Home › Nebraska › Deuel County

Deuel County, Nebraska

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
74th of 93highest risk in Nebraska
$2Mexpected losses a year
7federal declarations
1 in 200homes with flood insurance
Photo: Aleatoric Consonance, CC BY 2.0

Deuel County, Nebraska has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 96% of US counties. It ranks 74th of 93 counties in Nebraska. The costliest hazards here are drought, inland flooding and hail. FEMA estimates about $2.3 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,278 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 March 2019 (severe winter storm, straight-line winds and flooding). Only 8 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 Deuel County

Drought

Moderate
$860,859 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 80 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
$463,081 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 6 years.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.

Hail

Low
$410,504 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 6 times a year.
  • Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
  • Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
DroughtModerate82.0
$861K
Inland floodingVery Low3.5
$463K
HailLow67.0
$411K
Cold waveVery Low20.3
$191K
TornadoVery Low17.4
$155K
LightningLow39.4
$130K
Strong windVery Low13.5
$92K
WildfireVery Low38.4
$19K
Winter weatherVery Low18.3
$13K
EarthquakeVery Low8.8
$7K
Heat waveVery Low4.3
$4K
Ice stormVery Low7.8
$3K
LandslideVery Low2.6
$2

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 high and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Deuel County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm4
Hurricane1
Snowstorm1
Flood1

Most recent

Mar 21, 2019Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 29, 2018Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Jul 31, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 7, 2007Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacueesEmergency
Jul 21, 2003Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
May 16, 2001Severe Winter Storms, Flooding and TornadoesMajor disaster

Nebraska also had 14 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1951

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 339 storm reports in Deuel County since 1951, with 0 deaths and 3 injuries and about $7.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF1 tornado on June 17, 2018 near Big Spgs.

25tornadoes
211hail reports, largest 3.5 inches
94damaging thunderstorm winds
8floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 17, 2018EF1Big Spgs0 / 0
Jun 10, 2004F1Chappell2 / 0
Jun 25, 1975F1–0 / 0
Jun 25, 1975F1–0 / 0
Jun 8, 1987F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 25, 1997HailChappell$4M
Aug 3, 1995HailChappell$2M
Jun 17, 2018TornadoBig Spgs$125K
Jul 25, 1996HailChappell$100K
Jun 10, 1998HailChappell$100K
Jun 10, 1998HailBig Spgs$100K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 28, 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 Deuel County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (8 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$15,883paid on 3 flood claims since 1978
2010costliest year, with $12,035 paid

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 Deuel County

$100,200median home value (Nebraska $238,600, US $332,700)
1945median year homes were built (Nebraska 1975, US 1980)
89%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
3.8%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

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; 1,013 housing units.

Compare in Nebraska

All 93 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Douglas CountyHighInland flooding
Lancaster CountyModerateTornado
Sarpy CountyModerateTornado
Hall CountyLowInland flooding
Buffalo CountyLowHail
Dodge CountyLowInland flooding
Scotts Bluff CountyLowHail
Madison CountyLowInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Cheyenne CountyVery Low8
Keith CountyVery Low7
Perkins CountyVery Low8
Sedgwick County, COVery Low7
Garden CountyVery Low11

Common questions about Deuel County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Deuel County?

Drought has the highest expected yearly losses in Deuel County, about $860,859 a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $463,081.

How many federal disasters has Deuel County had?

Deuel 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 Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in March 2019.

Is Deuel County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 74th 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 Deuel County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Deuel 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 Deuel County had?

NOAA records list 25 tornadoes in Deuel County since 1950. The strongest was an EF1 tornado on June 17, 2018 near Big Spgs. The weather service has also logged 211 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.