Thomas County, NE
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Thomas County has experienced 10 federally declared disasters since 2001, 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.
Thomas County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, drought, and hail, with its top risk rated "Very Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 29 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (0th 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. Thomas County has been designated in 10 declarations since 2001, covering 4 disaster types including severe storm (6), biological (2), hurricane (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Fire | Thedford Fire |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuees |
| 2001 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Flooding And Tornadoes |
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 | 42.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 1 | 2 | 0 | $26K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 2.9 | 2 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 7.7 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 19.6 | 26 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 13.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 3.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 6.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 34.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 17.5 | 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
Thomas County ranks in the 0th percentile (Very 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 | 0th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 2nd | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 2nd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 37th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 0th | Very 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 | 76th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 77th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 80.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 29 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 14 in 2016–20 vs 15 in 2021–25 (+7% — relatively stable).
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 Thomas County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Thomas County, Nebraska are wildfire, drought, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Thomas County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Thomas County has received 10 federal disaster declarations since 2001, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (6 declarations).
Has Thomas County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Thomas County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 2001.
How does Thomas County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Custer County, NE has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and McPherson County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Thomas County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Thomas County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Thomas 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. Thomas County's composite score of 0 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 0% of US counties.