Harlan County, NE
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Harlan County has experienced 14 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Harlan County's highest-rated hazards are hail, drought, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 30% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Harlan County has been designated in 14 declarations since 1967, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (7), flood (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2018 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuees |
Showing the 10 most recent of 14 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 | Very Low | 35 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 9.3 | 5 | 0 | $250K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 6.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 17.4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 35.8 | 5 | 0 | $600K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 96.7 | 35 | 0 | $1.5M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 88.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 52.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 60.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 14.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 19.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 92.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 13 | 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
Harlan County ranks in the 33rd 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 | 33rd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 13th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 93rd | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 15th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 41st | 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 | 33rd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 35th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 43.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 46 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 20 in 2016–20 vs 26 in 2021–25 (+30% — frequency increasing).
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 Harlan County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Harlan County, Nebraska are hail, drought, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Harlan County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Harlan County has received 14 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (7 declarations).
Has Harlan County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Harlan County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes in 2022.
How does Harlan County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Furnas County, NE has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Gosper County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Harlan County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Harlan County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Harlan 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. Harlan County's composite score of 32 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 32% of US counties.