Saline County, NE
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Saline County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Saline County's highest-rated hazards are hail, strong wind, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 56% 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. Saline County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1967, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (9), flood (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 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 |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| 2010 | Flood | Severe Storms, Ice Jams, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 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 | Relatively Low | 68.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 38.6 | 13 | 0 | $325K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 18 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 18 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 69 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 94.2 | 39 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 84.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 77 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 79.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 21 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 48.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 77.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 10.7 | 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
Saline County ranks in the 50th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 50th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 39th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 71st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 70th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 36th | 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 | 31st | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 38th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 38.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 62 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 43 in 2016–20 vs 19 in 2021–25 (-56% — 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 Saline County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Saline County, Nebraska are hail, strong wind, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Saline County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Saline County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (9 declarations).
Has Saline County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Saline County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (2026), Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1967.
How does Saline County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Lancaster County, NE has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Fillmore County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Saline County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Saline County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Saline 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. Saline County's composite score of 42 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 42% of US counties.