Washington County, NE
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Washington County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1971, 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.
Washington County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, hail, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 67% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (1st 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. Washington County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1971, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (12), flood (6), tornado (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 |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2024 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2021 | 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 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 total declarations since 1971.
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 | 82.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 27.1 | 8 | 0 | $10K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 9.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 18.3 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 66.5 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 79.9 | 42 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 47.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 11.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 52.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 36.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 9.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 69.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 75 | 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
Washington County ranks in the 1st 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 | 1st | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 3rd | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 12th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 10th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 4th | 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 | 49th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 57th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 51.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 64 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 24 in 2016–20 vs 40 in 2021–25 (+67% — 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 Washington County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Washington County, Nebraska are wildfire, hail, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Washington County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Washington County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1971, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (12 declarations).
Has Washington County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Washington County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (2026), Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1971.
How does Washington County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Douglas County, NE has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Burt County, NE has the lowest (Very Low). Washington County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Washington County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Washington 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. Washington County's composite score of 26 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 26% of US counties.