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Natural hazard risk in Lancaster County, Nebraska

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on FEMA, NOAA and OpenFEMA data. Published by Humblebee.

FEMA overall Risk Index rating: Relatively Moderate (score 90.7 of 100)[5]

Expected annual loss (FEMA)
$115.4 million[1]
Federal disaster declarations since 1967
14[2]
NFIP flood claims paid, 1978 to 2026
$3.0 million[3]
Tornadoes recorded, 1950 to 2024
58[4]

FEMA's National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) gives Lancaster County an overall Risk Index rating of Relatively Moderate compared with other US counties[5]. The hazards with the highest FEMA scores within the county are strong wind, hail and tornado[6].

FEMA risk ratings for each hazard

Ratings and expected losses from the FEMA National Risk Index. Each rating compares this county with all US counties for that hazard, from Very Low to Very High. They are planning estimates, not predictions, and they do not describe any single property.

FEMA rates overall natural hazard risk for Lancaster County Relatively Moderate, with a score of 90.7 out of 100[5]. FEMA's National Risk Index estimates Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards at $115.4 million a year[1]. This is FEMA's estimate of average yearly loss, not money anyone paid[7]. By FEMA's Expected Annual Loss values, the largest hazards are tornado ($42.2 million a year), inland flooding ($34.2 million a year) and strong wind ($12.4 million a year)[8]. FEMA rates Social Vulnerability Very Low[9] and Community Resilience Very High[10] compared with other US counties. Social vulnerability is how susceptible social groups are to harm from natural hazards, and community resilience is a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from them[9][10].

Hazards sorted by FEMA hazard-type Risk Index score, highest first
HazardFEMA risk ratingExpected annual loss
Strong WindVery High$12.4 million[11]
HailRelatively High$12.1 million[12]
TornadoRelatively High$42.2 million[13]
Winter WeatherVery High$1.6 million[14]
WildfireRelatively Moderate$3.3 million[15]
LightningRelatively High$1.7 million[16]
Ice StormRelatively High$1.3 million[17]
Inland FloodingRelatively Moderate$34.2 million[18]
Cold WaveRelatively Moderate$4.2 million[19]
Heat WaveRelatively Low$1.6 million[20]
DroughtRelatively Moderate$653,000[21]
LandslideVery Low$3,237[22]
EarthquakeVery Low$203,000[23]

Rated Not Applicable by FEMA for this county: avalanche, coastal flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity[24].

Social vulnerability and community resilience

FEMA uses these two ratings to scale expected losses into the Risk Index.

FEMA measureRatingScore
Social vulnerabilityVery Low14.7[9]
Community resilienceVery High96.5[10]

Flooding and flood insurance

FEMA rates inland flooding risk Relatively Moderate for Lancaster County, with an Expected Annual Loss of $34.2 million a year[18]. OpenFEMA lists 753 residential flood insurance contracts in force as of 2026-08-03[25]. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area there were 639 residential flood insurance contracts for 2,580 residential structures, a rate of 24.8%[25]. OpenFEMA records 313 NFIP claims for losses in the county from 1978 to 2026, and NFIP paid $3.0 million in total[3]. Flood zones apply to specific properties, so use FEMA's Flood Map Service Center to look up an address[26].

Measure Value
Inland Flooding, FEMA risk rating[18] Relatively Moderate, $34.2 million expected loss a year
NFIP residential flood policies in force (2026)[25] 753 of 97,303 homes
Homes in FEMA's mapped high-risk flood area (SFHA)[25] 2,580, of which 639 insured
NFIP flood claims, 1978 to 2026[3] 313 filed, $3.0 million paid

Is a specific address in a flood zone? Only FEMA's flood maps answer that, property by property[26]. This page describes the whole county.

Search an address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center

Disaster declarations and tornado records

OpenFEMA lists 14 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Lancaster County since 1967[2]. The most recent is DR-4896-NE, declared 2025-10-22[27]. NOAA's tornado database records 58 tornadoes touching the county from 1950 to 2024[4]. The strongest were rated F4[4].

Federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Lancaster County, since 1967
Incident type Declarations
Severe Storm[2] 7
Flood[2] 5
Winter Storm[2] 1
Hurricane[2] 1
Most recent declarations
Declaration Incident Declared
DR-4896-NE[27] Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding 2025-10-22
DR-4868-NE[27] Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds 2025-05-21
DR-4838-NE[27] Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding 2024-10-21
DR-4420-NE[27] Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding 2019-03-21
DR-4225-NE[27] Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding 2015-06-25

How to prepare

Steps from Ready.gov, FEMA's preparedness site, for the hazards with the highest FEMA ratings here. Follow instructions from local officials and the National Weather Service when a warning is issued.

Tornadoes

Before

  • Learn the warning signs: a rotating funnel cloud, an approaching cloud of debris or a loud roar like a freight train.
  • Sign up for community warning systems and learn what your local sirens sound like.
  • Pick a safe spot, such as a safe room built to FEMA criteria or an ICC 500 storm shelter, and practice getting there.
  • Include your pets in the household emergency plan.
  • Keep supplies, food, water and medication in case you have to stay home for a long time.

During

  • Go right away to the safe place you picked in advance.
  • Protect your head and neck with your arms and stay away from windows, doors and outside walls.
  • No place in a car is fully safe. If you can get lower than the road, leave the car and lie down there.

Source: Ready.gov, tornadoes

Winter storms and cold

Before

  • Insulate your home and learn how to keep pipes from freezing.
  • Install and test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup.
  • Keep several days of supplies in case the power goes out, including medication and pet needs.
  • Put an emergency kit in your car with jumper cables, sand, blankets, water and snacks, and keep the tank full.

During

  • Under a winter storm warning, find shelter right away.
  • Stay off the roads if you can. If you are stuck in your car, stay inside it.
  • Run generators and grills only outdoors, away from windows, and never heat your home with an oven or stove.

Source: Ready.gov, winter storms and cold

Wildfires

Before

  • Sign up for community alerts and watch for air quality alerts.
  • Make sure everyone knows the evacuation plan, including for school, work and other places you go often.
  • Keep a fire-resistant zone of at least 30 feet around your home, clear of leaves and debris.
  • Use fire-resistant building materials and keep a hose long enough to reach every part of your property.
  • Pick a room you can seal off from outside air and keep a portable air cleaner ready.

During

  • Leave right away when authorities tell you to evacuate.
  • If you are trapped, call 9-1-1 with your location and turn on lights to help rescuers find you.
  • If you are not ordered to leave but there is smoke, stay in a safe indoor place or go to a community building with less smoke.

Source: Ready.gov, wildfires

Questions people ask

Is Lancaster County at risk of flooding?
FEMA rates inland flooding risk Relatively Moderate for Lancaster County compared with other US counties[18]. OpenFEMA records 313 NFIP flood claims for losses in the county from 1978 to 2026[3].
Is Lancaster County at risk of tornadoes?
FEMA rates tornado risk Relatively High compared with other US counties, and its tornado Expected Annual Loss rating is Very High[13]. NOAA's tornado database records 58 tornadoes touching the county from 1950 to 2024[4].
Is Lancaster County at risk of earthquakes?
FEMA rates earthquake risk Very Low for Lancaster County compared with other US counties[23]. A low rating does not mean damage cannot happen[7].
How many disasters have been declared in Lancaster County?
OpenFEMA lists 14 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Lancaster County since 1967[2].
How do I check a flood zone?
Look up the address in FEMA's Flood Map Service Center or ask the local floodplain manager[26]. County-level ratings do not tell you the flood zone of one address[26].

