Keya Paha County, Nebraska
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 31103 · population 757 · 773 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 412 records for Keya Paha County, Nebraska from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 319 days; the most frequent are hail reports (181 records). The most damaging was the August 5, 2021 thunderstorm wind ($3.3 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 13 declarations naming the county since 1967, 11 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding” on March 21, 2019.
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
- 412on 319 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 04 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $11Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 11strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 13latest 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 Keya Paha County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 181 since 1962. 61% of its hail reports since 1962 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 | 181 | 125 | 1962-2025 | 0 | 0 | $676K | 79 of 93 |
| Winter storms | 65 | 65 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 0 | $24K | 67 of 93 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 50 | 41 | 1974-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.8M | 85 of 93 |
| Drought | 43 | 43 | 1999-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | 45 of 93 |
| High wind and dust storms | 27 | 27 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $37K | 75 of 93 |
| Extreme cold | 22 | 22 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 35 of 93 |
| Tornadoes | 11 | 10 | 1956-2010 | 0 | 1 | $652K | 87 of 93 |
| Floods | 8 | 8 | 1997-2019 | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | 76 of 93 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 2011-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 43 of 93 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 69 of 93 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 3 | $1.3M | 34 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 Keya Paha County had?
NOAA records 11 tornadoes in Keya Paha County from 1956 to 2010, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury 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 14 tornadoes whose track touched Keya Paha County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 11: 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 Keya Paha County (11)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-05-22 | Norden, Keya Paha County | EF2 9.01 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $162K |
| 2007-05-05 | Springview, Keya Paha County | EF1 16.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $142K |
| 2003-06-24 | Mills, Keya Paha County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $72K |
| 2003-06-09 | Mills, Keya Paha County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1985-07-17 | Keya Paha County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1978-05-28 | Keya Paha County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1966-06-24 | Keya Paha County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1963-06-08 | Keya Paha County | F1 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1963-06-08 | Keya Paha County | F2 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1956-11-02 | Keya Paha County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1956-06-05 | Keya Paha County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $250 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 Keya Paha County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 17, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-28 | Thunderstorm WindMills, Keya Paha County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindMills, Keya Paha County | 69 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-09 | Thunderstorm WindMills, Keya Paha County | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtKeya Paha County · forecast zone Keya Paha | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindBurton, Keya Paha County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindNorden, Keya Paha County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindBurton, Keya Paha County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtKeya Paha County · forecast zone Keya Paha | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtKeya Paha County · forecast zone Keya Paha | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtKeya Paha County · forecast zone Keya Paha | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindKeya Paha County · forecast zone Keya Paha | 58 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-09 | High WindKeya Paha County · forecast zone Keya Paha | 50 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-07-20 | WildfireKeya Paha County · forecast zone Keya Paha Lightning ignited a wildfire in northwest Brown County north of Johnstown, along the Fairfield Creek, a tributary of the Niobrara River. The fire's initial 7 mile wide reach was fanned by strong winds to spread the fire north and jumped the Niobrara River into southwest Keya Paha County. The wildfire was named the ... | 0 | 3 | $1.3M | |
| 2007-05-05 | TornadoSpringview, Keya Paha County The cyclic supercell produced a tornado just as it entered southern Keya Paha County approximately 7 miles south southeast of Springview. The tornado tracked north northeastward for around 17 miles before lifting 5 miles north northeast of Burton. Along the path, the tornado took part of a roof off two homes, snapped ... | EF1 16.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $142K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-08-05 | Thunderstorm WindSpringview, Keya Paha County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3.3M |
| 1997-02-19 | FloodKeya Paha County · forecast zone Keya Paha | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 1997-08-22 | HailSpringview, Keya Paha County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $189K |
| 1999-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindSpringview, Keya Paha County | 0 | 0 | $177K | |
| 2010-05-22 | TornadoNorden, Keya Paha County | EF2 9.01 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $162K |
| 2007-05-05 | TornadoSpringview, Keya Paha County | EF1 16.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $142K |
| 2003-06-24 | TornadoMills, Keya Paha County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $72K |
| 2007-08-03 | HailSpringview, Keya Paha County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $71K |
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: June 8, 1963 (tornado, Keya Paha 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 Keya Paha 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 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 42 | 54 | 43 | 28 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 15 | 24 | 18 | 8 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 8 | 10 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | 18 | 24 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 7 | 9 | 6 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | 12 | 7 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
61% of its hail reports since 1962 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 28 · Feb 25 · Mar 21 · Apr 21 · May 36 · Jun 82 · Jul 77 · Aug 52 · Sep 15 · Oct 10 · Nov 17 · Dec 28 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Keya Paha County
FEMA's register lists 13 declarations that include Keya Paha County: 10 major disasters, 3 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (7) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2010-07-15 | DR-1924 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2010-02-25 | DR-1878 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorm |
| 2009-07-31 | DR-1853 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2008-06-20 | DR-1770 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2007-06-06 | DR-1706 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 1977-01-18 | EM-3022 | Drought | Drought |
| 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 Keya Paha County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Keya Paha County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $1.0 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 | $82K | 37 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $358K | 6.8 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $23K | 16 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $65K | once in about 1,112 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Very Low | $82K | 4.3 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | $70K | 2 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $73K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $26 | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Keya Paha 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 Keya Paha CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Keya Paha County's FEMA declarations (CSV)13 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis