Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Hitchcock County, Nebraska. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Flash flooding from severe weather events dominates the flood risk profile in Hitchcock County, Nebraska, accounting for the majority of recorded flood incidents over the past 30 years. NOAA storm data shows 15 flash flood events compared to four standard flood events.
Recent history highlights the localized severity of these storms. In May 2021, heavy rainfall in the Stratton area caused a culvert and portions of a county road to be washed out. A more widespread event occurred in May 2023, when slow-moving thunderstorms dropped 6.5 to 9.5 inches of rain across Dundy, Hitchcock, and Red Willow counties, causing flooding that lasted for days and required extensive repairs.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the closest attention to properties near small streams, low-lying roadways, culverts, and areas susceptible to rapid accumulation from heavy precipitation.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
7 NOAA storm reports from Hitchcock County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Nebraska flood stories →
9 federal disaster declarations since 1990.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | May 20, 2024 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | May 28, 2007 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Dec 19, 2006 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuees | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Snow Storms, Rain, And Strong Winds | Oct 24, 1997 |
| Severe Snow And Ice Storm | Apr 10, 1994 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Jun 10, 1990 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
19 since 1996: 15 flash floods and 4 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | May 26, 2023 | $5,000 |
| Flood | May 26, 2023 | $740,000 |
| Flash Flood | May 26, 2023 | $202,000 |
| Flash Flood | May 17, 2021 | $25,000 |
| Flood | Jul 25, 2020 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 25, 2020 | $100 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 13, 2019 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 28, 2018 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · May 26, 2023. In the afternoon of the 25th, slow moving, high precipitation thunderstorms formed in eastern Colorado and moved northeast. In the evening, severe hail was reported along with heavy rain. Overnight on the 25th, the storms slowed, began to back-build, and cause flooding in southwest Nebraska. Flooding continued until the 28th but the damage it caused took even longer to repair. 6.5 to 9.5 inches of rain was reporte…
Flash Flood · May 26, 2023. In the afternoon of the 25th, slow moving, high precipitation thunderstorms formed in eastern Colorado and moved northeast. In the evening, severe hail was reported along with heavy rain. Overnight on the 25th, the storms slowed, began to back-build, and cause flooding in southwest Nebraska. Flooding continued until the 28th but the damage it caused took even longer to repair. 6.5 to 9.5 inches of rain was reporte…
Flash Flood · May 17, 2021. During the afternoon and into the evening, a line of strong thunderstorms developed in northwest Kansas and moved slowly north across parts of extreme southwest Nebraska where it dissipated. Heavy rainfall in the Stratton area caused a culvert and portions of a county road to be washed out.
Flood · Jul 25, 2020. A cluster of thunderstorms became stationary over Dundy County during the evening of the 23rd. The storm activity spread to the south and west through the rest of the 23rd into the 24th before ending from west to east. When the rainfall ended, over nine inches of rain had occurred roughly along CR 709, with lesser amounts to the north and south. Roads were washed out in many places, and the AM Track train was s…
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Hitchcock County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.