Harlan County Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
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The chance of earthquake damage in Harlan County is about the same as Nebraska average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Harlan County is lower than Nebraska average and is higher than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #30
| Harlan County | 0.02 |
| Nebraska | 0.04 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #1
| Harlan County | 0.0000 |
| Nebraska | 0.0000 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #49
| Harlan County | 169.55 |
| Nebraska | 205.07 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 13,010 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Harlan County were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 24 | Cold: | 37 | Dense Fog: | 7 | Drought: | 20 |
| Dust Storm: | 1 | Flood: | 377 | Hail: | 7,937 | Heat: | 15 | Heavy Snow: | 64 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 0 | Ice Storm: | 23 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 98 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 3,867 | Tropical Storm: | 0 | Wildfire: | 0 | Winter Storm: | 147 | Winter Weather: | 39 |
| Other: | 354 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Harlan County.
Historical Earthquake Events
No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Harlan County.
No historical earthquake events found in or near Harlan County.
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 47 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Harlan County.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 5.3 | 1980-08-01 | 2 | 40°15'N / 99°22'W | 0.10 Mile | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Harlan | |
| 10.0 | 1991-05-30 | 2 | 40°08'N / 99°35'W | 1.00 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Harlan | |
| 12.4 | 1969-06-22 | 2 | 40°15'N / 99°39'W | 40°17'N / 99°34'W | 4.10 Miles | 33 Yards | 1 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Furnas |
| 16.5 | 1958-07-18 | 2 | 40°25'N / 99°22'W | 6.00 Miles | 533 Yards | 0 | 2 | 250K | 0 | Phelps | |
| 18.9 | 1969-06-24 | 2 | 40°13'N / 99°09'W | 40°26'N / 99°03'W | 15.70 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Franklin |
| 19.0 | 1956-10-29 | 3 | 40°07'N / 100°07'W | 40°41'N / 99°07'W | 65.50 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Furnas |
| 19.2 | 1990-03-13 | 2 | 40°22'N / 99°14'W | 40°29'N / 99°14'W | 8.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Kearney |
| 21.1 | 1994-10-17 | 2 | 40°28'N / 99°16'W | 4.00 Miles | 75 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Phelps | |
| Brief Description: A tornado moved across the western and northern parts of Holdrege. The roof of one business was removed. One residence was destroyed and three others were damaged. At the golf course, the clubhouse roof was damaged while the maintenance building and two golf cart sheds were destroyed. Sixty golf carts were damaged. Other brief tornado touchdowns were reported in Phelps County. | |||||||||||
| 24.1 | 1985-05-10 | 4 | 39°56'N / 99°05'W | 40°00'N / 99°00'W | 10.00 Miles | 1000 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Smith |
| 25.7 | 1999-06-03 | 3 | 39°50'N / 99°48'W | 39°58'N / 99°39'W | 10.00 Miles | 1320 Yards | 0 | 0 | 1.0M | 0 | Norton |
| Brief Description: A large tornado dropped down just east of the town of Norton and stayed on the ground for approximately 10 miles before finally lifting north-northeast of the town of Almena. This Tornado reached around 3/4 of a mile wide at times and did major (F3) damage to a few farmsteads. Tornado also went through a stage with multiple vortices. | |||||||||||
| 27.2 | 1998-10-16 | 2 | 40°27'N / 99°34'W | 40°41'N / 99°25'W | 18.00 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 0 | 400K | 1.0M | Phelps |
| Brief Description: An unusual October severe weather outbreak spawned a tornado which tore across parts of Phelps and western Buffalo counties. The tornado set down a few miles southwest of Loomis and rapidly moved northeast. Along its path in Phelps county, grain bins were damaged, power poles snapped and a roof was torn from a large storage building. One farmstead northeast of Loomis sustained major damage. The roof was ripped from the house and two walls were moved from the foundation. A pole barn was destroyed. Both the house and barn were a total loss. Once the storm crossed the Platte River, the tornado hit a trailer house just west of Elm Creek and deposited the shattered remains about 200 feet north of its original location. The tornado continued to move north and shortly dissipated. Another tornado formed from a different storm in northern Dawson county. This tornado passed through a farmstead causing tree damage, blew over grain bins, and damaged other buildings. The house sustained only minor damage. | |||||||||||
| 27.3 | 1969-06-10 | 2 | 40°32'N / 99°38'W | 2.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Phelps | |
| 27.4 | 1973-04-19 | 2 | 39°52'N / 99°02'W | 39°56'N / 99°02'W | 4.60 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Smith |
| 28.3 | 1985-05-10 | 4 | 39°44'N / 99°09'W | 39°56'N / 99°05'W | 11.00 Miles | 1000 Yards | 0 | 1 | 2.5M | 0 | Phillips |
| 29.2 | 1956-06-25 | 2 | 40°13'N / 100°02'W | 40°01'N / 99°52'W | 16.20 Miles | 20 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Furnas |
| 29.4 | 1985-05-10 | 4 | 40°00'N / 99°00'W | 40°11'N / 98°43'W | 18.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 1 | 2.5M | 0 | Franklin |
| 31.4 | 1985-05-10 | 4 | 39°30'N / 99°25'W | 39°57'N / 99°29'W | 28.00 Miles | 1000 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Phillips |
| 31.5 | 1952-06-26 | 2 | 39°41'N / 99°27'W | 39°46'N / 99°15'W | 12.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Phillips |
| 32.9 | 1957-06-15 | 3 | 39°42'N / 99°04'W | 39°54'N / 98°59'W | 14.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Smith |
