Nevada County, AR
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Nevada County has experienced 26 federally declared disasters since 1979, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Nevada County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, hail, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 26% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (85th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Nevada County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1979, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (14), flood (2), winter storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2023 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Laura |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Associated Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 26 total declarations since 1979.
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 | 29.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 24 | 17 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 57.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 55.4 | 69 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 47.3 | 7 | 0 | $440K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 56.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 70.9 | 14 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 46.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 31.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 98.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 7.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 49 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 41.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 21.3 | 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
Nevada County ranks in the 85th percentile (High) 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 | 85th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 79th | High |
| Household characteristics | 87th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 75th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 74th | 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 | 48th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 46th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 80.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 106 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 47 in 2016–20 vs 59 in 2021–25 (+26% — 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 Nevada County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Nevada County, Arkansas are ice storm, hail, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Nevada County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Nevada County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1979, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (14 declarations).
Has Nevada County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Nevada County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1979.
How does Nevada County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Hempstead County, AR has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Pike County, AR has the lowest (Very Low). Nevada County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Nevada County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Nevada 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. Nevada County's composite score of 31 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 31% of US counties.