Loup County, NE
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Loup County has experienced 14 federally declared disasters since 2005, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Loup County's highest-rated hazards are hail, drought, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" 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 (20th 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. Loup County has been designated in 14 declarations since 2005, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (8), 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 |
| 2018 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| 2010 | Flood | Severe Storms, Ice Jams, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
Showing the 10 most recent of 14 total declarations since 2005.
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 | 30.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 0.7 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 1.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 4.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 10 | 6 | 0 | $160K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 37.9 | 31 | 0 | $30K |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 6.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 11.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 10.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 4.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 1.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 33 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 11 | 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
Loup County ranks in the 20th 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 | 20th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 22nd | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 66th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 46th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 6th | 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 | 67th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 72nd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 77.6% | — |
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 Loup County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Loup County, Nebraska are hail, drought, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Loup County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Loup County has received 14 federal disaster declarations since 2005, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (8 declarations).
Has Loup County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Loup County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Loup County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Custer County, NE has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Blaine County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Loup County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Loup County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Loup 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. Loup County's composite score of 0 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 0% of US counties.