93 |
| Tornadoes | 26 | 18 | 1965-2024 | 0 | 0 | $4.2M | 63 of 93 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 14 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $160K | 44 of 93 |
| Heavy rain | 14 | 9 | 2000-2022 | 0 | 0 | $428K | 14 of 93 |
| Floods | 10 | 10 | 2008-2021 | 0 | 0 | $5.7M | 56 of 93 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 2011-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 45 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 Harlan County had?
NOAA records 26 tornadoes in Harlan County from 1965 to 2024, the strongest rated F2, 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 26 tornadoes whose track touched Harlan County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 26, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Nebraska.
Every tornado record filed for Harlan County (26)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-03 | Ragan, Harlan County | EF0 7.05 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $564K |
| 2022-04-29 | Stamford, Harlan County | EFU 1.26 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-29 | Orleans, Harlan County | EFU 0.01 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-28 | Alma, Harlan County | EFU 0.01 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-06-19 | Huntley, Harlan County | EF0 0.26 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-05-09 | Oxford, Harlan County | EF0 0.01 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-05-09 | Stamford, Harlan County | EF0 0.28 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-04-14 | Oxford, Harlan County | EF0 0.81 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $96K |
| 2011-06-20 | Stamford, Harlan County | EF1 12.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $656K |
| 2004-05-22 | Alma, Harlan County | F0 0.2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-22 | Orleans, Harlan County | F0 0.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-22 | Stamford, Harlan County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $234K |
| 1999-05-02 | Ragan, Harlan County | F0 1 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-05-08 | Alma, Harlan County | F1 0.1 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-05-30 | Harlan County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-05-30 | Harlan County | F2 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1990-06-16 | Harlan County | F1 15 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1990-06-16 | Harlan County | F0 0.7 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-04-23 | Harlan County | F1 0.3 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1989-04-23 | Harlan County | F1 0.3 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1982-05-11 | Harlan County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1982-05-11 | Harlan County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1980-08-01 | Harlan County | F2 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-05-10 | Harlan County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1970-06-11 | Harlan County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1965-05-25 | Harlan County | F1 35.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $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 Harlan County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 3, 2024 tornado ($564,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
This weak and somewhat intermittent tornado touched down near the intersection of Highway 183 and Highway 4, then moved northeast. Damage was limited to trees, pivots, and a a few power poles along its roughly seven mile track. The estimated peak wind was 85 MPH. The tornado lifted just north of the Harlan and Phelps County line between T Road and U Road.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1178140)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-17 | DroughtHarlan County · forecast zone Harlan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | High WindHarlan County · forecast zone Harlan | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-09 | Thunderstorm WindHarlan Co Res, Harlan County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-27 | DroughtHarlan County · forecast zone Harlan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-14 | Dust StormHarlan County · forecast zone Harlan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-19 | BlizzardHarlan County · forecast zone Harlan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-03-18 | High WindHarlan County · forecast zone Harlan | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-04 | High WindHarlan County · forecast zone Harlan | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-25 | High WindHarlan County · forecast zone Harlan | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-25 | High WindHarlan County · forecast zone Harlan | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-25 | High WindHarlan County · forecast zone Harlan | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-17 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillHarlan County · forecast zone Harlan | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989-07-02 | Thunderstorm WindHarlan County | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-12-01 | DroughtHarlan County · forecast zone Harlan | 0 | 0 | $33M | |
| 2000-09-01 | DroughtHarlan County · forecast zone Harlan | 0 | 0 | $17M | |
| 2014-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindAlma, Harlan County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $8.7M |
| 2000-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindStamford, Harlan County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $7.3M |
| 2005-07-01 | HailStamford, Harlan County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $7.2M |
| 1996-08-02 | Thunderstorm WindOrleans, Harlan County | 0 | 0 | $7.0M | |
| 2011-06-20 | HailStamford, Harlan County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $6.7M |
| 2012-10-01 | DroughtHarlan County · forecast zone Harlan | 0 | 0 | $6.4M |
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: May 10, 1974 (tornado, Harlan County); May 30, 1991 (tornado, Harlan 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 Harlan 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 | 12 | 9 | 24 | 56 | 65 | 22 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 15 | 30 | 40 | 26 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 15 | 24 | 25 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | 22 | 26 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 7 | 7 | 19 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
67% of its hail reports since 1955 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 31 · Feb 43 · Mar 35 · Apr 46 · May 96 · Jun 112 · Jul 42 · Aug 42 · Sep 20 · Oct 17 · Nov 17 · Dec 41 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Harlan County
FEMA's register lists 14 declarations that include Harlan County: 12 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (7) and flood (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-02-23 | DR-4641 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 2010-07-15 | DR-1924 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and 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 |
| 1997-11-01 | DR-1190 | Severe Storm | Severe Snow Storms, Rain, and Strong Winds |
| 1994-05-09 | DR-1027 | Snowstorm | Severe Snow and Ice Storm |
| 1993-07-19 | DR-998 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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.
FEMA's modeled risk for Harlan County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Harlan County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $10.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | Relatively High | $4.0M | 7.2 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively High | $2.1M | 51 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $1.8M | 4 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $139K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $71K | 13 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $704K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $19K | once in about 3,443 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Very Low | $68K | 43 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 Harlan 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 Harlan CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Harlan County's FEMA declarations (CSV)14 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis