Scotts Bluff County, NE
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Scotts Bluff County has experienced 10 federally declared disasters since 1998, most recently Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Scotts Bluff County's highest-rated hazards are hail, drought, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 22% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (74th 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. Scotts Bluff County has been designated in 10 declarations since 1998, covering 4 disaster types including severe storm (4), flood (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuees |
| 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 | Relatively Low | 64.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 48 | 17 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 50.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 20.4 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 60 | 8 | 0 | $135K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 98.5 | 145 | 0 | $6.5M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 65 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 89.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 68.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 71.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 61.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 95.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 14.7 | 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
Scotts Bluff County ranks in the 74th 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 | 74th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 54th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 95th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 66th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 57th | 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 | 68th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 71st | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 27.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 173 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 78 in 2016–20 vs 95 in 2021–25 (+22% — 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 Scotts Bluff County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska are hail, drought, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Scotts Bluff County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Scotts Bluff County has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 1998, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (4 declarations).
Has Scotts Bluff County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Scotts Bluff County include Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (2024), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1998.
How does Scotts Bluff County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Goshen County, WY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Banner County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Scotts Bluff County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Scotts Bluff County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Scotts Bluff 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. Scotts Bluff County's composite score of 64 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 64% of US counties.