Banner County, NE
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Banner County has experienced 8 federally declared disasters since 1998, most recently Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Banner County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hail, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 27% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (1st percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Banner County has been designated in 8 declarations since 1998, covering 4 disaster types including severe storm (4), biological (2), flood (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuees |
| 2001 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding And Tornadoes |
| 1998 | Severe Storm | Severe Snow Storms, Rain, And Strong Winds |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 42.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 0.9 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 3.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 2.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 7.6 | 2 | 0 | $25K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 49.7 | 33 | 0 | $120K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 5.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 10.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 11.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 13.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 1.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 66.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 6.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Banner County ranks in the 1st percentile (Very low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1st | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 4th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 45th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 22nd | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 0th | Very low |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 72nd | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 73rd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 92.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 38 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 22 in 2016–20 vs 16 in 2021–25 (-27% — frequency decreasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Banner County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Banner County, Nebraska are drought, hail, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Banner County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Banner County has received 8 federal disaster declarations since 1998, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (4 declarations).
Has Banner County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Banner County include Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1998.
How does Banner County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Laramie County, WY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Kimball County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Banner County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Banner County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Banner County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Banner County's composite score of 1 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 1% of US counties.