FEMA declarations
87
Above median
State profile · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Nebraska Natural Disasters
Nebraska's federal declaration record sits near the middle of the state distribution. 87 FEMA disaster declarations are on record, led by severe storm, with $2.5B in combined property and crop damage. A moderate count like this can still mask a single catastrophic year rather than a steady annual pattern. NOAA storm event data shows 20,136 recorded weather events resulting in 32 fatalities, numbers that shape which hazards get priority in the state's preparedness planning.
- 87
- FEMA declarations
- 20,136
- NOAA storm events
- 32
- Storm fatalities
- $2.5B
- Property + crop damage
The Nebraska risk picture
1 of the 93 counties FEMA scores, 1%, carry a FEMA "high-risk" National Risk Index rating, with riverine flooding the single largest driver of expected annual loss statewide. Nebraska has 70 Major Disaster (DR) declarations; FEMA authorizes Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, or both separately for each declaration. NOAA-tracked storms have caused 192 injuries statewide.
- 1%
- of counties rated high-risk by FEMA National Risk Index
- 87
- FEMA disaster declarations on record
- $2.5B
- in tracked property + crop damage
- 5,716
- NFIP flood insurance claims filed statewide
FEMA's National Risk Index and NOAA's Storm Events Database measure different things: modeled long-run risk vs. observed severe-weather events. Storm Events is a reported dataset, so its counts track what was observed and logged, not every event that occurred, and reporting is denser where more people live. See the methodology for how they relate.
Major Disaster share
80%
Mostly major
NOAA storm events
20,136
Observed severe-weather records
How does Nebraska compare?
Nebraska vs. every U.S. state
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time
87 Top 37% higher than 63% of 59 states and territories
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states and territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 · 2026-08-25
Nebraska county risk-score spread
FEMA National Risk Index composite scores, 0–100
25.8 Top 40% higher than 60% of 93 county composite scores
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more county composite scores. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FEMA National Risk Index (NRI), county composite scores · 2026-08-25
The declaration chart counts past federal actions. The county score chart summarizes FEMA's modeled National Risk Index composite; it is not a forecast, and a state average does not describe every county.
Do more storms mean more federal disasters?
Nebraska sits at the 60th percentile of FEMA declaration volume and the 80th percentile of NOAA storm-event volume among 55 states and territories, those two ranks are not interchangeable.
FEMA declaration rank vs NOAA storm-event rank
Read the chart, every state as text
Percentiles are within this release's state/territory sample. Raw counts are the underlying FEMA and NOAA totals.
| State | FEMA decls | FEMA %ile | NOAA storms | NOAA %ile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 396 | 98 | 23,694 | 93 |
| Texas | 389 | 96 | 53,309 | 98 |
| Oklahoma | 258 | 95 | 23,896 | 95 |
| Washington | 215 | 93 | 4,408 | 22 |
| Florida | 188 | 91 | 12,838 | 55 |
| Oregon | 169 | 89 | 3,695 | 20 |
| New Mexico | 126 | 87 | 10,974 | 45 |
| Arizona | 120 | 85 | 9,541 | 38 |
| New York | 118 | 84 | 21,653 | 82 |
| Montana | 112 | 82 | 13,576 | 56 |
| Colorado | 111 | 78 | 18,340 | 73 |
| Louisiana | 111 | 78 | 11,204 | 47 |
| Nevada | 110 | 76 | 4,534 | 24 |
| Alabama | 102 | 75 | 14,583 | 64 |
| Kentucky | 98 | 71 | 19,947 | 78 |
| Mississippi | 98 | 71 | 14,100 | 62 |
| Tennessee | 97 | 69 | 16,645 | 69 |
| South Dakota | 96 | 67 | 22,759 | 87 |
| Alaska | 94 | 64 | 2,683 | 15 |
| Kansas | 94 | 64 | 25,115 | 96 |
| Arkansas | 87 | 60 | 13,637 | 58 |
| Nebraska | 87 | 60 | 20,136 | 80 |
| Missouri | 86 | 58 | 22,952 | 89 |
| North Carolina | 85 | 56 | 16,367 | 67 |
| West Virginia | 84 | 55 | 12,026 | 49 |
| Georgia | 81 | 51 | 16,676 | 71 |
| Minnesota | 81 | 51 | 19,109 | 75 |
| Iowa | 78 | 49 | 21,883 | 84 |
| Virginia | 77 | 47 | 23,584 | 91 |
| North Dakota | 75 | 45 | 10,818 | 44 |
| Hawaii | 72 | 44 | 6,200 | 31 |
| Maine | 71 | 42 | 4,781 | 27 |
| Illinois | 68 | 40 | 22,088 | 85 |
| Pennsylvania | 64 | 38 | 19,427 | 76 |
| New Hampshire | 63 | 36 | 2,547 | 11 |
| Vermont | 62 | 35 | 3,449 | 18 |
| Idaho | 60 | 31 | 5,142 | 29 |
| Ohio | 60 | 31 | 16,184 | 65 |
| Massachusetts | 59 | 25 | 6,781 | 33 |
| New Jersey | 59 | 25 | 8,218 | 35 |
| Utah | 59 | 25 | 4,578 | 25 |
| Wisconsin | 56 | 24 | 13,807 | 60 |
| Indiana | 54 | 22 | 12,687 | 53 |
| Puerto Rico | 51 | 18 | 2,944 | 16 |
| South Carolina | 51 | 18 | 10,520 | 42 |
| Michigan | 46 | 16 | 9,052 | 36 |
| Wyoming | 45 | 15 | 12,494 | 51 |
| Connecticut | 43 | 13 | 2,622 | 13 |
| Maryland | 38 | 11 | 10,290 | 40 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | 33 | 9 | 88 | 0 |
| Rhode Island | 31 | 7 | 924 | 7 |
| Delaware | 26 | 5 | 1,475 | 9 |
| Guam | 25 | 4 | 258 | 2 |
| District of Columbia | 24 | 2 | 452 | 5 |
| American Samoa | 17 | 0 | 292 | 4 |
What shapes Nebraska's record?
FEMA declaration types in Nebraska
Wider bars = more declarations of that incident type
- Severe Storm
Severe Storm
38 declarations
- Flood
Flood
20 declarations
- Fire 10
Fire
10 declarations
- Biological 6
Biological
6 declarations
- Tornado 6
Tornado
6 declarations
- Snowstorm 2
Snowstorm
2 declarations
- Severe Ice Storm 2
Severe Ice Storm
2 declarations
- Hurricane 1
Hurricane
1 declarations
What this shows Severe Storm leads Nebraska's FEMA declaration mix with 38 records among the types shown.
NOAA storm events by year in Nebraska
Reported severe-weather events, 2015-2025 catalog window
Peak year in this series: 2023 (2,335 events). Counts are reported events, not a complete census.
83 /100
Historical Activity Index
Very High historical activity
Nebraska · PlainHazard-derived composite from federal records
This 0–100 index is an explicit PlainHazard composite mixing OpenFEMA declaration totals (1953–present) with NOAA Storm Events (2015–2025), different windows and event definitions, disclosed weights on the methodology page . It is not FEMA's National Risk Index, not a forecast, and not a safety, insurance, or preparedness rating. Open the calculator · Methodology
FEMA Declarations (1953–present) High
15/30
87 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (1.0x state average)
NOAA Storm Events (2015–2025) Very High
23/25
20136 NOAA storm events in the 2015–2025 extract (1.8x median state)
NOAA Damage (2015–2025) Very High
25/25
Recorded NOAA property+crop damage in the 2015–2025 extract (4.4x median state)
Hazard Diversity Very High
20/20
10 different disaster types declared in Nebraska
What does Nebraska's hazard record show?
NOAA storm events & FEMA National Risk Index
NOAA's Storm Events Database adds the near-term severe-weather lens. Between 2015 and 2025, Nebraska recorded 20,136 individual storm events, causing 32 fatalities and 192 injuries, with combined property and crop damage estimated at $2.5B. The most frequent event types in the state are Hail (6,079 events), Thunderstorm Wind (4,757 events), Drought (1,658 events). Across the 93counties FEMA scores here, its National Risk Index flags 1 as high-risk, with an average county Risk Index score (FEMA's own formula, distinct from our Historical Activity tool below) of 25.8/100.
What this count is, and is not. Storm Events is a reported database: NOAA compiles it from National Weather Service offices, trained spotters, law enforcement, and the public. It is a record of what was observed and logged, not a complete census of severe weather. Densely populated areas report more events than sparsely populated ones with similar meteorological exposure, and detection has improved over time, so an event count is not a like-for-like measure of hazard between places or across decades. Damage figures are field estimates, not audited losses. See methodology.
FEMA disaster declarations
Nebraska (NE) has a moderate level of federal declaration activity, with 87 FEMA declaration records, including 70 Major Disaster declarations (DR). A DR may authorize Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, or both; those program approvals are not implied by the DR count. The dominant declaration type is Severe Storm, followed by Flood (20), Fire (10), Biological (6). Declaration counts at the state level reflect the cumulative federal footprint: large multi-county events count once per state, but repeat hazard patterns across decades are visible in the breakdown below.
Flood exposure & where to dig deeper
Flood exposure is quantified separately through the National Flood Insurance Program. Policyholders across 66Nebraska counties have filed 5,716 NFIP claims totaling $96.2M, or an average of $16.8K per claim. NFIP data captures only insured flood losses, so uninsured flood damage and storm-surge losses outside mapped high-risk zones remain invisible in this figure. The highest-Expected-Annual-Loss hazard across the state is Riverine Flooding, estimated at $0.4B annually. Drill into individual counties for localized risk, read FEMA's hazard-specific briefings, and review insurance and flood-zone designations, state-level averages can mask sharp county-to-county differences in exposure and resilience.
Disaster Types in Nebraska
Share of this state's FEMA declarations; the bar chart above is the same mix as counts.
Severe Storm
43.7%
38 declarations
Flood
23.0%
20 declarations
Fire
11.5%
10 declarations
Biological
6.9%
6 declarations
Tornado
6.9%
6 declarations
Snowstorm
2.3%
2 declarations
Severe Ice Storm
2.3%
2 declarations
Hurricane
1.1%
1 declarations
Winter Storm
1.1%
1 declarations
Drought
1.1%
1 declarations
Storm Events by Type
NOAA storm event data for Nebraska (2015-2025).
| Event Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 6,079 | 0 | 2 | $237.7M |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 4,757 | 3 | 19 | $228.1M |
| Drought | 1,658 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| High Wind | 1,647 | 1 | 1 | $22.1M |
| Winter Storm | 1,155 | 0 | 2 | $335.0K |
| Winter Weather | 1,148 | 5 | 4 | $385.0K |
| Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | 634 | 1 | 24 | $0 |
| Blizzard | 529 | 3 | 5 | $9.7M |
| Tornado | 513 | 0 | 15 | $42.9M |
| Flash Flood | 490 | 2 | 1 | $81.2M |
| Flood | 368 | 4 | 1 | $765.2M |
| Heavy Snow | 283 | 0 | 0 | $35.0K |
| Heavy Rain | 274 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Excessive Heat | 187 | 1 | 21 | $0 |
| Funnel Cloud | 89 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| Cold/Wind Chill | 68 | 2 | 0 | $0 |
| Ice Storm | 68 | 2 | 0 | $474.0K |
| Heat | 55 | 0 | 57 | $0 |
| Wildfire | 46 | 4 | 29 | $9.2M |
| Dust Storm | 31 | 2 | 3 | $775.0K |
Storm Events by Year
| Year | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,828 | 6 | 10 | $53.1M |
| 2024 | 2,040 | 3 | 115 | $170.9M |
| 2023 | 2,335 | 3 | 10 | $68.9M |
| 2022 | 2,195 | 3 | 13 | $106.8M |
| 2021 | 1,611 | 0 | 3 | $45.2M |
| 2020 | 1,728 | 2 | 3 | $6.7M |
| 2019 | 2,087 | 7 | 10 | $641.0M |
| 2018 | 1,717 | 6 | 23 | $21.8M |
| 2017 | 1,544 | 0 | 4 | $35.5M |
| 2016 | 1,554 | 0 | 1 | $32.4M |
| 2015 | 1,497 | 2 | 0 | $235.1M |
FEMA Disaster Declarations
How the 87 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download all 87 declarations as CSV . Source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
87 unique disaster declarations in Nebraska.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4920 | WILDFIRES | DR | Fire | 2026-06-30 |
| 5637 | SOUTH FORK FIRE | FM | Fire | 2026-06-10 |
| 5623 | MORRILL-COTTONWOOD FIRE | FM | Fire | 2026-03-13 |
| 4896 | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2025-10-22 |
| 4868 | SEVERE WINTER STORM AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS | DR | Winter Storm | 2025-05-21 |
| 4838 | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2024-10-21 |
| 4822 | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2024-09-24 |
| 4808 | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2024-08-20 |
| 4786 | SEVERE WINTER STORM AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS | DR | Severe Storm | 2024-05-24 |
| 4778 | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND TORNADOES | DR | Tornado | 2024-05-03 |
| 5462 | WACONDA-BEAVER LAKE FIRE COMPLEX | FM | Fire | 2023-04-09 |
| 4662 | SEVERE STORMS AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS | DR | Severe Storm | 2022-07-27 |
| 5436 | ROAD 702 FIRE | FM | Fire | 2022-04-23 |
| 4641 | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND TORNADOES | DR | Severe Storm | 2022-02-23 |
| 4616 | SEVERE STORMS AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS | DR | Severe Storm | 2021-09-06 |
| 4521 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-04-04 |
| 3483 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 3488 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 3523 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 3493 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 3489 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4446 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2019-06-17 |
| 4420 | SEVERE WINTER STORM, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2019-03-21 |
| 4387 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2018-08-27 |
| 4375 | SEVERE WINTER STORM AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS | DR | Snowstorm | 2018-06-29 |
| 4325 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS | DR | Severe Storm | 2017-08-01 |
| 4321 | SEVERE WINTER STORM AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS | DR | Severe Storm | 2017-06-26 |
| 4225 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2015-06-25 |
| 4185 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2014-07-28 |
| 4183 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2014-07-24 |
| 4179 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR | Tornado | 2014-06-17 |
| 4156 | SEVERE STORMS, WINTER STORMS, TORNADOES AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2013-11-26 |
| 5009 | REGION 23 FIRE COMPLEX | FM | Fire | 2012-08-30 |
| 4014 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2011-08-12 |
| 4013 | FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2011-08-12 |
| 3323 | FLOODING | EM | Flood | 2011-06-18 |
| 2900 | THEDFORD FIRE | FM | Fire | 2011-04-22 |
| 1945 | SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, TORNADO, AND STRAIGHT-LIN | DR | Severe Storm | 2010-10-21 |
| 1924 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2010-07-15 |
| 1902 | SEVERE STORMS, ICE JAMS, AND FLOODING | DR | Flood | 2010-04-21 |
| 1878 | SEVERE WINTER STORMS AND SNOWSTORM | DR | Severe Storm | 2010-02-25 |
| 1864 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | DR | Severe Storm | 2009-12-16 |
| 1853 | SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, AND TORNADOES | DR | Severe Storm | 2009-07-31 |
| 1779 | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2008-07-18 |
| 1770 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2008-06-20 |
| 1765 | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2008-05-30 |
| 1739 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | DR | Severe Ice Storm | 2008-01-11 |
| 1721 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2007-08-29 |
| 1714 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2007-07-24 |
| 1706 | SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, AND TORNADOES | DR | Severe Storm | 2007-06-06 |
Showing 50 of 87 declarations.
FEMA National Risk Index
Composite natural hazard risk scores for Nebraska counties based on FEMA's National Risk Index.
Avg County Risk Score
25.8/100
High Risk Counties
1
of 93 counties
Top Hazard by EAL
Riverine Flooding
$0.4B annual loss est.
Top 5 Hazards by Expected Annual Loss
#1
Riverine Flooding
$400.8M EAL
#2
Hail
$271.6M EAL
#3
Tornado
$259.0M EAL
#4
Strong Wind
$122.8M EAL
#5
Drought
$103.0M EAL
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) EAL = Expected Annual Loss. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
National Flood Insurance Program claims across Nebraska from FEMA NFIP data.
Total Claims
5,716
Total Paid
$96.2M
Avg Per Claim
$16.8K
Counties With Claims
66
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
Counties in Nebraska
93 counties with FEMA disaster data. Declaration counts measure past federal action; NRI rating is FEMA's modeled composite, so a high count is not a high rating.
| # | County | Disasters | NRI rating | Major |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saunders County | 30 | Very Low | 28 |
| 2 | Douglas County | 29 | Relatively High | 26 |
| 3 | Cass County | 27 | Very Low | 23 |
| 4 | Sarpy County | 25 | Relatively Moderate | 22 |
| 5 | Nemaha County | 25 | Very Low | 22 |
| 6 | Cuming County | 24 | Relatively Low | 22 |
| 7 | Jefferson County | 24 | Very Low | 22 |
| 8 | Fillmore County | 24 | Very Low | 22 |
| 9 | Washington County | 24 | Very Low | 21 |
| 10 | Platte County | 23 | Relatively Low | 21 |
| 11 | Thayer County | 23 | Very Low | 21 |
| 12 | Howard County | 23 | Very Low | 21 |
| 13 | Otoe County | 23 | Very Low | 20 |
| 14 | Thurston County | 23 | Very Low | 20 |
| 15 | Gage County | 23 | Very Low | 21 |
| 16 | Richardson County | 23 | Very Low | 20 |
| 17 | Hamilton County | 23 | Very Low | 21 |
| 18 | Johnson County | 22 | Very Low | 20 |
| 19 | Saline County | 21 | Very Low | 19 |
| 20 | Nuckolls County | 21 | Very Low | 19 |
| 21 | Dodge County | 21 | Relatively Low | 19 |
| 22 | Colfax County | 20 | Very Low | 18 |
| 23 | Lincoln County | 20 | Relatively Low | 16 |
| 24 | Burt County | 20 | Very Low | 17 |
| 25 | Greeley County | 20 | Very Low | 18 |
| 26 | Custer County | 20 | Very Low | 18 |
| 27 | Boone County | 20 | Relatively Low | 18 |
| 28 | Pawnee County | 20 | Very Low | 18 |
| 29 | Polk County | 20 | Very Low | 18 |
| 30 | York County | 20 | Relatively Low | 18 |
| 31 | Seward County | 19 | Very Low | 17 |
| 32 | Stanton County | 19 | Very Low | 17 |
| 33 | Madison County | 19 | Relatively Low | 17 |
| 34 | Clay County | 19 | Relatively Low | 17 |
| 35 | Hayes County | 19 | Very Low | 17 |
| 36 | Dixon County | 19 | Very Low | 16 |
| 37 | Sherman County | 19 | Very Low | 17 |
| 38 | Butler County | 19 | Very Low | 17 |
| 39 | Buffalo County | 18 | Relatively Low | 16 |
| 40 | Wayne County | 18 | Very Low | 16 |
| 41 | Knox County | 18 | Very Low | 15 |
| 42 | Valley County | 18 | Very Low | 16 |
| 43 | Boyd County | 18 | Very Low | 14 |
| 44 | Nance County | 18 | Very Low | 16 |
| 45 | Adams County | 18 | Relatively Low | 16 |
| 46 | Hall County | 17 | Relatively Low | 15 |
| 47 | Morrill County | 17 | Very Low | 13 |
| 48 | Pierce County | 17 | Very Low | 15 |
| 49 | Frontier County | 16 | Very Low | 13 |
| 50 | Furnas County | 16 | Relatively Low | 13 |
| 51 | Holt County | 16 | Very Low | 14 |
| 52 | Lancaster County | 16 | Relatively Moderate | 14 |
| 53 | Dakota County | 16 | Very Low | 13 |
| 54 | Cedar County | 16 | Very Low | 13 |
| 55 | Webster County | 16 | Relatively Low | 14 |
| 56 | Kearney County | 16 | Very Low | 14 |
| 57 | Merrick County | 15 | Relatively Low | 13 |
| 58 | Dawson County | 15 | Relatively Low | 12 |
| 59 | Rock County | 14 | Very Low | 12 |
| 60 | Harlan County | 14 | Very Low | 12 |
| 61 | Garfield County | 14 | Very Low | 12 |
| 62 | Red Willow County | 14 | Very Low | 11 |
| 63 | Gosper County | 14 | Very Low | 12 |
| 64 | Phelps County | 14 | Very Low | 12 |
| 65 | Logan County | 14 | Very Low | 12 |
| 66 | Wheeler County | 14 | Very Low | 12 |
| 67 | Sioux County | 14 | Very Low | 9 |
| 68 | Loup County | 14 | Very Low | 12 |
| 69 | Garden County | 13 | Very Low | 9 |
| 70 | Keya Paha County | 13 | Very Low | 10 |
| 71 | Antelope County | 13 | Very Low | 11 |
| 72 | Blaine County | 12 | Very Low | 10 |
| 73 | Arthur County | 12 | Very Low | 9 |
| 74 | Dundy County | 12 | Very Low | 10 |
| 75 | Chase County | 12 | Very Low | 10 |
| 76 | Dawes County | 12 | Very Low | 7 |
| 77 | Brown County | 11 | Very Low | 9 |
| 78 | Cherry County | 11 | Very Low | 8 |
| 79 | Cheyenne County | 10 | Very Low | 8 |
| 80 | Perkins County | 10 | Very Low | 8 |
| 81 | Thomas County | 10 | Very Low | 7 |
| 82 | Scotts Bluff County | 10 | Relatively Low | 7 |
| 83 | McPherson County | 10 | Very Low | 8 |
| 84 | Franklin County | 10 | Very Low | 8 |
| 85 | Box Butte County | 9 | Very Low | 7 |
| 86 | Keith County | 9 | Very Low | 6 |
| 87 | Hitchcock County | 9 | Very Low | 7 |
| 88 | Sheridan County | 9 | Very Low | 6 |
| 89 | Deuel County | 9 | Very Low | 7 |
| 90 | Banner County | 8 | Very Low | 6 |
| 91 | Kimball County | 8 | Very Low | 6 |
| 92 | Grant County | 7 | Very Low | 4 |
| 93 | Hooker County | 6 | Very Low | 4 |
Highest-risk counties by FEMA National Risk Index
Declaration counts above measure past federal action; FEMA's NRI is a composite of Expected Annual Loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. By that separate measure the highest-risk counties in Nebraska are Douglas (Relatively High), Lancaster (Relatively Moderate), Sarpy (Relatively Moderate), Hall (Relatively Low), Platte (Relatively Low). Compare any county's recorded history with the Historical Activity tool.
All 93 counties in Nebraska are listed above.
Compare beyond this profile
Nationwide states with similar NRI score & FEMA declaration volume
Two PlainHazard-derived comparison paths for Nebraska: nearest states by average county National Risk Index composite and nearest FEMA declaration count (floor ≥5 records). Record similarity only, not a forecast of the next hazard.
Similar average NRI composite
Nearest states by mean county FEMA NRI score. Nebraska: 25.8 across 93 scored counties.
Similar declaration volume
Nearest states by FEMA declaration count. Nebraska: 87. NRI peers are excluded so the two link sets stay distinct.
Disaster Preparedness Guides
Learn more about natural disaster risk, preparedness, and data interpretation.
Preparing for Natural Disasters
Essential steps to prepare your household for the most common natural hazards.
Hazard Risk by Region
How natural disaster risk varies across different US regions.
Climate Change & Disasters
How climate trends are changing the frequency and severity of natural disasters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What natural disasters affect Nebraska?
Nebraska is affected by severe storm, flood, fire, biological. The most common disaster type is Severe Storm, based on 87 FEMA disaster declarations on record.
How many FEMA disaster declarations has Nebraska had?
Nebraska has received 87 FEMA disaster declarations, including 70 major disaster declarations. The declaration history covers several disaster types, including Severe Storm (38), Flood (20), Fire (10).
What severe weather events are most common in Nebraska?
The most common severe weather events in Nebraska include hail (6,079 events), thunderstorm wind (4,757 events), drought (1,658 events). These NOAA storm events recorded from 2015 to 2025 have caused 32 fatalities and $2.5B in property and crop damage.
How active is Nebraska's federal disaster declaration record?
Nebraska has a moderate level of historical federal declaration activity, based on 87 FEMA declaration records. This band is not a future-risk forecast. Separately, NOAA storm events from 2015-2025 record 32 fatalities and 192 injuries. Combined NOAA-listed property and crop losses total $2.5B.
How many flood insurance claims has Nebraska had?
Nebraska has 5,716 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims with $96.2M total paid out. Claims average $16.8K, with 66 counties reporting flood insurance claims.
Which counties in Nebraska have the most disaster declarations?
Among 93 counties in Nebraska, those with the most FEMA declaration records include Saunders (30 declarations), Douglas (29 declarations), Cass (27 declarations). County-by-county figures show where the state's federal declaration history concentrates.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025) For informational purposes only
What this means for Nebraska
Saunders alone accounts for 34% of Nebraska's FEMA disaster declarations, out of 93 counties tracked statewide.
- The declaration record is uneven within the state: Saunders and Douglas carry the most FEMA declarations. Browse counties
- See how Nebraska ranks against other states for disaster frequency and damage. State rankings
- Learn what FEMA declarations, NRI risk scores, and damage figures do and don't tell you. Disaster-data guide
Historical declaration counts and damage totals describe past federal response, not a forecast. For current threats, follow the National Weather Service and local officials; in an emergency call 911.
PlainHazard derives this presentation from FEMA's Disaster Declarations Summaries. Its county comparison covers 3,266 U.S. counties and county equivalents in this database, refreshed as of 2026-08-25. Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Verify with FEMA → · Verify with FEMA NRI → · Verify with NOAA →
Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, the data & editorial changelog, or report a data error.