Home › Nebraska › Red Willow County

Red Willow County, Nebraska

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

Very Low overall risk
50th of 93highest risk in Nebraska
$8Mexpected losses a year
12federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0

Red Willow County, Nebraska has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 80% of US counties. It ranks 50th of 93 counties in Nebraska. The costliest hazards here are hail, inland flooding and drought. FEMA estimates about $8.2 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $769 per resident. Since 1990 it has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2024 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 7 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $60,000 on 15 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Red Willow County

Hail

Moderate
$2.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 8 times a year.
  • Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
  • Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.
$1.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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.

Drought

Moderate
$1.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 98 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
HailModerate91.4
$2M
Inland floodingVery Low10.9
$2M
DroughtModerate86.5
$1M
TornadoLow41.0
$1M
Strong windModerate53.2
$680K
Cold waveLow37.6
$668K
Winter weatherModerate72.8
$169K
LightningLow33.7
$141K
Ice stormLow55.7
$123K
Heat waveVery Low26.2
$119K
EarthquakeVery Low12.8
$15K
WildfireVery Low24.0
$11K
LandslideVery Low14.9
$69

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 Red Willow County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm9
Snowstorm1
Hurricane1
Fire1

Most recent

Aug 20, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 23, 2022Road 702 FireFire management
Jun 26, 2017Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Aug 12, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 20, 2008Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 7, 2007Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Jan 26, 2006Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Sep 13, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacueesEmergency
May 25, 2004Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Nov 1, 1997Severe Snow Storms, Rain, and Strong WindsMajor disaster
Show all 12
May 9, 1994Severe Snow and Ice StormMajor disaster
Jul 4, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1950

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 599 storm reports in Red Willow County since 1950, with 0 deaths and 9 injuries and about $16.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on June 15, 1990.

40tornadoes
295hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
242damaging thunderstorm winds
18floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 15, 1990F4–0 / 0
Aug 10, 1996F2Indianola0 / 0
May 17, 2019EF2Perry0 / 0
May 22, 2008EF1Lebanon0 / 0
May 18, 1990F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 9, 2011HailMc Cook$10M
Jun 15, 1990Tornado–$3M
Aug 10, 1996TornadoIndianola$750K
Jul 1, 1994Thunderstorm WindMccook$500K
May 23, 2024Thunderstorm WindMc Cook$500K
May 22, 2008TornadoLebanon$350K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 27, 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 Red Willow County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (7 policies)
3.5%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$60,099paid on 15 flood claims since 1978
2023costliest year, with $24,565 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 Red Willow County

$159,600median home value (Nebraska $238,600, US $332,700)
1959median year homes were built (Nebraska 1975, US 1980)
79%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.2%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; 5,150 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
Furnas CountyLow14
Decatur County, KSVery Low10
Hitchcock CountyVery Low7
Rawlins County, KSVery Low9
Frontier CountyVery Low14

Common questions about Red Willow County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Red Willow County?

Hail has the highest expected yearly losses in Red Willow County, about $2.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Red Willow County had?

Red Willow County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1990, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2024.

Is Red Willow County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 50th 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 Red Willow County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Red Willow 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 Red Willow County had?

NOAA records list 40 tornadoes in Red Willow County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on June 15, 1990. The weather service has also logged 295 hail reports and 18 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.