States › Nebraska › Saunders County
Saunders County, Nebraska
Recorded hazard history: storm events since 1950, federal disaster declarations since 1953, flood insurance claims since 1978, and FEMA's risk index.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. NCEI storm records through 30 Jun 2026; OpenFEMA declarations refreshed 29 Sep 2026; NFIP claims as of 8 Sep 2026.
Between 1950 and 2026, NCEI recorded 843 storm events in Saunders County, Nebraska, led by hail.
That is 112.6 events per 100 square miles, above the Nebraska figure of 83.3, and 369.9 per 10,000 residents against 325.9 statewide.
30 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 1 death and 32 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $70M and crop damage at $1.4M.
FEMA has designated the county in 30 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (major disaster, 22 Oct 2025).
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 259 claims since 1978, of which 208 were paid, totalling $4.3M (about $21K per paid claim). FEMA counts 364 residential flood policies in force.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Very Low" and its expected annual loss as "Relatively Low" ($16M a year across 18 hazards).
Compared with Nebraska and the United States
| Measure | Saunders County | Nebraska | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 843 | 64,002 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 112.6 | 83.3 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 369.9 | 325.9 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 30 | 1,590 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 1 | 182 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $70M | $5.1B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 11.4 | 3.1 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $21K | $22K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 14.6 | 23.8 | 16.1 |
County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county. State and US rows include events recorded only by forecast zone. Rates use 2021 Census population and land area.
Events by decade
Trend: 485 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 273 in the 20 years before. Reporting practice changed in 1996 and again with automated reports in the 2000s, so decade totals measure the record as much as the weather.
Events by type
Hazard pages exist for hail, tornado, flood, wind and winter where the county has at least 10 recorded events. "Other" covers heavy rain, debris flow, dust, funnel clouds and similar reports.
Largest recorded events
| Date | Event type | Group | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Mar 2013 | Blizzard | Winter | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Aug 1952 | Tornado | Tornado | F4 | $250K | — | — | 20 | County |
| 13 Mar 2019 | Flood | Flood | — | $52M | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jan 2009 | Winter Weather | Winter | — | — | — | — | 2 | Forecast zone |
| 12 Sep 2012 | Strong Wind | Wind | 30 mph | — | — | — | 2 | Forecast zone |
| 8 Apr 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 69 mph | $20K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 4 May 1959 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 22 May 1966 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 4 Sep 1989 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 75 mph | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 5 Jul 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 63 mph | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 13 Jul 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 27 Jun 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 115 mph | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 14 Jul 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 61 mph | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 3 Jul 1973 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1980 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1988 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Oct 1997 | Heavy Snow | Winter | — | $2.0M | $100K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jun 2024 | Flood | Flood | — | $1.2M | $150K | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 96 mph | $1.2M | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 2010 | Hail | Hail | 2.00 in | $250K | $800K | — | — | County |
Ranked by deaths, then injuries, then NCEI's damage estimate. Deaths and injuries are NCEI counts (direct plus indirect); no personal details are recorded here.
Federal disaster declarations
| Declared | Number | Type | Incident | Title | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Oct 2025 | DR-4896 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 21 May 2025 | DR-4868 | Major disaster | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds | Public assistance |
| 21 Oct 2024 | DR-4838 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 24 Sep 2024 | DR-4822 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 20 Aug 2024 | DR-4808 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 23 Feb 2022 | DR-4641 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes | Public assistance |
| 6 Sep 2021 | DR-4616 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds | Public assistance |
| 4 Apr 2020 | DR-4521 | Major disaster | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Mar 2020 | EM-3483 | Emergency | Biological | Covid-19 | Public assistance |
| 21 Mar 2019 | DR-4420 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 1 Aug 2017 | DR-4325 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds | Public assistance |
| 25 Jun 2015 | DR-4225 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 17 Jun 2014 | DR-4179 | Major disaster | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 21 Oct 2010 | DR-1945 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornado, And Straight-Lin | Public assistance |
| 15 Jul 2010 | DR-1924 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 25 Feb 2010 | DR-1878 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm | Public assistance |
| 18 Jul 2008 | DR-1779 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 20 Jun 2008 | DR-1770 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 6 Jun 2007 | DR-1706 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Public assistance |
| 13 Sep 2005 | EM-3245 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuees | Public assistance |
| 25 May 2004 | DR-1517 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding | Individual assistance |
| 1 Nov 1997 | DR-1190 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Snow Storms, Rain, And Strong Winds | Public assistance |
| 19 Jul 1993 | DR-998 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 2 Apr 1993 | DR-983 | Major disaster | Flood | Ice Jams & Flooding | Public assistance |
| 3 Jul 1984 | DR-716 | Major disaster | Tornado | Tornadoes & Flooding | Individual assistance |
| 24 Mar 1978 | DR-552 | Major disaster | Flood | Storms, Ice Jams, Snowmelt & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 8 Apr 1976 | DR-500 | Major disaster | Severe Ice Storm | Ice Storms & High Winds | Public assistance |
| 20 Oct 1973 | DR-406 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 23 Feb 1971 | DR-303 | Major disaster | Flood | Floods | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 18 Jul 1967 | DR-228 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
Declarations in which FEMA designated this county, from the OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). DR: major disaster; EM: emergency; FM: fire management assistance. Programs show whether individual or public assistance was made available.
Flood insurance claims
| Year of loss | Claims | Paid claims | Amount paid | Average paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 2 | $124,309 | $62,154 |
| 2019 | 49 | 41 | $2,080,553 | $50,745 |
| 2016 | 1 | 1 | $9,521 | $9,521 |
| 2015 | 5 | 4 | $363,348 | $90,837 |
| 2012 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2010 | 4 | 3 | $64,071 | $21,357 |
| 2008 | 2 | 1 | $3,368 | $3,368 |
| 2007 | 4 | 3 | $27,774 | $9,258 |
| 2006 | 1 | 1 | $6,473 | $6,473 |
| 2002 | 1 | 1 | $286 | $286 |
| 2001 | 2 | 2 | $8,292 | $4,146 |
| 1999 | 2 | 2 | $25,373 | $12,687 |
| 1998 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 1997 | 42 | 39 | $805,947 | $20,665 |
| 1996 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 1994 | 3 | 1 | $3,914 | $3,914 |
| 1993 | 56 | 41 | $398,187 | $9,712 |
| 1990 | 2 | 1 | $11,270 | $11,270 |
| 1989 | 3 | 3 | $9,706 | $3,235 |
| 1987 | 4 | 1 | $12,107 | $12,107 |
| 1986 | 3 | 2 | $20,028 | $10,014 |
| 1984 | 42 | 40 | $266,927 | $6,673 |
| 1983 | 4 | 3 | $9,563 | $3,188 |
| 1982 | 6 | 6 | $37,954 | $6,326 |
| 1980 | 8 | 4 | $5,291 | $1,323 |
OpenFEMA NFIP claims (v3, as of 8 Sep 2026), aggregated by year of loss; amounts are building, contents and increased-cost-of-compliance payments as recorded. Repetitive-loss counts from the NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (2 Aug 2026); policies in force from the NFIP Residential Penetration Rates file (3 Aug 2026).
National Risk Index
| Hazard (NRI) | Risk rating | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | $6,205,467 | |
| Tornado | $2,856,106 | |
| Hail | $2,697,010 | |
| Strong wind | $1,375,657 | |
| Drought | $1,288,082 | |
| Wildfire | $344,279 | |
| Cold wave | $316,587 | |
| Ice storm | $265,350 | |
| Winter weather | $107,971 | |
| Heat wave | $106,215 | |
| Lightning | $105,130 | |
| Earthquake | $20,463 | |
| Landslide | $2,997 |
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. Ratings are FEMA's relative comparison of counties; expected annual loss is FEMA's modelled estimate of average yearly building, population and agriculture loss. See how to read the NRI.
Hurricane and tropical storm passes
No HURDAT2 track at tropical-storm strength passes within 100 miles of the county's centre point (through the 2025 season).
ZIP codes with flood claims
ZIP codes whose NFIP claims carry this county's code, with the number of claims. Five or more claims are needed for a ZIP page to be indexed.
Questions and answers
How often does it hail in Saunders County, NE?
NCEI records 284 hail events in Saunders County since 1950, in 54 different years; that is about 3.7 recorded events a year. 72 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Saunders County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 46 tornadoes in Saunders County since 1950, 5 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 0.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Saunders County?
22 Oct 2025: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding, a major disaster declaration for severe storm. The county appears in 30 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Saunders County, and how much was paid?
259 NFIP claims since 1978, 208 of them paid, for $4.3M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Saunders County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Very Low" for overall risk, "Relatively Low" for expected annual loss, "Very Low" for social vulnerability and "Very High" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Saunders County compare with the rest of Nebraska?
112.6 recorded events per 100 square miles against 83.3 statewide, and 11.4 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 3.1. The comparison table on this page shows each measure beside the state and national figures.
Provenance
Storm events: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026 (public domain). Declarations: OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, refreshed 29 Sep 2026. Flood claims: OpenFEMA NfipClaims v3 as of 8 Sep 2026; NfipMultipleLossProperties v1 (2 Aug 2026); NfipResidentialPenetrationRates v1 (3 Aug 2026). Risk index: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Hurricane tracks: NHC HURDAT2 through 2025. Population and area: US Census Bureau, 2021 vintage. Built 30 Sep 2026; see the methodology and corrections pages. Hazard hubs: Hail · Tornado · Flood · Wind · Winter.