Red Willow County, Nebraska
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 31145 · population 10,698 · 717 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 845 records for Red Willow County, Nebraska from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 536 days; the most frequent are hail reports (295 records). The deadliest single record is the April 22, 2022 wildfire, filed for the forecast zone Red Willow, which covers the county: 1 death and 5 injuries. FEMA has issued 14 declarations naming the county since 1990, 12 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
- 845on 536 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 135 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $27Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 40strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 14latest 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 Red Willow County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 295 since 1958. 54% of its hail reports since 1958 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 | 295 | 153 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 3 | $14M | 43 of 93 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 240 | 169 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 5 | $2.3M | 10 of 93 |
| High wind and dust storms | 102 | 90 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $214K | 3 of 93 |
| Drought | 63 | 63 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 25 of 93 |
| Winter storms | 58 | 57 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 4 | $39K | 70 of 93 |
| Tornadoes | 40 | 31 | 1950-2024 | 0 | 0 | $9.0M | 34 of 93 |
| Floods | 18 | 16 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | $316K | 50 of 93 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 13 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 69 of 93 |
| Wildfires | 7 | 5 | 2018-2026 | 1 | 22 | $1.8M | 1 of 93 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 2003-2011 | 0 | 1 | $9K | 9 of 93 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 4 | 1996-2014 | 0 | 0 | $37K | 29 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 Red Willow County had?
NOAA records 40 tornadoes in Red Willow County from 1950 to 2024, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 0 injuries recorded in the county. That is 34th 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 40 tornadoes whose track touched Red Willow County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 40, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990-06-15 18:00, as SPC files it | Stratton to Culbertson | F4 | 28 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Nebraska.
Every tornado record filed for Red Willow County (40)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-23 | Perry, Red Willow County | EF0 0.41 mi x 28 yd | 0 | 0 | $941 |
| 2019-05-17 | Perry, Red Willow County | EFU 0.87 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-05-17 | Perry, Red Willow County | EF2 6 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-05-08 | Indianola, Red Willow County | EF0 0.35 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-05-09 | Mc Cook, Red Willow County | EF0 4.22 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-06-19 | Perry, Red Willow County | EF0 2.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-06-01 | Mc Cook, Red Willow County | EF0 0.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-06-18 | Mc Cook, Red Willow County | EF0 0.25 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-05-22 | Lebanon, Red Willow County | EF1 8 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $480K |
| 2002-08-11 | Bartley, Red Willow County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-05-26 | Bartley, Red Willow County | F0 4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-05-26 | Indianola, Red Willow County | F0 4.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-10-31 | Danbury, Red Willow County | F0 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-10-31 | Bartley, Red Willow County | F0 3 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-06-26 | Danbury, Red Willow County | F0 0.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-06-26 | Danbury, Red Willow County | F1 0.5 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 1998-05-21 | Indianola, Red Willow County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-06-25 | Mc Cook, Red Willow County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-08-10 | Indianola, Red Willow County | F1 0.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-08-10 | Indianola, Red Willow County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-08-10 | Indianola, Red Willow County | F2 6 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 1990-06-15 | Red Willow County | F4 8 mi x 2,640 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1990-05-18 | Red Willow County | F0 0.1 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1990-05-18 | Red Willow County | F1 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1990-05-18 | Red Willow County | F1 1 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1990-04-25 | Red Willow County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1988-06-19 | Red Willow County | F1 0.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1985-05-29 | Red Willow County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-05-31 | Red Willow County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1983-06-12 | Red Willow County | F0 0.1 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1981-07-25 | Red Willow County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1978-04-08 | Red Willow County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1975-06-21 | Red Willow County | F0 0.5 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1975-06-18 | Red Willow County | F1 12.6 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1975-06-18 | Red Willow County | F1 9.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1971-06-16 | Red Willow County | F0 24 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1964-06-21 | Red Willow County | F1 4.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1962-06-16 | Red Willow County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1957-05-13 | Red Willow County | 0 | 0 | $30 step | |
| 1950-05-18 | Red Willow County | F1 0.7 mi x 333 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 Red Willow County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 29, 2025 flash flood ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | High WindRed Willow County · forecast zone Red Willow | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-24 | Thunderstorm WindMc Cook, Red Willow County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtRed Willow County · forecast zone Red Willow | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-30 | Thunderstorm WindBartley, Red Willow County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-30 | HailBartley, Red Willow County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-23 | Thunderstorm WindMc Cook Airport, Red Willow County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtRed Willow County · forecast zone Red Willow | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-17 | High WindRed Willow County · forecast zone Red Willow | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtRed Willow County · forecast zone Red Willow | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-21 | WildfireRed Willow County · forecast zone Red Willow | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-15 | High WindRed Willow County · forecast zone Red Willow | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-10 | DroughtRed Willow County · forecast zone Red Willow | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-04-22 | WildfireRed Willow County · forecast zone Red Willow A significant wildfire, which began in Decatur County, Kansas and moved into Furnas County, Nebraska, eventually crossed into Red Willow County, Nebraska. The fire primarily burned across rural eastern Red Willow County, but it did cross over Highways 6/34 in the northeastern part of the county, as well as Highway 89 ... | 1 | 5 | – | |
