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Natural hazard risk in Morrill County, Nebraska

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

FEMA overall Risk Index rating: Very Low (score 27.8 of 100)[4]

Expected annual loss (FEMA)
$8.0 million[1]
Federal disaster declarations since 2001
15[2]
Tornadoes recorded, 1950 to 2024
54[3]

FEMA's National Risk Index rates the overall natural hazard risk for Morrill County, Nebraska as Very Low compared with other US counties[4]. The hazards with the highest FEMA scores within the county are drought, hail and wildfire[5].

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's National Risk Index estimates Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Morrill County at $8.0 million a year, with a rating of Very Low[1]. This is a FEMA estimate of average yearly loss, not money anyone paid[6]. FEMA's sorted loss values show the largest shares come from drought, inland flooding and hail, in that order[7]. FEMA rates Social Vulnerability as Relatively Moderate[8]. FEMA rates Community Resilience as Relatively Low[9]. The index does not predict next year's losses[6].

Hazards sorted by FEMA hazard-type Risk Index score, highest first
HazardFEMA risk ratingExpected annual loss
DroughtRelatively High$3.4 million[10]
HailRelatively Moderate$1.2 million[11]
WildfireRelatively Low$98,000[12]
LightningRelatively Moderate$298,000[13]
Ice StormRelatively Low$78,000[14]
Winter WeatherRelatively Low$51,000[15]
Cold WaveRelatively Low$682,000[16]
TornadoVery Low$322,000[17]
EarthquakeVery Low$27,000[18]
Strong WindRelatively Low$132,000[19]
Inland FloodingVery Low$1.7 million[20]
LandslideVery Low$37[21]
Heat WaveVery Low$4,917[22]

Rated Not Applicable by FEMA for this county: avalanche, coastal flooding, hurricane, tsunami, volcanic activity[23].

Social vulnerability and community resilience

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

FEMA measureRatingScore
Social vulnerabilityRelatively Moderate56.3[8]
Community resilienceRelatively Low39.5[9]

Flooding and flood insurance

FEMA rates inland flooding risk in Morrill County as Very Low compared with other US counties, with an Expected Annual Loss of $1.7 million a year[20]. OpenFEMA lists 2 residential flood insurance contracts in force out of 3,072 residential structures as of 2026-08-03[24]. Flood zones apply to single addresses, so use FEMA's Flood Map Service Center to look one up[25].

Measure Value
Inland Flooding, FEMA risk rating[20] Very Low, $1.7 million expected loss a year
NFIP residential flood policies in force (2026)[24] 2 of 3,072 homes

Is a specific address in a flood zone? Only FEMA's flood maps answer that, property by property[25]. This page describes the whole county.

Search an address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center

Disaster declarations and tornado records

OpenFEMA lists 15 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Morrill County since 2001[2]. The most recent is DR-4920-NE for wildfires, declared 2026-06-30[26]. NOAA's tornado database records 54 tornadoes that touched the county from 1950 to 2024[3]. The most recent recorded tornado was on 2023-08-08[3].

Federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Morrill County, since 2001
Incident type Declarations
Severe Storm[2] 10
Flood[2] 2
Fire[2] 2
Hurricane[2] 1
Most recent declarations
Declaration Incident Declared
DR-4920-NE[26] Wildfires 2026-06-30
FM-5623-NE[26] Morrill-Cottonwood Fire 2026-03-13
DR-4786-NE[26] Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds 2024-05-24
DR-4420-NE[26] Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding 2019-03-21
DR-4325-NE[26] Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds 2017-08-01

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.

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

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

Questions people ask

Is Morrill County at risk of flooding?
FEMA rates inland flooding risk in Morrill County as Very Low compared with other US counties[20]. For a single address, check FEMA's Flood Map Service Center[25].
Is Morrill County at risk of tornadoes?
FEMA rates tornado risk in Morrill County as Very Low compared with other US counties[17]. NOAA's tornado database records 54 tornadoes touching the county from 1950 to 2024[3].
Is Morrill County at risk of earthquakes or hurricanes?
FEMA rates earthquake risk in Morrill County as Very Low[18]. FEMA rates hurricane as Not Applicable for the county[23].
How many disasters were declared in Morrill County?
OpenFEMA lists 15 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Morrill County since 2001[2].
Is Morrill County at risk of wildfire?
FEMA rates wildfire risk in Morrill County as Relatively Low compared with other US counties[12].

Facts and sources

  1. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Morrill County is $8.0 million a year (Expected Annual Loss rating Very Low, score 26.5). Of this, buildings account for $2.4 million, injuries and deaths (converted to dollars by FEMA) for $987,000 and... FEMA National Risk Index
  2. OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries list 15 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Morrill County since 2001 (12 major disaster, 3 emergency or fire management). By incident type: severe storm 10, flood 2, fire 2, hurricane 1. Biological (such as COVID-19) and other non-natural... OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations
  3. NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950 to 2024): 54 recorded tornadoes touched Morrill County. The strongest were rated F4 (most recent of them on 1955-06-27). 1 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger. The most recent recorded tornado was on 2023-08-08. Ratings used the Fujita scale until early 2007 and the... NOAA Storm Prediction Center
  4. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): the overall natural hazard Risk Index rating for Morrill County is Very Low, with a Risk Index score of 27.8 out of 100. The score is the county's percentile rank among all US counties. FEMA National Risk Index
  5. 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 Morrill County are drought (97.1, Relatively High), hail (86.8, Relatively Moderate), wildfire (63.9, Relatively Low). HazardFacts sorted FEMA's published scores; FEMA's... FEMA National Risk Index
  6. 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
  7. HazardFacts sorted FEMA's hazard-type Expected Annual Loss values for Morrill County (National Risk Index v1.20): the largest are drought ($3.4 million a year), inland flooding ($1.7 million a year), hail ($1.2 million a year), out of $8.0 million a year from all 18 hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  8. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Social Vulnerability rating for Morrill County is Relatively Moderate (score 56.3). FEMA describes social vulnerability as how susceptible social groups are to the harm natural hazards cause. FEMA National Risk Index
  9. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Community Resilience rating for Morrill County is Relatively Low (score 39.5). FEMA describes community resilience as a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  10. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), drought in Morrill County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 97.1 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $3.4 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 83.14 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 22 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  11. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hail in Morrill County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 86.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.2 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 5.53 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 37 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  12. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), wildfire in Morrill County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 63.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $98,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0016 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  13. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), lightning in Morrill County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 60.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $298,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 45.01 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 24 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  14. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), ice storm in Morrill County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 51.1 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $78,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 0.03 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 68 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  15. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), winter weather in Morrill County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 47.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $51,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 13.68 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  16. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), cold wave in Morrill County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 44.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $682,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 4.84 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  17. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), tornado in Morrill County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 25.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $322,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.86 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  18. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), earthquake in Morrill County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 20.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $27,000 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0004 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  19. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), strong wind in Morrill County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 17.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $132,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 1.53 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  20. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), inland flooding in Morrill County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 16.3 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.7 million a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.5 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 26 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  21. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), landslide in Morrill County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 12.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $37 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  22. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), heat wave in Morrill County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 4.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $4,917 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.37 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  23. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) rates these hazards Not Applicable for Morrill County: avalanche, coastal flooding, hurricane, 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
  24. NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (OpenFEMA, as of 2026-08-03): 2 residential flood insurance contracts were in force in Morrill County, out of 3,072 residential structures, a penetration rate of 0.1%. OpenFEMA NFIP penetration rates
  25. 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
  26. 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.