Sherman County, NE
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Sherman County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1966, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Sherman County's highest-rated hazards are hail, drought, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 54 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (26th 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. Sherman County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1966, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (7), flood (6), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| 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 |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Winter Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
| 2010 | Flood | Severe Storms, Ice Jams, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 total declarations since 1966.
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 | 67.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 9.4 | 11 | 0 | $4.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 6.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 15.5 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 25 | 5 | 0 | $286K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 95.8 | 37 | 0 | $6.4M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 65.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 57.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 41.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 10.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 9.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 88.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 21.1 | 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
Sherman County ranks in the 26th 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 | 26th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 27th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 57th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 10th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 28th | 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 | 69th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 77th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 54.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 54 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 29 in 2016–20 vs 25 in 2021–25 (-14% — 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 Sherman County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Sherman 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 Sherman County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Sherman County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1966, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (7 declarations).
Has Sherman County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Sherman County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1966.
How does Sherman County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Hall County, NE has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Greeley County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Sherman County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Sherman County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Sherman 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. Sherman County's composite score of 22 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 22% of US counties.