Rock County, Nebraska
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 31149 · population 1,262 · 1,008 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 517 records for Rock County, Nebraska from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 352 days; the most frequent are hail reports (265 records). The most damaging was the June 5, 1999 tornado ($1.3 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 14 declarations naming the county since 2001, 12 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
- 517on 352 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 00 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $12Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 18strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 14latest 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 Rock County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 265 since 1962. 58% 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 | 265 | 148 | 1962-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | 84 of 93 |
| Winter storms | 66 | 66 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $88K | 79 of 93 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 61 | 50 | 1962-2025 | 0 | 0 | $804K | 87 of 93 |
| Drought | 49 | 49 | 2012-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | 49 of 93 |
| High wind and dust storms | 22 | 22 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $70K | 87 of 93 |
| Extreme cold | 18 | 18 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 70 of 93 |
| Tornadoes | 18 | 13 | 1956-2011 | 0 | 0 | $5.1M | 88 of 93 |
| Floods | 7 | 6 | 1999-2019 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 80 of 93 |
| Lightning | 4 | 3 | 2004-2011 | 0 | 0 | $66K | 37 of 93 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 3 | 2007-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 58 of 93 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 1 | 2014-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 72 of 93 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 2011-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 72 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 Rock County had?
NOAA records 18 tornadoes in Rock County from 1956 to 2011, the strongest rated F4, 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 17 tornadoes whose track touched Rock County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 18: 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 Rock County (18)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-05-30 | Rose, Rock County | EF0 0.02 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-06-24 | Newport, Rock County | EF2 4.56 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $296K |
| 2008-06-05 | Rose, Rock County | EF2 19.63 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $82K |
| 2003-06-24 | Bassett, Rock County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-24 | Bassett, Rock County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-24 | Rose, Rock County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-11 | Rose, Rock County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-11 | Bassett, Rock County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-11 | Bassett, Rock County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-07-02 | Bassett, Rock County | F0 0.1 mi x 5 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-06-05 | Bassett, Rock County | F1 2.5 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 1999-06-05 | Bassett, Rock County | F0 3.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $133K |
| 1992-06-16 | Rock County | F1 1 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1979-07-07 | Rock County | F2 7.8 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1978-05-28 | Rock County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1965-05-08 | Rock County | F2 44.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1959-06-10 | Rock County | 0 | 0 | $3K step | |
| 1956-10-29 | Rock County | F4 75.9 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $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.
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 Rock County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 22, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtRock County · forecast zone Rock | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtRock County · forecast zone Rock | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtRock County · forecast zone Rock | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtRock County · forecast zone Rock | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-17 | High WindRock County · forecast zone Rock | 63 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-11-25 | High WindRock County · forecast zone Rock | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-07-01 | DroughtRock County · forecast zone Rock | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindBassett, Rock County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-06-22 | HailRose, Rock County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-01 | DroughtRock County · forecast zone Rock | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-01 | DroughtRock County · forecast zone Rock | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-01 | DroughtRock County · forecast zone Rock | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-06-05 | TornadoBassett, Rock County | F1 2.5 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2001-07-16 | Flash FloodNewport, Rock County | 0 | 0 | $583K | |
| 2014-06-03 | Thunderstorm WindBassett, Rock County | 87 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $312K |
| 2009-06-24 | TornadoNewport, Rock County | EF2 4.56 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $296K |
| 2000-07-22 | HailBassett, Rock County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $257K |
| 2007-06-21 | HailBassett, Rock County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $171K |
| 1998-06-24 | HailRose, Rock County | 3.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $136K |
| 1999-06-05 | TornadoBassett, Rock County | F0 3.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $133K |
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: October 29, 1956 (tornado, Rock County); June 16, 1992 (tornado, Rock 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 Rock 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 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 51 | 112 | 58 | 28 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 15 | 25 | 17 | 9 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 15 | 18 | 11 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 17 | 32 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 7 | 7 | 3 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | 10 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
58% of its hail reports since 1962 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 25 · Feb 23 · Mar 24 · Apr 25 · May 64 · Jun 124 · Jul 107 · Aug 55 · Sep 17 · Oct 16 · Nov 13 · Dec 24 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Rock County
FEMA's register lists 14 declarations that include Rock County: 12 major disasters, 2 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (9) 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 |
| 2018-06-29 | DR-4375 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2017-06-26 | DR-4321 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2014-07-28 | DR-4185 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, 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 |
| 2007-01-07 | 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 |
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 Rock County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Rock County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $1.3 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 | $117K | 36 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $31K | 17 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $135K | once in about 865 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Very Low | $131K | 5.2 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | $19K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | $237K | 6.4 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Very Low | $153K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | $97K | 1.7 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 Rock 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 Rock CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Rock County's FEMA declarations (CSV)14 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis