Natural hazards · North Platte

North Platte, NE natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in North Platte comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 26 claims here since 1978. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is North Platte?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in North Platte to be higher than in 53% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hail.

Inland flooding41%Hail18%Tornadoes15%Cold waves14%Everything else13%

By hazard

What North Platte faces

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

Inland flooding

41% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hail

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Cold waves

14% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 North Platte flood?

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

26paid claims since 1978

$205Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Late spring storms: 6 claims, $85K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Lincoln County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit North Platte

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into North PlatteDeclared for Lincoln County only

2024

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$246K to the City of North Platte for repairs

2019

Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$13K to the City of North Platte for repairs

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$114K to the City of North Platte for repairs

2011

Flooding

51 households applied for aid $78K aid approved $252K to the City of North Platte for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$32K to the City of North Platte for repairs

2006

Severe Winter Storms

$70K to the City of North Platte for repairs

Lincoln County has had 15 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. North Platte covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to North Platte’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of North Platte. 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 North Platte total about $7.3M 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.