Natural hazards · Crete

Crete, NE natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Crete comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 12 claims here since 1981. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Crete?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Crete to be higher than in 66% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding35%Tornadoes26%Strong wind13%Hail10%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Crete faces

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

Inland flooding

35% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

26% of expected damage

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

Strong wind

13% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Hail

10% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 8 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 Crete flood?

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

12paid claims since 1981

$47Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

March 2019 Midwest Flooding: 4 claims, $22K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Saline County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Crete

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CreteDeclared for Saline County only

2019

Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

13 households applied for aid $11K aid approved $25K to the City of Crete for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $8K to the City of Crete for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

Saline County has had 19 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. Crete covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Crete’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Crete. 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 Crete 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.