Howard County, Nebraska: hazard risk
FEMA rates Howard County's overall risk Very Low (score 24.2 of 100, higher than 24% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 13 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by hail. Its storm record holds 621 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 | 95.2 | $4.2M |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 87.2 | $1.9M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 70.8 | $1.4M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 55.5 | $108K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 53.7 | $138K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 35.9 | $983K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 52.8 | $76K |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | 14.7 | $2.5M |
| Landslide | Very Low | 11.0 | $45 |
| Lightning | Very Low | 10.6 | $49K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 8.1 | $11K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 7.8 | $71K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 7.3 | $15K |
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 | 234 | 0 | $97M | 14th of 93 | 156th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 109 | 0 | $5.3M | 26th of 93 | 737th of 3,077 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 96 | 0 | $23M | 56th of 93 | 2100th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 52 | 0 | $56M | 18th of 93 | 387th of 3,063 |
| Tornadoes | 45 | 0 | $104M | 9th of 93 | 223rd of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 32 | 0 | $1.9M | 42nd of 93 | 801st of 3,080 |
| Floods | 22 | 0 | $30M | 39th of 93 | 2078th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 12 | 0 | $36K | 57th of 93 | 1092nd of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 9 | 0 | $717K | 19th of 93 | 660th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 3 | 0 | $249K | 11th of 93 | 1190th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 2 | 0 | – | 49th of 93 | 2032nd of 3,076 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Howard County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.