Natural hazards · Nevada

Nevada, IA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Nevada comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 16 claims here since 1984. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Nevada?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Nevada to be higher than in 43% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding50%Tornadoes30%Drought6%Hail5%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Nevada faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

50% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

30% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Drought

6% of expected damage

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Hail

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Nevada flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Nevada, from FEMA’s records.

16paid claims since 1984

$318Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19842026

Biggest named events

Midwest Flooding: 9 claims, $151K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Nevada isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Story County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

12flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Nevada

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Nevada itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Nevada.

Brought FEMA money into NevadaDeclared for Story County only

2024

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

50 households applied for aid $77K aid approved

2020

Severe Storms

54 households applied for aid $36K aid approved $173K to the City of Nevada for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

31 households applied for aid $62K aid approved $23K to the City of Nevada for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

31 households applied for aid $25K aid approved $160K to the City of Nevada for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$15K to the City of Nevada for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

69 households applied for aid $138K aid approved $13K to the City of Nevada for repairs

Story County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Nevada covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Nevada’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Nevada. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Nevada total about $918K a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.