Kimball County, NE
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Kimball 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.
Kimball County's highest-rated hazards are hail, drought, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 20% 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. Kimball 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 |
| 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 | 55.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 7.3 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 26 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 3.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 23.9 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 80.9 | 67 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 15 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 37.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 70.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 21.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 23.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 78.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 5.4 | 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
Kimball County ranks in the 43rd 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 | 43rd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 70th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 56th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 46th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 7th | 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 | 60th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 63rd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 56.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 81 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 45 in 2016–20 vs 36 in 2021–25 (-20% — 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 Kimball County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Kimball County, Nebraska are hail, drought, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Kimball County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Kimball 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 Kimball County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Kimball County include Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1998.
How does Kimball 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 Banner County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Kimball County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Kimball County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Kimball 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. Kimball County's composite score of 8 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 8% of US counties.