Enter any address in Cherry County, Nebraska to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms dominates the flood character of Cherry County. Over the past 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database has recorded 14 flash flood events and 3 flood events. Recent examples include flash flooding in June 2023, associated with thunderstorms along a stationary frontal boundary. In July 2020, severe thunderstorms produced wind gusts up to 100 mph and tennis ball-sized hail, with multiple reports of damaged crops and flooded buildings.
Residents with properties located in areas identified by FEMA as high-risk flood zones, particularly those without a Base Flood Elevation (BFE), should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
5 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Cherry County, Nebraska has recorded 17 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 14 flash floods and 3 river or area floods. The county has received 11 federal disaster declarations, 2 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1967–2020)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Flood | Mar 9, 2019 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 1, 2010 |
| Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm | Severe Storm | Dec 22, 2009 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Jun 5, 2009 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 22, 2008 |
| Big Rock Fire | Fire | Jul 16, 2006 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuees | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Apr 10, 2001 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 12, 2025 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 10, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jul 10, 2020 | 1.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 10, 2020 | 1.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 4, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 22, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 6, 2014 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 6, 2014 | 10.00K |
| Flood | Jun 12, 2010 | 125.00K |
| Flood | Jun 10, 2010 | 35.00K |
Flash Flood — Jun 12, 2025
Severe thunderstorms developed along a stationary front, situated along the South Dakota and Nebraska Border during the early evening hours of June 12th. This activity tracked slowly to the south-southeast producing flash flooding in Valentine, along with golf ball sized hail and thunderstorm wind gusts up to 67 MPH. This activity gradually moved south, merging with a second line of storms whic...
Flash Flood — Jun 10, 2023
A stationary frontal boundary and surface trough draped across the area brought a few thunderstorms with a couple of severe thunderstorms to the area.
Flood — Jul 10, 2020
Two primary supercells moved southeast from Cherry County and vicinity toward Custer County during the late morning and afternoon. An additional round of storms consisting of a linear system and a supercell moved through north central Nebraska later in the evening. Wind gusts were estimated up to 100 mph and hail to tennis ball size, while multiple reports of damaged crops and flooded buildings...
Flash Flood — Jul 10, 2020
Two primary supercells moved southeast from Cherry County and vicinity toward Custer County during the late morning and afternoon. An additional round of storms consisting of a linear system and a supercell moved through north central Nebraska later in the evening. Wind gusts were estimated up to 100 mph and hail to tennis ball size, while multiple reports of damaged crops and flooded buildings...
Flash Flood — Aug 4, 2019
Several clusters of thunderstorms developed mid-afternoon across northwest Nebraska and southern South Dakota. Thunderstorms moved southeast through the afternoon and evening hours.
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Cherry County, Nebraska:
AE High Risk — 1% annual chance of flooding. Insurance required.
VE Very High Risk — Coastal flooding with wave action.
X (Shaded) Moderate Risk — 500-year floodplain.
X Low Risk — Outside major floodplains.
Properties in Cherry County, Nebraska that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with federally backed mortgages are required to carry flood insurance.
Even outside high-risk zones, flood insurance is recommended. From 2014 to 2024, nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area.
Visit FloodSmart.gov to find an agent and get a quote.