Holt County, Nebraska
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Holt County, Nebraska has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 83% of US counties. It ranks 54th of 93 counties in Nebraska. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and drought. FEMA estimates about $7.0 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $696 per resident. Since 2003 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2024 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes 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 Holt County
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- 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.
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold wave | 64.9 | $2M | ||
| Inland flooding | 10.8 | $2M | ||
| Drought | 81.1 | $1M | ||
| Tornado | 38.9 | $871K | ||
| Lightning | 68.3 | $496K | ||
| Hail | 54.4 | $338K | ||
| Strong wind | 31.2 | $324K | ||
| Wildfire | 70.5 | $191K | ||
| Ice storm | 61.7 | $156K | ||
| Winter weather | 71.6 | $149K | ||
| Heat wave | 21.5 | $76K | ||
| Earthquake | 21.6 | $35K | ||
| Landslide | 10.8 | $34 |
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 moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Holt 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 884 storm reports in Holt County since 1952, with 1 death and 8 injuries and about $47.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on May 29, 1962.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 29, 1962 | F4 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 8, 1965 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 9, 2003 | F3 | Emmet | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 19, 1996 | F2 | O Neill | 0 / 0 |
| May 15, 1992 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 8, 1965 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Jun 9, 2003 | Tornado | Emmet | $7M |
| Aug 14, 1997 | Hail | O Neill | $2M |
| Jun 19, 1996 | Tornado | O Neill | $1M |
| May 30, 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Emmet | $1M |
| May 3, 1999 | Tornado | Ewing | $750K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 30, 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 Holt 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 Holt 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; 4,900 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Knox County | 16 | |
| Antelope County | 11 | |
| Garfield County | 12 | |
| Boyd County | 16 | |
| Rock County | 12 | |
| Wheeler County | 12 | |
| Keya Paha County | 11 | |
| Loup County | 12 |
Common questions about Holt County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Holt County?
Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Holt County, about $1.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.5 million.
How many federal disasters has Holt County had?
Holt County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 2003, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in September 2024.
Is Holt County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 54th 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 Holt County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Holt 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 Holt County had?
NOAA records list 80 tornadoes in Holt County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on May 29, 1962. The weather service has also logged 561 hail reports and 23 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.