McPherson County, Nebraska
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 31117 · population 399 · 859 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 427 records for McPherson County, Nebraska from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 326 days; the most frequent are hail reports (209 records). The most damaging was the March 18, 2012 tornado ($129,000 in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 10 declarations naming the county since 2001, 8 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on September 24, 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
- 427on 326 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 01 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $4.5Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 14strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 10latest 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 McPherson County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 209 since 1974. 55% of its hail reports since 1974 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 | 209 | 141 | 1974-2026 | 0 | 0 | $397K | 76 of 93 |
| Drought | 58 | 55 | 2012-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.3M | 39 of 93 |
| Winter storms | 58 | 58 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 0 | $47K | 78 of 93 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 37 | 32 | 1977-2026 | 0 | 0 | $140K | 91 of 93 |
| High wind and dust storms | 31 | 31 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 1 | $54K | 72 of 93 |
| Tornadoes | 14 | 12 | 1977-2025 | 0 | 0 | $406K | 86 of 93 |
| Extreme cold | 12 | 12 | 2008-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 76 of 93 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 2 | 2009-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 63 of 93 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 2012-2015 | 0 | 0 | $64K | 19 of 93 |
| Floods | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | $122K | 93 of 93 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 69 of 93 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | $64K | 63 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 McPherson County had?
NOAA records 14 tornadoes in McPherson County from 1977 to 2025, the strongest rated EF1, 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 15 tornadoes whose track touched McPherson County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 14: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-25 20:47, as SPC files it | Unnamed | EF3 | 40.01 mi | 0 |
| 1977-07-10 19:00, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 7.8 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Nebraska.
Every tornado record filed for McPherson County (14)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-08-03 | Tryon, McPherson County | EFU 0.01 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-06-25 | Tryon, McPherson County | EF1 14.36 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-06-17 | Tryon, McPherson County | EF1 2.13 mi x 195 yd | 0 | 0 | $71K |
| 2016-07-06 | Tryon, McPherson County | EF0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-07-06 | Tryon, McPherson County | EF0 0.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-03-18 | Ringgold, McPherson County | EF0 5.28 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $129K |
| 2005-06-06 | Tryon, McPherson County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-04 | Tryon, McPherson County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-06-04 | Tryon, McPherson County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-22 | Tryon, McPherson County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-07-08 | Tryon, McPherson County | F0 1.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $80K |
| 2001-06-09 | Tryon, McPherson County | F0 5 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 1991-06-17 | McPherson County | F0 0.1 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1977-07-10 | McPherson County | 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 McPherson County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 17, 2018 tornado ($71,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A rental house and a tree line were damaged by the tornado. The tornado continued to the northeast where it hit another homestead where windows were shattered and a door was blown in on a residence. A full irrigation pivot was also flipped at this location.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 756304)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | Thunderstorm WindTryon, McPherson County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-09 | HailTryon, McPherson County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-09 | HailTryon, McPherson County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtMcPherson County · forecast zone McPherson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtMcPherson County · forecast zone McPherson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtMcPherson County · forecast zone McPherson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | High WindMcPherson County · forecast zone McPherson | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtMcPherson County · forecast zone McPherson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindMcPherson County · forecast zone McPherson | 67 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-11-25 | High WindMcPherson County · forecast zone McPherson | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-03 | TornadoTryon, McPherson County | EFU 0.01 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-19 | HailTryon, McPherson County | 3.00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-04-19 | High WindMcPherson County · forecast zone McPherson An intense low pressure system that caused blizzard conditions in western South Dakota brought high winds to western and north central Nebraska. The winds were sustained from 40 to 45 mph with most gusts around 60 mph. An automated weather observing system near Rushville in northwest Sheridan County reported a gust to ... | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $18K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-03-18 | TornadoRinggold, McPherson County | EF0 5.28 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $129K |
| 2003-07-08 | TornadoTryon, McPherson County | F0 1.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $80K |
| 2018-06-17 | TornadoTryon, McPherson County | EF1 2.13 mi x 195 yd | 0 | 0 | $71K |
| 2006-06-15 | HailTryon, McPherson County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $22K |
| 2001-06-09 | TornadoTryon, McPherson County | F0 5 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2008-06-05 | HailRinggold, McPherson County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $685 |
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 10, 1977 (tornado, McPherson 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 McPherson 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 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 48 | 88 | 46 | 18 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 28 | 30 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 21 | 22 | 5 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 19 | 5 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 11 | 8 | 10 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
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 1974 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 19 · Feb 21 · Mar 24 · Apr 39 · May 57 · Jun 86 · Jul 79 · Aug 34 · Sep 18 · Oct 17 · Nov 14 · Dec 19 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for McPherson County
FEMA's register lists 10 declarations that include McPherson County: 8 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (7) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-24 | DR-4822 | 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 |
| 2010-07-15 | DR-1924 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2008-06-20 | DR-1770 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2007-08-29 | DR-1721 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2006-01-26 | DR-1627 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3245 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuees |
| 2003-07-21 | DR-1480 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Tornadoes |
| 2001-05-16 | DR-1373 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes |
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 McPherson County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates McPherson County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $526,000. 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 | $115K | 57 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $35K | once in about 674 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Very Low | $128K | 6.3 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | $8K | 16 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $19 | about once a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $33K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | $24K | 5.1 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | $31K | 2.1 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 McPherson 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 McPherson CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download McPherson County's FEMA declarations (CSV)10 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis