Nye County, Nevada: hazard risk
FEMA rates Nye County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 78.3 of 100, higher than 78% of rated U.S. counties); 2 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by heat wave, lightning. Its storm record holds 1,073 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 97.1 | $5.9M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 83.8 | $548K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 91.0 | $3.8M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 81.9 | $13M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 69.4 | $79K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 80.9 | $275K |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 72.1 | $4K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 47.2 | $76K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 44.2 | $291K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 59.9 | $2K |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 41.4 | $4 |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 10.2 | $49K |
| Hail | Very Low | 8.7 | $16K |
| Tornado | Very Low | 1.5 | $925 |
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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 580 | 0 | $2.7M | 12th of 17 | 1882nd of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 174 | 1 | $871K | 14th of 17 | 2916th of 3,077 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 147 | 0 | $323K | 9th of 17 | 2920th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 74 | 0 | $7.3M | 12th of 17 | 2989th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 58 | 5 | – | 5th of 17 | 2102nd of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 9 | 1 | $108K | 6th of 17 | 2381st of 3,080 |
| Hail | 8 | 0 | – | 15th of 17 | 3034th of 3,080 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 5 | 1 | $51K | 10th of 17 | 424th of 2,278 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 0 | – | 14th of 17 | 2972nd of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 1 | $158K | 14th of 17 | 2887th of 3,076 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 0 | $1.4M | 14th of 17 | 1283rd 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 Nye County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.