Mineral County, Nevada
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Mineral County, Nevada has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 90% of US counties. It ranks 14th of 17 counties in Nevada. The costliest hazards here are earthquakes, inland flooding and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $4.0 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $892 per resident. Since 1997 it has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (2 major disasters). The most recent was in April 2023 (severe winter storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides). About 1 in 24 homes here carry federal flood insurance (116 policies).
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Mineral County
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
- 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 that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | 84.3 | $2M | ||
| Inland flooding | 12.9 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 39.0 | $186K | ||
| Drought | 47.0 | $102K | ||
| Strong wind | 6.7 | $39K | ||
| Wildfire | 49.3 | $38K | ||
| Lightning | 10.9 | $31K | ||
| Winter weather | 25.9 | $21K | ||
| Hail | 1.6 | $2K | ||
| Landslide | 50.2 | $1K | ||
| Tornado | 1.3 | $992 | ||
| Avalanche | 44.3 | $304 | ||
| Volcanic activity | 41.0 | $6 | ||
| Cold wave | 2.2 | $0 |
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 moderate and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Mineral County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Nevada also had 23 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1992
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 39 storm reports in Mineral County since 1992 and about $18,000 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF1 tornado on June 5, 2015 near Hawthorne.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 5, 2015 | EF1 | Hawthorne | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 18, 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hawthorne | $10K |
| Jul 23, 2012 | Debris Flow | Sodaville | $5K |
| Jul 22, 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mina Arpt | $2K |
| Jul 15, 1999 | Flash Flood | Luning | $1K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Aug 26, 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 Mineral 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 Mineral 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; 2,281 housing units.
Compare in Nevada
All 17 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Clark County | Inland flooding | |
| Washoe County | Earthquake | |
| Lyon County | Earthquake | |
| Carson City City | Earthquake | |
| Elko County | Wildfire | |
| Nye County | Inland flooding | |
| Douglas County | Earthquake | |
| Churchill County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Lyon County | 12 | |
| Nye County | 3 | |
| Churchill County | 5 | |
| Mono County, CA | 12 | |
| Esmeralda County | 1 |
Common questions about Mineral County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Mineral County?
Earthquake has the highest expected yearly losses in Mineral County, about $2.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.4 million.
How many federal disasters has Mineral County had?
Mineral County has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1997, including 2 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides in April 2023.
Is Mineral County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 14th highest of 17 in Nevada. 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 Mineral County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 24 homes in Mineral 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 Mineral County had?
NOAA records list 1 tornadoes in Mineral County since 1950. The strongest was an EF1 tornado on June 5, 2015 near Hawthorne. The weather service has also logged 6 hail reports and 16 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.