Keith County, Nebraska
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Keith County, Nebraska has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 86% of US counties. It ranks 59th of 93 counties in Nebraska. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hail and drought. FEMA estimates about $6.4 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $775 per resident. Since 2001 it has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (5 major disasters). The most recent was in March 2026 (Morrill-Cottonwood Fire). Only 17 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 Keith County
- 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.
- Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
- Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 15.3 | $2M | ||
| Hail | 84.4 | $1M | ||
| Drought | 75.9 | $821K | ||
| Cold wave | 36.9 | $656K | ||
| Tornado | 27.4 | $483K | ||
| Strong wind | 36.3 | $413K | ||
| Lightning | 58.7 | $358K | ||
| Wildfire | 66.8 | $153K | ||
| Winter weather | 53.8 | $83K | ||
| Heat wave | 16.1 | $47K | ||
| Earthquake | 16.8 | $24K | ||
| Ice storm | 16.6 | $13K | ||
| Landslide | 20.3 | $136 |
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 Keith 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 1957
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 798 storm reports in Keith County since 1957, with 2 deaths and 17 injuries and about $33.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF2 tornado on May 23, 2024 near Lake Mc Conaghy.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 23, 2024 | EF2 | Lake Mc Conaghy | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 15, 1983 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 25, 1970 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 23, 2024 | EF1 | Brule | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 19, 1999 | F1 | Ogallala | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25, 1996 | Hail | Paxton | $11M |
| May 23, 2024 | Tornado | Lake Mc Conaghy | $4M |
| Jun 5, 1996 | Hail | Ogallala | $2M |
| Jun 27, 1999 | Hail | Ogallala | $1M |
| Jul 21, 2003 | Hail | Ogallala | $1M |
| Aug 8, 2011 | Hail | Keystone | $1M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 4, 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 Keith 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 Keith 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; 5,435 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County | 18 | |
| Perkins County | 8 | |
| Garden County | 11 | |
| Deuel County | 7 | |
| Arthur County | 10 | |
| McPherson County | 8 |
Common questions about Keith County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Keith County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Keith County, about $2.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hail is second at $1.3 million.
How many federal disasters has Keith County had?
Keith County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 2001, including 5 major disasters. The most recent was Morrill-Cottonwood Fire in March 2026.
Is Keith County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 59th 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 Keith County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Keith 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 Keith County had?
NOAA records list 53 tornadoes in Keith County since 1950. The strongest was an EF2 tornado on May 23, 2024 near Lake Mc Conaghy. The weather service has also logged 458 hail reports and 17 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.