Hayes County, Nebraska
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 31085 · population 856 · 713 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 515 records for Hayes County, Nebraska from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 358 days; the most frequent are hail reports (232 records). The most damaging was the August 1, 1993 hail ($11.2 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1967, 17 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on August 20, 2024.
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
- 515on 358 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 00 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $30Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 19strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 19latest 2024
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 Hayes County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 232 since 1957. 55% of its hail reports since 1957 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 | 232 | 142 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 0 | $18M | 51 of 93 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 68 | 53 | 1960-2026 | 0 | 0 | $840K | 74 of 93 |
| Drought | 66 | 65 | 2012-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.2M | 19 of 93 |
| High wind and dust storms | 43 | 42 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $129K | 33 of 93 |
| Winter storms | 43 | 43 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 80 of 93 |
| Floods | 28 | 20 | 1997-2023 | 0 | 0 | $5.3M | 40 of 93 |
| Tornadoes | 19 | 15 | 1960-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | 76 of 93 |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 6 | 2011-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 85 of 93 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 5 | 5 | 2008-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 23 of 93 |
| Heavy rain | 4 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 66 of 93 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 68 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 Hayes County had?
NOAA records 19 tornadoes in Hayes County from 1960 to 2025, 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 20 tornadoes whose track touched Hayes County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 19: 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.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967-06-06 19:00, as SPC files it | Hamlet | F3 | 40.1 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Nebraska.
Every tornado record filed for Hayes County (19)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-18 | Hayes Center, Hayes County | EF2 17.56 mi x 1,000 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.5M |
| 2024-05-23 | Hayes Center, Hayes County | EFU 0.01 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-08-29 | Hayes Center, Hayes County | EF0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-08-29 | Hayes Center, Hayes County | EF1 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-08-29 | Hayes Center, Hayes County | EF0 1.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-06-04 | Hamlet, Hayes County | EF0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-03-24 | Hayes Center, Hayes County | EF0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-24 | Hayes Center, Hayes County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-10-31 | Hamlet, Hayes County | F1 9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $274K |
| 1998-06-09 | Hayes Center, Hayes County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-06-09 | Hayes Center, Hayes County | F0 2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-05-02 | Hayes County | F0 0.1 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-08-24 | Hayes County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-06-28 | Hayes County | F0 0.1 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1980-10-15 | Hayes County | F1 0.1 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1977-09-29 | Hayes County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1977-09-29 | Hayes County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1977-05-18 | Hayes County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1960-07-28 | Hayes County | F1 | 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 Hayes County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 18, 2025 tornado ($1.5 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
Tornado touched down in pastureland destroying a windmill and numerous trees. The tornado then tracked to the north northeast over the next 34 minutes destroying outbuildings at a farmstead and feed lot and overturning several center pivot irrigation systems. Numerous power poles were also snapped by the tornado before dissipating south of Dickens Nebraska.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1259853)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-08 | Thunderstorm WindHayes Center, Hayes County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-08 | Thunderstorm WindHamlet, Hayes County | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtHayes County · forecast zone Hayes | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-30 | HailHayes Center, Hayes County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtHayes County · forecast zone Hayes | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtHayes County · forecast zone Hayes | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | High WindHayes County · forecast zone Hayes | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtHayes County · forecast zone Hayes | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | DroughtHayes County · forecast zone Hayes | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindHayes County · forecast zone Hayes | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-01 | DroughtHayes County · forecast zone Hayes | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-19 | HailHayes Center, Hayes County | 1.00 in hail | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-08-01 | HailHayes County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $11M |
| 1999-08-28 | Flash FloodCountywide, Hayes County | 0 | 0 | $3.5M | |
| 1997-08-28 | HailHayes Center, Hayes County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | $2.8M |
| 2025-05-18 | TornadoHayes Center, Hayes County | EF2 17.56 mi x 1,000 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.5M |
| 2008-06-04 | HailHayes Center, Hayes County | 4.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 1998-05-21 | HailHayes Center, Hayes County | 4.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $543K |
| 1997-08-28 | HailHayes Center, Hayes County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $461K |
| 1997-06-25 | HailHayes Center, Hayes County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $460K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: July 28, 1960 (tornado, Hayes County); October 15, 1980 (tornado, Hayes 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 Hayes 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 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 45 | 74 | 73 | 24 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 30 | 11 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 26 | 40 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 10 | 19 | 11 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 20 | 9 | 4 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 8 | 13 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
55% of its hail reports since 1957 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 21 · Feb 20 · Mar 28 · Apr 32 · May 96 · Jun 116 · Jul 62 · Aug 55 · Sep 29 · Oct 24 · Nov 14 · Dec 18 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Hayes County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Hayes County: 17 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (10) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-08-20 | DR-4808 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2015-06-25 | DR-4225 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2010-04-21 | DR-1902 | Flood | Severe Storms, Ice Jams, and Flooding |
| 2008-06-20 | DR-1770 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2007-07-24 | DR-1714 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2001-05-16 | DR-1373 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 1984-07-03 | DR-716 | Tornado | Tornadoes & 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 Hayes County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Hayes County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $1.7 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 Low | $536K | 8 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $259K | 91 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $334K | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $13K | once in about 2,030 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $15K | once in about 8 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | $13K | 14 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $128K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | $43K | 4 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 Hayes 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 Hayes CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Hayes County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis