Cheyenne County, NE
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Cheyenne County has experienced 10 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.
Cheyenne County's highest-rated hazards are drought, hail, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 153 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (29th 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. Cheyenne County has been designated in 10 declarations since 1998, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (5), 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 |
| 2018 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 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 | 43.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 27.7 | 18 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 24 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 5.5 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 35.4 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 86.4 | 122 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 34.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 53.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 84.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 37.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 63.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 91.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 9.5 | 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
Cheyenne County ranks in the 29th 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 | 29th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 33rd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 12th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 36th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 50th | 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 | 50th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 51st | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 46.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 153 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 73 in 2016–20 vs 80 in 2021–25 (+10% — 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 Cheyenne County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Cheyenne County, Nebraska are drought, hail, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Cheyenne County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Cheyenne County has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 1998, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (5 declarations).
Has Cheyenne County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Cheyenne County include Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1998.
How does Cheyenne County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Logan County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Banner County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Cheyenne County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Cheyenne County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Cheyenne 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. Cheyenne County's composite score of 28 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 28% of US counties.