Enter any address in Thurston County, Nebraska to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Thurston County. Between 1996 and 2023, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 14 flash flood events and 9 flood events. Recent examples include flash flooding on September 19, 2019, when thunderstorms produced over 4 inches of rain in some areas, and general flooding on June 24, 2024, associated with a stationary front.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows that properties in Zone A have experienced flood claims. These claims averaged $5,192 with an average water depth of -0.9 feet. Homeowners in Zone A, particularly those near waterways or in areas prone to rapid rainfall accumulation, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
8 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Thurston County, Nebraska has recorded 23 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 14 flash floods and 9 river or area floods. The county has received 23 federal disaster declarations, 7 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1967–2025)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm And Straight-line Winds | Winter Storm | Mar 18, 2025 |
| Severe Storms And Straight-line Winds | Severe Storm | May 12, 2022 |
| 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, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 17, 2018 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-line Winds | Severe Storm | Jun 12, 2017 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 14, 2014 |
| Severe Storms, Winter Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding | Severe Storm | Oct 2, 2013 |
| Flooding | Flood | Jun 17, 2011 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jun 24, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 19, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 13, 2019 | 60.00K |
| Flood | Mar 13, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 25, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 15, 2014 | 1.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 14, 2012 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Aug 18, 2011 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 1, 2011 | 25.00K |
| Flood | Jul 1, 2011 | 5.00K |
Flood — Jun 24, 2024
A series of shortwave troughs traversing the northern CONUS brought unsettled weather to the area for the end of June. On the 21st, a stationary front was draped across northeast Nebraska into Iowa. Ahead of one of the aforementioned shortwave troughs, several rounds of strong thunderstorms developed near this frontal zone and moved across northeast Nebraska. At 8 pm on the 21st, radar imagery ...
Flash Flood — Sep 19, 2019
Strong thunderstorms developed during the nighttime and lingered into the morning. Several flash flood warnings were issued between Wayne and Omaha. Thunderstorms produced 3.75 inches of rain at Lyons, 4.3 inches south of Pilger, and 4 inches at Pender.
Flood — Mar 13, 2019
A 971mb bomb cyclone moved out of the central Rockies on Wednesday, March 13, 2019 and helped to create widespread, moderate to major, and in many cases historic, flooding across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. From 4 to 15 inches of snow cover remained across the mid Missouri River valley, and the ground was frozen with existing frost depths of 15 to 23 inches. Warm temperatures allowed all...
Flash Flood — Jun 25, 2018
An upper-level low tracked from the northern Rockies into the mid Missouri Valley in tandem with a surface low that developed slowly east across Nebraska. Multiple waves of thunderstorms moved through eastern Nebraska during the 24th and 25th with isolated occurrences of damaging winds and severe hail, along with heavy rain that resulted in areas of flooding. Hardest hit were Cuming and Platte ...
Flood — Jun 15, 2014
A band of 2 to more than 3 inches of rain fell across the Logan Creek basin during the 24 hours ending June 15th. The heavy rain caused minor flooding along Logan Creek from near Pender through Uehling.
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Individual Claims (2.25M records analyzed).
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Thurston 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 Thurston 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.