Furnas County, Nebraska
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Furnas County, Nebraska has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 52% of US counties. It ranks 16th of 93 counties in Nebraska. The costliest hazards here are hail, strong wind and drought. FEMA estimates about $14 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $2,915 per resident. Since 1967 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (12 major disasters). The most recent was in April 2022 (Road 702 Fire). Only 3 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 Furnas County
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
- Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
- Have trees near the house checked.
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 98.3 | $6M | ||
| Strong wind | 95.7 | $3M | ||
| Drought | 95.2 | $2M | ||
| Inland flooding | 18.8 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 37.2 | $602K | ||
| Cold wave | 22.2 | $210K | ||
| Ice storm | 55.3 | $86K | ||
| Winter weather | 64.9 | $85K | ||
| Heat wave | 23.1 | $64K | ||
| Lightning | 21.2 | $58K | ||
| Earthquake | 11.2 | $9K | ||
| Wildfire | 19.9 | $6K | ||
| Landslide | 14.6 | $47 |
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 Furnas County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 14
Nebraska also had 14 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1952
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 564 storm reports in Furnas County since 1952, with 1 death and 0 injuries and about $124 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on October 29, 1956.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 29, 1956 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 22, 1969 | F2 | – | 0 / 1 |
| Jun 25, 1956 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 21, 1975 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 30, 1958 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 29, 2023 | Hail | Wilsonville | $6M |
| Jun 29, 2023 | Hail | Beaver City | $6M |
| Jun 29, 2023 | Hail | Wilsonville | $6M |
| Jun 29, 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wilsonville | $6M |
| Jun 14, 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cambridge | $4M |
| Jun 30, 2018 | Hail | Arapahoe | $4M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Apr 23, 2025. 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 Furnas 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 Furnas 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; 2,516 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Red Willow County | 12 | |
| Phelps County | 12 | |
| Norton County, KS | 11 | |
| Harlan County | 12 | |
| Decatur County, KS | 10 | |
| Frontier County | 14 | |
| Gosper County | 12 |
Common questions about Furnas County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Furnas County?
Hail has the highest expected yearly losses in Furnas County, about $5.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Strong wind is second at $2.6 million.
How many federal disasters has Furnas County had?
Furnas County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1967, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Road 702 Fire in April 2022.
Is Furnas County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 16th 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 Furnas County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Furnas 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 Furnas County had?
NOAA records list 30 tornadoes in Furnas County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on October 29, 1956. The weather service has also logged 321 hail reports and 13 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.