Box Butte County, Nebraska
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Box Butte County, Nebraska has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 79% of US counties. It ranks 48th of 93 counties in Nebraska. The costliest hazards here are drought, hail and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $8.4 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $781 per resident. Since 2001 it has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2021 (severe storms and straight-line winds). Only 5 homes here carry federal flood insurance.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Box Butte County
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | 96.6 | $4M | ||
| Hail | 80.3 | $1M | ||
| Cold wave | 48.3 | $998K | ||
| Inland flooding | 5.9 | $955K | ||
| Tornado | 31.1 | $611K | ||
| Lightning | 53.3 | $298K | ||
| Strong wind | 20.0 | $204K | ||
| Winter weather | 68.3 | $137K | ||
| Earthquake | 32.6 | $108K | ||
| Wildfire | 61.3 | $103K | ||
| Ice storm | 51.5 | $102K | ||
| Heat wave | 10.0 | $21K | ||
| Landslide | 5.0 | $8 |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively low and community resilience is relatively low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Box Butte County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Nebraska also had 14 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1955
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 534 storm reports in Box Butte County since 1955, with 0 deaths and 1 injury and about $5.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on June 25, 1975.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 25, 1975 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 14, 1962 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 15, 1962 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 28, 1991 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 29, 1964 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 28, 1991 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jun 12, 2017 | Tornado | Letan | $1M |
| Jun 5, 1996 | Hail | Alliance | $300K |
| Jun 25, 1975 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| May 28, 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hemingford | $250K |
| Jul 22, 1995 | Hail | – | $175K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 9, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Flood insurance in Box Butte County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Box Butte County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 5,212 housing units.
Compare in Nebraska
All 93 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Douglas County | Inland flooding | |
| Lancaster County | Tornado | |
| Sarpy County | Tornado | |
| Hall County | Inland flooding | |
| Buffalo County | Hail | |
| Dodge County | Inland flooding | |
| Scotts Bluff County | Hail | |
| Madison County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Scotts Bluff County | 8 | |
| Dawes County | 10 | |
| Sheridan County | 7 | |
| Morrill County | 15 | |
| Sioux County | 12 |
Common questions about Box Butte County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Box Butte County?
Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Box Butte County, about $3.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hail is second at $1 million.
How many federal disasters has Box Butte County had?
Box Butte County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 2001, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds in September 2021.
Is Box Butte County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 48th highest of 93 in Nebraska. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Box Butte County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Box Butte County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Box Butte County had?
NOAA records list 43 tornadoes in Box Butte County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on June 25, 1975. The weather service has also logged 343 hail reports and 8 floods here.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.