6 flood insurance claims·$4,899 paid·2 federal flood & hurricane disasters
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 Holt 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 summer thunderstorms dominates the flood profile of Holt County, Nebraska, supported by 17 flash flood events compared to 6 general flood events over the last 30 years.
Severe weather can cause rapid inundation, as occurred on June 20, 2024, when thunderstorms along a stationary frontal boundary produced flash flooding in the Long Pine and O'Neill areas alongside tornadoes, large hail, and high winds. Broader riverine and historical flooding also occurs, driven by combinations of rain, snow, and rapid snowmelt over frozen ground. A notable historical event from March 2019 brought widespread flooding along major waterways including the Niobrara, Elkhorn, and Loup rivers, and creeks such as Long Pine and Cedar, alongside the failure of Spencer Dam and several private dams.
NFIP claims data reflect historical impacts across different zones. Properties in Zone A recorded 5 claims with an average payout of $773 and an average recorded water depth of 1 inch. Properties in Zone X_UNSHADED recorded 1 claim with an average payout of $4,126 and an average recorded water depth of 2 inches. Residents near rivers, streams, dams, and identified flood zones should pay the closest attention to these risks.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 2 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 2019, with 3 claims and $4,899 paid, the year of Severe Winter Storm, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
10 NOAA storm reports from Holt County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Nebraska flood stories →
16 federal disaster declarations since 2003, 2 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Jun 19, 2024 |
| Severe Storms And Straight-line Winds | May 12, 2022 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Mar 9, 2019 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Straight-line Winds | Apr 13, 2018 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Straight-line Winds | Apr 29, 2017 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Jun 1, 2014 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Jun 1, 2010 |
| Severe Storms, Ice Jams, And Flooding | Mar 6, 2010 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
23 since 1996: 17 flash floods and 6 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 20, 2024 | $2,000 |
| Flood | Mar 16, 2019 | $100,000 |
| Flood | Mar 13, 2019 | $250,000 |
| Flash Flood | Sep 12, 2019 | — |
| Flash Flood | Sep 11, 2019 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 18, 2016 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 17, 2016 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 6, 2015 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jun 20, 2024. Thunderstorms developed along a stationary frontal boundary, which was draped across the central Sandhills, during the late afternoon hours of June 20th. This activity became severe later on with hail up to ping pong size, thunderstorm wind gusts up to 70 MPH and a couple of tornadoes. Flash flooding was also reported in the Long Pine and O'Neill areas.
Flood · Mar 16, 2019. Historical flooding occurred in north central Nebraska as rivers, creeks and other streams rose due to the combination of snow, rain, and rapid snow melt on top of frozen ground. The greatest flooding occurred along the Niobrara, Keya Paha, Elkhorn and Loup Rivers; Ponca, Long Pine, Victoria and Cedar creeks; and one fatality occurred from the failure of Spencer Dam that is located on the Niobrara River. In additi…
Flood · Mar 13, 2019. Historical flooding occurred in north central Nebraska as rivers, creeks and other streams rose due to the combination of snow, rain, and rapid snow melt on top of frozen ground. The greatest flooding occurred along the Niobrara, Keya Paha, Elkhorn and Loup Rivers; Ponca, Long Pine, Victoria and Cedar creeks; and one fatality occurred from the failure of Spencer Dam that is located on the Niobrara River. In additi…
Flash Flood · Sep 12, 2019. A strong upper level trough of low pressure forced a cold front through western and north central Nebraska during the late afternoon and evening hours of September 11th. Thunderstorms developed in the eastern Nebraska Panhandle and moved east and southeast during the evening hours. Hail up to two and a half inches in diameter and thunderstorm wind gusts to 80 MPH were reported.
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 Holt 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.