1 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 Kimball 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 Kimball County, accounting for 29 out of 33 recorded flood events over the last 30 years, while general floods make up the remaining 4.
Severe weather events regularly threaten the area, as demonstrated on June 30, 2016, when thunderstorms produced torrential rainfall over a short period of time, resulting in flash flooding in southwest Kimball County. Another significant event occurred on August 14, 2022, when severe thunderstorms brought wind gusts exceeding 60 mph alongside heavy rainfall that caused street flooding within portions of Kimball. Additional heavy rainfall on August 18, 2016, produced flash flooding across Banner, Morrill, and Kimball counties.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the most attention to properties vulnerable to rapid stormwater accumulation during intense seasonal downpours, particularly low-lying areas and properties lacking adequate surface drainage.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
3 NOAA storm reports from Kimball County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Nebraska flood stories →
8 federal disaster declarations since 1997, 1 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm And Straight-line Winds | Apr 6, 2024 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Mar 9, 2019 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Dec 19, 2006 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuees | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding And Tornadoes | Apr 10, 2001 |
| Severe Snow Storms, Rain, And Strong Winds | Oct 24, 1997 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
33 since 1996: 29 flash floods and 4 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Aug 14, 2022 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 28, 2018 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 30, 2016 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 18, 2016 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 12, 2016 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 11, 2015 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 10, 2015 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 27, 2014 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Aug 14, 2022. Severe thunderstorms developed during the evening of the 14th with gusty winds in excess of 60 mph. Additionally, heavy rainfall resulted in street flooding for portions of Kimball.
Flash Flood · Jul 28, 2018. Thunderstorms produced large hail, very heavy rainfall and a weak tornado across Kimball County.
Flash Flood · Jun 30, 2016. Thunderstorms produced torrential rainfall over a short period of time, with flash flooding reported in southwest Kimball County.
Flash Flood · Aug 18, 2016. Thunderstorms produced large hail and very heavy rainfall across portions of the southern Nebraska Panhandle. Flash flooding was reported in Banner, Morrill and Kimball counties.
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 Kimball 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.