Cherry County, NE
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Cherry County has experienced 11 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Cherry County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, drought, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 241 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (30th 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. Cherry County has been designated in 11 declarations since 1967, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (5), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2006 | Fire | Big Rock Fire |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuees |
| 2001 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding And Tornadoes |
Showing the 10 most recent of 11 total declarations since 1967.
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 | Relatively Low | 88.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 15 | 8 | 0 | $12K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 22 | 2 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 19.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 26.3 | 16 | 0 | $105K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 46.9 | 217 | 0 | $10K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 9.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 59.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 30.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 56.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 19.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 69.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 60 | 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
Cherry County ranks in the 30th percentile (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 | 30th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 19th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 17th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 44th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 69th | Moderate |
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 | 81st | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 82nd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 72.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 241 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 124 in 2016–20 vs 117 in 2021–25 (-6% — relatively stable).
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 Cherry County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Cherry County, Nebraska are wildfire, drought, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Cherry County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Cherry County has received 11 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (5 declarations).
Has Cherry County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Cherry County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Cherry County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Todd County, SD has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Grant County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Cherry County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Cherry County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Cherry 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. Cherry County's composite score of 14 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 14% of US counties.