Pawnee County, Nebraska
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 31133 · population 2,535 · 431 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 349 records for Pawnee County, Nebraska from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 279 days; the most frequent are hail reports (107 records). The most damaging was the October 22, 1996 winter storm ($1.3 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1967, 18 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
- 349on 279 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 01 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $5.2Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 22strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 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 Pawnee County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 107 since 1957. 50% 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 | 107 | 82 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 57 of 93 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 66 | 56 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 0 | $359K | 51 of 93 |
| Winter storms | 56 | 54 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | 42 of 93 |
| Heat | 26 | 26 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 93 |
| Extreme cold | 25 | 25 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 23 of 93 |
| Tornadoes | 22 | 19 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 1 | $3.1M | 33 of 93 |
| High wind and dust storms | 15 | 15 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 76 of 93 |
| Drought | 12 | 12 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 65 of 93 |
| Floods | 12 | 11 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | $138K | 45 of 93 |
| Heavy rain | 4 | 3 | 2008-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 34 of 93 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 1998-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 24 of 93 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 1996-1996 | 0 | 0 | $75K | 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 Pawnee County had?
NOAA records 22 tornadoes in Pawnee County from 1956 to 2026, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 33rd of 93 Nebraska counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 22 tornadoes whose track touched Pawnee County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 22, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Nebraska.
Every tornado record filed for Pawnee County (22)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-18 | Bookwater, Pawnee County | EFU 0.64 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-19 | Du Bois, Pawnee County | EFU 1.45 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-05-12 | Pawnee City, Pawnee County | EF1 3.05 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-12-15 | Pawnee City, Pawnee County | EF1 0.8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-12-15 | Du Bois, Pawnee County | EF0 2.18 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-12-15 | Bookwater, Pawnee County | EF1 0.18 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-06-11 | Steinauer, Pawnee County | EF0 0.02 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-08-08 | Table Rock, Pawnee County | EF1 0.17 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-29 | Burchard, Pawnee County | F0 0.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-06-20 | Burchard, Pawnee County | F0 0.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-07-29 | Pawnee County | F0 0.1 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1992-07-29 | Pawnee County | F0 0.1 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1984-06-07 | Pawnee County | F1 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1978-09-13 | Pawnee County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1975-12-13 | Pawnee County | F2 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-05-13 | Pawnee County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1971-05-30 | Pawnee County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1970-06-15 | Pawnee County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1968-04-16 | Pawnee County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1958-07-03 | Pawnee County | F2 11.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1957-06-15 | Pawnee County | F1 6.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1956-09-03 | Pawnee County | F1 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Pawnee County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the December 10, 2007 ice storm ($285,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Freezing rain accumulated between 1/2 and 1 inch across the county causing fairly widespread moderate to major tree damage. Power lines and other damage was also noted with many power outages reported, some lasting a few days.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 62372)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-18 | TornadoBookwater, Pawnee County | EFU 0.64 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | HailTable Rock, Pawnee County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | HailMayberry, Pawnee County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindMayberry, Pawnee County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindBernadt Airport, Pawnee County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-17 | Thunderstorm WindMayberry, Pawnee County | 62 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-25 | HailTable Rock, Pawnee County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-23 | HailMayberry, Pawnee County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-28 | Excessive HeatPawnee County · forecast zone Pawnee | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-01 | DroughtPawnee County · forecast zone Pawnee | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-26 | HailDu Bois, Pawnee County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-20 | Excessive HeatPawnee County · forecast zone Pawnee | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958-07-03 | TornadoPawnee County | F2 11.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K 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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-10-22 | Winter StormPawnee County · forecast zone Pawnee | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | |
| 2007-12-10 | Ice StormPawnee County · forecast zone Pawnee | 0 | 0 | $285K | |
| 1998-05-15 | Thunderstorm WindTable Rock, Pawnee County | 0 | 0 | $272K |
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: July 3, 1958 (tornado, Pawnee 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 Pawnee 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 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 40 | 17 | 27 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 7 | 22 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 21 | 17 | 8 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 1 | 4 | 14 | 7 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 9 | 8 | 4 | 4 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
50% of its hail reports since 1957 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 34 · Feb 22 · Mar 11 · Apr 34 · May 54 · Jun 56 · Jul 50 · Aug 29 · Sep 12 · Oct 11 · Nov 7 · Dec 29 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Pawnee County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Pawnee County: 18 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (10) and flood (6).
| 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 |
| 2015-06-25 | DR-4225 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2014-07-28 | DR-4185 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2010-10-21 | DR-1945 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornado, and Straight-Lin |
| 2010-04-21 | DR-1902 | Flood | Severe Storms, Ice Jams, and Flooding |
| 2010-02-25 | DR-1878 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorm |
| 2009-12-16 | DR-1864 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2009-07-31 | DR-1853 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2008-05-30 | DR-1765 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2008-01-11 | DR-1739 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2007-06-06 | DR-1706 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2005-09-13 | EM-3245 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuees |
| 2004-05-25 | DR-1517 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 1993-07-19 | DR-998 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1992-08-19 | DR-954 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-10-20 | DR-406 | Flood | Severe Storms & 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 Pawnee County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Pawnee County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $2.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $326K | once in about 400 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $166K | 8.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $234K | 7.7 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $38K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $26K | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $405K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $489 | once in about 10 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $102K | 8.3 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Pawnee 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 Pawnee CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Pawnee County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis