Adams County, Nebraska: hazard risk
FEMA rates Adams County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 64.3 of 100, higher than 64% of rated U.S. counties); 5 of its 13 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by hail, strong wind, drought. Its storm record holds 1,053 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | Relatively High | 98.7 | $12M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 92.9 | $3.1M |
| Drought | Relatively High | 91.9 | $2.4M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 90.0 | $1.5M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 84.6 | $726K |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 79.6 | $4.8M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 59.7 | $111K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 50.6 | $477K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 42.7 | $38K |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | 32.8 | $4.7M |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 24.7 | $54K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 18.9 | $253K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 6.7 | $16 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 401 | 0 | $208M | 3rd of 93 | 39th of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 266 | 0 | $46M | 4th of 93 | 852nd of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 126 | 0 | $40M | 11th of 93 | 595th of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 68 | 0 | $5.1M | 9th of 93 | 354th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 56 | 2 | $54M | 3rd of 93 | 117th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 50 | 0 | $55M | 22nd of 93 | 410th of 3,063 |
| Heavy rain | 38 | 0 | $507K | 4th of 93 | 312th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 24 | 0 | $41M | 25th of 93 | 1742nd of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 13 | 0 | $71K | 50th of 93 | 1018th of 3,076 |
| Heat | 2 | 0 | – | 46th of 93 | 2023rd of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 2 | 0 | $22M | 29th of 93 | 1498th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Adams County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.