Custer County, NE Environment & Hazard Risk

• Winter weatherRelatively Moderate$285K/yr expected annual loss, about 17 events a year
• WildfireRelatively Low$629K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 465 years
• DroughtRelatively Moderate$808K/yr expected annual loss, about 43 events a year
• HailRelatively Low$496K/yr expected annual loss, about 6.6 events a year
• Ice stormRelatively Low$121K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 9 years
• TornadoRelatively Low$1.5M/yr expected annual loss, about 1.5 events a year
• LandslideVery Low$1,237/yr expected annual loss, about 2.1 events a year
• Heat waveVery Low$146K/yr expected annual loss, about 4.6 events a year
• LightningVery Low$83.4K/yr expected annual loss, about 43 events a year
• Strong windRelatively Low$218K/yr expected annual loss, about 2.5 events a year
• EarthquakeVery Low$34.4K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1,580 years
• Cold waveVery Low$211K/yr expected annual loss, about 5.7 events a year

Bars show the national percentile score (0 to 100) for each hazard. Dollar figures are expected annual losses to buildings, people and crops. Not rated here: avalanche, coastal flooding, hurricane, riverine flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity.

Check the flood zone for an address

Homes with flood insurance

39 of 8,888 (0.4%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

0

Flood claims since 1978

11

Claims paid since 1978

$83.4K

• Hail712
• Thunderstorm Wind240
• Drought62
• Tornado53
• Winter Storm47 · 2 deaths
• Flash Flood44
• High Wind44
• Flood16
• Extreme Cold/Wind Chill16
• Blizzard12

• Drought07/01/2012

  Custer

  $30.5M damage

  What happened

  Severe drought conditions (D2), which began the month of June, intensified to extreme drought conditions (D3) and to an exceptional drought (D4) in most of the eastern half the county by the end of the month. Pastures that make up close to 63 percent of the land use in Custer County (2007 Census USDA) was rated 69% poor or very poor. The lack of rain limited grazing capacity and created increased sales of livestock as the departure from normal precipitation reached below 3 inches in the east. Crop producers began silage of dryland corn. On July 23rd all counties in Nebraska were approved for CRP Emergency Haying and Grazing. The drought continued into August.

• Winter Storm03/18/2014

  Custer

  1 death, 1 injured

  What happened

  A winter storm brought heavy snow to the western half of Custer County during the late morning and afternoon hours on March 18th, 2014. A Cooperative Observer in Arnold reported 12 inches of snowfall, while a Cooperative Observer 8 miles west of Callaway reported 11 inches of snowfall. Snowfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches were reported across the western half of Custer County. Strong northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph and gusty caused poor visibility and considerable blowing and drifting snow. The poor weather conditions were indirectly responsible for one fatality and one injury in a two vehicle collision on Highway 47 in southwest Custer County.

• Winter Storm01/17/1996

  Custer

  1 death, $200K damage

  What happened

  A major winter storm with sustained winds of 40 mph and gusts to 65 mph dropped 5 to 6 inches of snow over Sheridan, Cherry, Grant, Thomas and Custer counties of North Central Ne. Three inches to trace amounts fell over Southwest and West Central Ne. The wind combined with temperatures from 5 above to 5 below zero produced wind chills from 45 to 65 below zero and reduced visibilities to near zero on the 17th thru the 18th. A portion of Interstaste 80 from Ogallala to York was closed from the night of the 17th thru the morning of the 19th. A 52 year old man was found frozen to death in his garage in Arnold Ne., Custer County on the 18th. Power lines whipped by the high winds caused 200k damage to a power substation in Broken Bow, Custer Co. In Imperial, Chase County, three 21,000 gal fiberglass fertilizer storage tanks were blown over onto a pickup casusing extensive damage to the pickup and the 3 tanks.

• Wildfire12/19/2024

  Custer

  1 death, $80K damage

  What happened

  Fire initiated during the afternoon hours of December 19th near Round Valley Road and 803 Drive, approximately 3 miles northeast of the Broken Bow Municipal Airport. Aided by strong northwesterly winds, the fire raced southeast, consuming approximately 2800 acres of mainly grassland and 3 unoccupied structures. The fire was brought under control on December 21st, then re-ignited on December 22nd. The fire was finally brought under control by December 23rd. One indirect fatality was reported as a result of the fire. A person operating a UTV, in the process of moving cattle away from the fire, was ejected as a result of an accident and died from his injuries.

• Winter Weather10/22/2009

  Custer

  1 death

  What happened

  Moderate snowfall occurred across Custer County beginning during the early morning hours and persisted through noon MST. The snowfall and slick roads on Highway 2 indirectly resulted in the death of a 15 year old male when he lost control of his vehicle approximately 2 miles east of Broken Bow and collided head on with another vehicle. Numerous other traffic accidents were reported by law enforcement in Custer County.

• Wildfire04/12/2023

  Custer

  $2.3M damage

  What happened

  Fire initiated along highway 2 in the vicinity of the Cooksley Ranch, 6 miles northwest of Anselmo during the morning hours of April 12th. Known as the Cooksley Complex Fire, strong southerly winds pushed the fire to the north and north northwest during the afternoon hours of the 12th. Dry lightning and a wind shift forced the fire east on the 13th. By the time the fire was contained on the morning of April 14th, it had consumed approximately 37000 acres of rangeland. A home was destroyed at the McGinn Ranch and a bunkhouse was lost as well. Several calves were also lost in the fire in addition to outbuildings.

• Broken Bow, City ofServes 3,600 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
• Arnold, Village ofServes 592 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
• Callaway, Village ofServes 563 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
• Sargent, City ofServes 550 · Groundwater · Local government1 health violation+1 monitoring or reporting
• Ansley, Village ofServes 459 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
• Merna, Village ofServes 363 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+4 monitoring or reporting
• Mason City, Village ofServes 171 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• Oconto, Village ofServes 150 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations