Natural hazards · Ogallala

Ogallala, NE natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ogallala comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1980.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ogallala?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ogallala to be higher than in 25% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding33%Cold waves15%Strong wind13%Lightning12%Tornadoes12%Hail9%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Ogallala faces

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

Inland flooding

33% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 27% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Cold waves

15% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Strong wind

13% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lightning

12% of expected damage

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

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Hail

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesEarthquakesLandslides

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesWildfireDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Ogallala flood?

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

2paid claims since 1980

$20Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19802026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Keith County.

Disasters that hit Ogallala

Federal disasters declared here

None of the disasters declared for Keith County shows FEMA aid or repair money reaching Ogallala itself in FEMA’s records.

Brought FEMA money into OgallalaDeclared for Keith County only

Keith County has had 7 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and fires.

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. Ogallala covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ogallala’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Ogallala. 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 Ogallala total about $561K 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.