Buffalo County, Nebraska severe weather history spans 795 recorded events between 1953 and 2025. The dominant hazard is hail, accounting for 48.4% of all recorded events. It ranks #295 nationally and #10 in Nebraska.
795
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
26
Direct injuries
$190.1M
Property damage
The record
What the Buffalo County, Nebraska severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Buffalo County, Nebraska severe weather history averages 11.0 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2010s, with 228 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 137 events fall before 1990 and 658 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The costliest is hail, with $100.4M in reported property damage. In total, 8 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Buffalo County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 385 | 0 | $100.4M | 6 | 1956–2025 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 261 | 0 | $23.5M | 87 | 1972–2025 |
| Tornado | 82 | 0 | $25.9M | F4 | 1953–2024 |
| Heavy Rain | 29 | 0 | $587K | 0 | 1997–2019 |
| Flash Flood | 16 | 0 | $33.4M | 0 | 2005–2023 |
| Flood | 13 | 0 | $6.1M | 0 | 1996–2019 |
| Funnel Cloud | 5 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2004–2005 |
| Lightning | 4 | 0 | $220K | 0 | 2001–2024 |
Decade by decade
Buffalo County, Nebraska severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
89 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 78 touched down inside it and 11 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956-06-06 | EF4 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2011-06-20 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 10.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1993-06-06 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 10.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 1993-06-06 | EF3 | 0 | 2 | 60.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 1993-06-06 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 50.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1990-03-13 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 32.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 1985-05-10 | EF3 | 0 | 2 | 17.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1974-04-20 | EF3 | 0 | 6 | 63.5 mi | Crossed in |
| 1958-07-18 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1956-10-29 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 65.5 mi | Crossed in |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Buffalo County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 13, 2002 | Hail | KEARNEY | 0 | 15 | $50.0M |
| Sep 25, 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | ELM CREEK | 0 | 5 | $2.4M |
| May 29, 1991 | Tornado | 0 | 2 | $250K | |
| May 10, 1985 | Tornado | 0 | 2 | $2.5M | |
| Jul 9, 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | (EAR)KEARNEY ARPT | 0 | 1 | $3.0M |
| Jun 20, 2011 | Tornado | ELM CREEK | 0 | 1 | $750K |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
There were several reports of hail ranging from 2-4 inch diameter in and near Ravenna. Widespread home siding and window damage was reported. Vehicles sustained damage, including shattered windows and windshields of the town's fire trucks.
Hail up to the size of golf balls accompanied wind gusts of at least 70 MPH through the area. This combination led to significant tree and crop damage, with many fields reduced to stubble and crops were complete losses. Damage to campers was also reported at the Windmill State Recreation Area near Interstate 80.
Wind gusts were estimated to be at least 70 MPH, with a gust of 68 MPH measured 3 miles south of Gibbon. Accompanied by hail up to the size of golf balls, the combination caused significant crop and tree damage in the area, with many fields reduced to stubble with crops determined to be complete losses. Damage to campers was also reported at the Windmill State Recreation Area near Interstate 80.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Relatively Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
50,579
Population (ACS)
$246K
Median home value
18
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 23, 2022 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND TORNADOES | DR |
| Apr 4, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| Mar 21, 2019 | Flood | SEVERE WINTER STORM, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR |
| Aug 12, 2011 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT LINE WINDS, AND FLOODING | DR |
| Jul 15, 2010 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR |
Within the county
Most affected places
- Kearney 171
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Buffalo County, Nebraska?
795 events are on record between 1953 and 2025, causing 0 direct deaths and $190.1M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Buffalo County?
Hail, with 385 recorded events — 48.4% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Buffalo County?
89 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 78 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Buffalo County?
18 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Buffalo County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Buffalo County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Buffalo County as relatively low risk, placing it in the 66 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Buffalo County, Nebraska severe weather history data come from?
Every figure is drawn from United States federal public-domain records: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events for the event archive, NOAA SPC SVRGIS for mapped tornado paths, FEMA for disaster declarations and risk ratings, and the U.S. Census for population context. Dates are shown in UTC and recent entries may still be revised by NOAA.
Nearby
Neighbouring counties
- Brown County 458
- Burt County 290
- Boyd County 248
- Butler County 372
- Box Butte County 538
- Cass County 571
Cite this page
“Buffalo County, Nebraska.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/nebraska/buffalo-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.