| 2018-03-06 | WildfireRed Willow County · forecast zone Red Willow The high winds caused a piece of metal roofing to touch an overhead power line, igniting the fire three miles northwest of McCook. The high winds pushed the fire in a southerly direction, burning 212 acres. Evacuations were ordered for the northwest part of McCook totaling 446 people. McCook elementary school students ... | 0 | 17 | $1.2M | |
| 2011-08-09 | HailMc Cook, Red Willow County Hail sizes from one inch to 1.75 inches in diameter were reported. One person was injured at Wal-Mart while trying to move out of the way of broken glass falling from a skylight. A woman was injured when a hail stone struck her thumb, breaking it. Another woman had glass blown in her face and eyes when a hail stone ... | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 3 | $13M |
| 2011-01-19 | Winter WeatherRed Willow County · forecast zone Red Willow Light freezing drizzle and fog resulted in numerous slide offs and rollovers on area roads. A two-vehicle accident resulted in two minor injuries in McCook during the late afternoon hours. | 0 | 2 | $39K | |
| 2002-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindMc Cook, Red Willow County Refer to event narrative for July 21st. | 70 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $164K |
| 1986-07-24 | Thunderstorm WindRed Willow County | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2024-03-25 | BlizzardRed Willow County · forecast zone Red Willow Several vehicles involved in an accident on Highway 34 due to a semi that slid into the ditch. 1 minor injury occurred near 2:43 pm CST. Whiteout conditions were observed over a span of 4.5 hours. The McCook ASOS reported wind gusts near 55 mph for four hours. Visibility was down to 200 ft at times. Initial visibility ... | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 2008-04-23 | LightningMc Cook, Red Willow County A 9-year old boy ran outside to retrieve a cardboard box before the storm arrived so it wouldn't blow away. As he was retrieving the box which was near a yard light, lightning struck the light pole and jumped to a metal button on his coat. He complained of shoulder pain, a tingling sensation in his body and a metal ... | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-08-09 | HailMc Cook, Red Willow County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 3 | $13M |
| 1996-08-10 | TornadoIndianola, Red Willow County | F2 6 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 2018-03-06 | WildfireRed Willow County · forecast zone Red Willow | 0 | 17 | $1.2M | |
| 2021-08-09 | WildfireRed Willow County · forecast zone Red Willow | 0 | 0 | $545K | |
| 2008-05-22 | TornadoLebanon, Red Willow County | EF1 8 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $480K |
| 2024-05-23 | Thunderstorm WindMc Cook, Red Willow County | 103 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $470K |
| 2000-06-29 | HailBartley, Red Willow County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $428K |
| 2008-05-23 | FloodMc Cook, Red Willow County | 0 | 0 | $274K |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 15, 1990 (tornado, Red Willow 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 Red Willow 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 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 38 | 93 | 66 | 75 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 8 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 49 | 52 | 82 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 15 | 29 | 53 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 7 | 24 z | 32 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 21 | 17 | 15 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 8 | 5 | 1 |
Drought in the 2010s: 24 records against 7 in the decade before, 24 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Red Willow County days with a record above.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
54% of its hail reports since 1958 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 32 · Feb 24 · Mar 39 · Apr 71 · May 146 · Jun 186 · Jul 124 · Aug 90 · Sep 53 · Oct 30 · Nov 19 · Dec 31 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Red Willow County
FEMA's register lists 14 declarations that include Red Willow County: 11 major disasters, 2 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for severe storm (9) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-08-20 | DR-4808 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2022-04-23 | FM-5436 | Fire | Road 702 Fire |
| 2020-04-04 | DR-4521 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3483 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017-06-26 | DR-4321 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2011-08-12 | DR-4014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2008-06-20 | DR-1770 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, 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 |
| 2004-05-25 | DR-1517 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 1990-07-04 | DR-873 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes & 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.
How many floods has Red Willow County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 18 flood or flash flood records for Red Willow County from 1999 to 2025, on 16 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Red Willow County ranks 2212th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $60,000 on 15 claims filed in Red Willow County; the most in one year was 6 in 2007. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1980: 1 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 6 · 2008: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2024: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Red Willow County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Red Willow County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $8.2 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 Moderate | $2.2M | 8 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $1.5M | 98 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $169K | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $680K | 4.1 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $123K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.0M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $668K | 5.4 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $141K | 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 Red Willow 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 Red Willow CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Red Willow County's FEMA declarations (CSV)14 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis