Sarpy County, Nebraska
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Sarpy County, Nebraska has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 84% of US counties. It ranks 3rd of 93 counties in Nebraska. The costliest hazards here are tornadoes, inland flooding and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $80 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $422 per resident. Since 1967 it has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (21 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2025 (severe winter storm and straight-line winds). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (551 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $21 million on 848 claims here, including $15 million for floods in 2019.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Sarpy County
- Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
- Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
- 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado | 97.2 | $29M | ||
| Inland flooding | 73.6 | $24M | ||
| Cold wave | 82.7 | $7M | ||
| Hail | 97.0 | $6M | ||
| Strong wind | 96.2 | $6M | ||
| Heat wave | 89.7 | $5M | ||
| Ice storm | 87.4 | $1M | ||
| Lightning | 70.3 | $792K | ||
| Wildfire | 81.5 | $737K | ||
| Winter weather | 87.6 | $531K | ||
| Drought | 53.9 | $302K | ||
| Earthquake | 28.9 | $104K | ||
| Landslide | 69.1 | $8K |
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 very low and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Sarpy County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 23
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 538 storm reports in Sarpy County since 1957, with 3 deaths and 16 injuries and about $463 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on May 6, 1975.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 6, 1975 | F4 | – | 15 / 0 |
| May 7, 1988 | F2 | – | 1 / 2 |
| Jun 8, 2008 | EF2 | Gretna | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 16, 2017 | EF2 | Ft Crook | 0 / 0 |
| May 13, 1957 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 15, 2019 | Flood | Offutt AFB | $420M |
| May 16, 1995 | Hail | Bellevue | $20M |
| Jul 31, 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Gretna | $15M |
| Jul 27, 1996 | Hail | Offutt AFB | $3M |
| May 7, 1988 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jun 24, 1997 | Flash Flood | Offutt AFB | $1M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 8, 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 Sarpy 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 Sarpy 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; 76,780 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Douglas County | 27 | |
| Pottawattamie County, IA | 24 | |
| Cass County | 25 | |
| Saunders County | 28 | |
| Mills County, IA | 18 |
Cities in Sarpy County
Common questions about Sarpy County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Sarpy County?
Tornado has the highest expected yearly losses in Sarpy County, about $29.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $23.9 million.
How many federal disasters has Sarpy County had?
Sarpy County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1967, including 21 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm and Straight-Line Winds in May 2025.
Is Sarpy County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 3rd 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 Sarpy County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 111 homes in Sarpy 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 Sarpy County had?
NOAA records list 15 tornadoes in Sarpy County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on May 6, 1975. The weather service has also logged 254 hail reports and 43 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.