Red Willow County, NE
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Red Willow County has experienced 14 federally declared disasters since 1990, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Red Willow County's highest-rated hazards are hail, drought, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 142% 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. Red Willow County has been designated in 14 declarations since 1990, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (9), biological (2), fire (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2022 | Fire | Road 702 Fire |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuees |
Showing the 10 most recent of 14 total declarations since 1990.
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 | 24 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 10.9 | 7 | 0 | $5K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 12.8 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 26.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 41 | 4 | 0 | $1K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 91.4 | 95 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 53.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 72.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 55.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 37.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 33.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 86.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 14.9 | 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
Red Willow County ranks in the 35th 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 | 35th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 34th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 36th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 28th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 51st | 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 | 34th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 35th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 32.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 106 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 31 in 2016–20 vs 75 in 2021–25 (+142% — 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 Red Willow County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Red Willow County, Nebraska are hail, drought, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Red Willow County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Red Willow County has received 14 federal disaster declarations since 1990, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (9 declarations).
Has Red Willow County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Red Willow County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1990.
How does Red Willow 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 Hayes County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Red Willow County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Red Willow County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Red Willow 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. Red Willow County's composite score of 20 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 20% of US counties.