Natural hazards · Central

Central, NE natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Central comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1982. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Central?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Central to be higher than in 77% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding44%Tornadoes23%Strong wind12%Hail10%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Central faces

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

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

23% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 86 years in the area

Strong wind

12% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hail

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Central flood?

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

5paid claims since 1982

$2Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19822026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Merrick County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Central

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CentralDeclared for Merrick County only

2006

Severe Winter Storms

$16K to the City of Central for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$30K to the City of Central for repairs

Merrick County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

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. Central covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Central’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Central. 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 Central total about $2.4M 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.