Facts and sources

  1. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Lancaster County is $115.4 million a year (Expected Annual Loss rating Relatively Moderate, score 91.9). Of this, buildings account for $72.9 million, injuries and deaths (converted to dollars by FEMA) for... FEMA National Risk Index
  2. OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries list 14 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Lancaster County since 1967 (13 major disaster, 1 emergency or fire management). By incident type: severe storm 7, flood 5, winter storm 1, hurricane 1. Biological (such as COVID-19) and other non-natural... OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations
  3. HazardFacts tally of OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims (losses from 1978 to 2026): 313 National Flood Insurance Program claims were filed for losses in Lancaster County, 162 of them with a payment, and NFIP paid $3.0 million in total (building, contents and increased cost of compliance, in dollars of the year paid).... OpenFEMA NFIP claims
  4. NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950 to 2024): 58 recorded tornadoes touched Lancaster County. The strongest were rated F4 (most recent of them on 2004-05-22). 4 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger. The most recent recorded tornado was on 2024-07-01. Ratings used the Fujita scale until early 2007 and the... NOAA Storm Prediction Center
  5. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): the overall natural hazard Risk Index rating for Lancaster County is Relatively Moderate, with a Risk Index score of 90.7 out of 100. The score is the county's percentile rank among all US counties. FEMA National Risk Index
  6. Among the 18 hazards in the FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), the hazards with the highest hazard-type Risk Index scores for Lancaster County are strong wind (99.2, Very High), hail (98.7, Relatively High), tornado (98.7, Relatively High). HazardFacts sorted FEMA's published scores; FEMA's... FEMA National Risk Index
  7. FEMA's National Risk Index FAQ (December 2025): Expected Annual Loss is FEMA's estimate of the average economic loss in dollars from natural hazards each year. The index is not meant to predict how much damage a community will have in the next year, and a hazard can still cause damage where a rating is low. Scores... FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  8. HazardFacts sorted FEMA's hazard-type Expected Annual Loss values for Lancaster County (National Risk Index v1.20): the largest are tornado ($42.2 million a year), inland flooding ($34.2 million a year), strong wind ($12.4 million a year), out of $115.4 million a year from all 18 hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  9. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Social Vulnerability rating for Lancaster County is Very Low (score 14.7). FEMA describes social vulnerability as how susceptible social groups are to the harm natural hazards cause. FEMA National Risk Index
  10. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Community Resilience rating for Lancaster County is Very High (score 96.5). FEMA describes community resilience as a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  11. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), strong wind in Lancaster County: Risk Index rating Very High (score 99.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $12.4 million a year (rating Very High). Annualized frequency 4.48 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  12. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hail in Lancaster County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 98.7 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $12.1 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 7.78 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 37 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  13. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), tornado in Lancaster County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 98.7 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $42.2 million a year (rating Very High). Annualized frequency 0.78 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  14. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), winter weather in Lancaster County: Risk Index rating Very High (score 97.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.6 million a year (rating Very High). Annualized frequency 13.53 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  15. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), wildfire in Lancaster County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 93.7 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $3.3 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0015 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  16. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), lightning in Lancaster County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 92.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.7 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 45.87 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 24 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  17. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), ice storm in Lancaster County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 90.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.3 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 0.88 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 68 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  18. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), inland flooding in Lancaster County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 85.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $34.2 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 1.43 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of... FEMA National Risk Index
  19. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), cold wave in Lancaster County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 78.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $4.2 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 3.84 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18... FEMA National Risk Index
  20. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), heat wave in Lancaster County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 76.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.6 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 8.26 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18... FEMA National Risk Index
  21. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), drought in Lancaster County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 69.7 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $653,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 17.22 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 22... FEMA National Risk Index
  22. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), landslide in Lancaster County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 59.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $3,237 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  23. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), earthquake in Lancaster County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 40.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $203,000 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0006 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  24. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) rates these hazards Not Applicable for Lancaster County: avalanche, coastal flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity. FEMA uses Not Applicable when its source data has no historical record of the hazard in the community and the hazard is not considered... FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  25. NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (OpenFEMA, as of 2026-08-03): 753 residential flood insurance contracts were in force in Lancaster County, out of 97,303 residential structures, a penetration rate of 0.8%. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area there were 2,580 residential structures and 639 contracts, a... OpenFEMA NFIP penetration rates
  26. FEMA's Flood Map Service Center is the official public source for flood maps (Flood Insurance Rate Maps) produced under the National Flood Insurance Program. Flood zones apply to specific properties: look up an address there or ask the local floodplain manager. County-level ratings do not tell you the flood zone of... FEMA Flood Map Service Center
  27. Most recent federal disaster declarations for natural hazards (table on this page). OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations

FEMA's National Risk Index compares each county with all other US counties. Ratings are relative (Very Low to Very High), not a measure of safety. Never call a place safe, unsafe, good or bad to live in. Risk Index and Expected Annual Loss values are FEMA estimates for planning. They do not predict next year's losses and do not apply to a single property. Flood zones are set by FEMA flood maps for specific properties. County ratings and flood insurance counts do not tell anyone whether an address is in a flood zone. Disaster declaration, NFIP and tornado counts are records of the past for this county only. Do not compare with other counties unless a fact does.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Risk Index Dataset: National Risk Index Counties, v1.20 (December 2025). Retrieved from fema.maps.arcgis.com on October 30, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA.