Buffalo County, Nebraska: hazard risk
FEMA rates Buffalo County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 66.0 of 100, higher than 65% of rated U.S. counties); 2 of its 13 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by hail, strong wind. 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 | 98.6 | $13M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 96.9 | $5.7M |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 87.2 | $2.0M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 80.0 | $598K |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 72.8 | $805K |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 72.0 | $4.0M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 70.0 | $191K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 74.3 | $364K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 54.3 | $671K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 50.8 | $10M |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 24.8 | $65K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 23.6 | $247 |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 21.5 | $375K |
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 | 385 | 0 | $289M | 28th of 93 | 305th of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 261 | 0 | $115M | 35th of 93 | 1703rd of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 125 | 6 | $9.0M | 41st of 93 | 1167th of 3,077 |
| Tornadoes | 83 | 0 | $50M | 11th of 93 | 288th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 63 | 0 | $1.7M | 50th of 93 | 854th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 53 | 0 | $56M | 46th of 93 | 858th of 3,063 |
| Floods | 29 | 0 | $66M | 44th of 93 | 2152nd of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 29 | 0 | $1.5M | 13th of 93 | 565th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 13 | 0 | $71K | 77th of 93 | 1517th of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 4 | 0 | $270K | 22nd of 93 | 1384th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 2 | 0 | – | 57th of 93 | 2184th of 3,076 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 0 | – | 38th of 93 | 1140th of 2,972 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Buffalo County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.