| 34.5 | 2008-05-29 | 2 | 40°39'N / 99°12'W | 40°39'N / 99°10'W | 2.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 75K | 0K | Phelps |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: This tornado started in northeast Phelps County and crossed into Buffalo County. The tornado did damage a couple of outbuildings and grain silos near the start of the damage path. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A significant severe weather outbreak occurred during the late afternoon and evening of May 29th. Several tornadoes were reported from near Elwood to north of York. Two tornadoes caused damage in the city of Kearney and one occurred just to the south of town. Another tornado damaged homes and power poles near Aurora. Another tornado started in north-central Kansas and entered south-central Nebraska near Hubbell. Very strong winds moved down a portion of Interstate 80 and pushed cars and trucks off of the roadway near Aurora. Other areas of south-central Nebraska received heavy rains and hail. Hail to the size of baseballs was reported near Arapahoe in Furnas County. These storms also produce a lot of rainfall over areas that had fairly wet ground. Several areas of flooding were noted in the Platte and Republican River valleys. | |||||||||||
| 35.0 | 1970-09-06 | 2 | 39°49'N / 99°52'W | 0.80 Mile | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Norton | |
| 35.3 | 1986-04-13 | 2 | 40°34'N / 99°02'W | 40°36'N / 98°57'W | 5.00 Miles | 40 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Kearney |
| 35.6 | 1955-06-02 | 2 | 40°28'N / 98°54'W | 40°34'N / 98°53'W | 6.50 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Kearney |
| 36.3 | 1975-07-21 | 2 | 40°21'N / 100°07'W | 40°20'N / 100°00'W | 5.70 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Furnas |
| 37.8 | 1957-06-15 | 3 | 39°46'N / 98°56'W | 2.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Smith | |
| 38.1 | 1965-05-25 | 2 | 39°45'N / 98°57'W | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Smith | |||
| 38.4 | 1963-06-11 | 2 | 39°46'N / 98°55'W | 1.00 Mile | 20 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Smith | |
| 38.5 | 1962-07-14 | 2 | 39°47'N / 99°55'W | 1.00 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Ford | |
| 40.1 | 1990-03-13 | 3 | 40°32'N / 99°00'W | 40°43'N / 98°50'W | 10.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Kearney |
| 40.1 | 1986-09-18 | 2 | 40°06'N / 98°39'W | 2.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Webster | |
| 40.7 | 1973-09-25 | 2 | 39°44'N / 98°58'W | 39°59'N / 98°33'W | 27.90 Miles | 80 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Smith |
| 40.8 | 1967-06-13 | 2 | 40°43'N / 99°05'W | 0.50 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Buffalo | |
| 41.5 | 1993-05-07 | 2 | 40°16'N / 98°58'W | 40°49'N / 98°35'W | 40.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 5.0M | 0 | Hall |
| Brief Description: Tornado touched down four miles southwest of Upland. Several farm buildings were destroyed and a house damaged. The tornado moved northeast in Kearney county with touchdowns eight miles south and four miles Minden. It crossed the Platte river east of Kearney. Funnel clouds were reported in eastern Buffalo county with 60 mph wind gusts at the Kearney Interstate 80 interchange. The tornado was last seen 1 1/2 miles east of Wood River in southwest Hall county. | |||||||||||
| 43.3 | 1977-05-30 | 2 | 40°37'N / 100°01'W | 40°37'N / 99°58'W | 1.90 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Frontier |
| 43.7 | 1985-05-10 | 4 | 40°11'N / 98°43'W | 40°21'N / 98°27'W | 17.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Webster |
| 44.1 | 1971-05-30 | 2 | 39°46'N / 98°46'W | 39°51'N / 98°41'W | 7.10 Miles | 220 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Smith |
| 44.7 | 1954-04-20 | 3 | 40°35'N / 100°08'W | 40°34'N / 100°01'W | 5.90 Miles | 1760 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Frontier |
| 45.3 | 1959-05-20 | 2 | 39°36'N / 99°00'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Smith | |||
| 45.7 | 1958-06-30 | 2 | 40°14'N / 100°18'W | 40°14'N / 100°14'W | 3.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Furnas |
| 46.1 | 1965-05-25 | 2 | 40°02'N / 98°42'W | 40°33'N / 98°23'W | 39.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Webster |
| 46.6 | 1952-06-27 | 2 | 39°45'N / 100°07'W | 39°47'N / 100°05'W | 1.90 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Norton |
| 47.5 | 2008-05-29 | 2 | 40°43'N / 99°07'W | 40°48'N / 98°43'W | 22.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 11.0M | 500K | Buffalo |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: This tornado was the most organized tornado that hit the city of Kearney this night and was the most persistent. It appeared to stay on the ground for the majority of its 22 mile path in Buffalo County. The tornado did exit Buffalo County and entered Hall County. The tornado started in the northwest part of the city of Kearney where it damaged an apartment complex. It took the roof off of part of the complex, blew out a wall and stacked a couple of cars in the parking lot. The tornado then moved east, damaging trees in Harmon Park and took a part of the roof off a building near the hospital. At the Buffalo County Fairgrounds, it caused a portion of the Expo Center building to collapse. Two people in this building were shook up but not injured. The tornado then continued east to the Kearney Airport where it destroyed a hanger and the cooperate jet housed inside. The tornado then continued on east and northeast through rural parts of Buffalo County. Several farmsteads were hit but damage was limited to shingles removed from roofs, outbuildings damaged and empty grain bins destroyed. There were multiple power poles and lines down by this storm. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A significant severe weather outbreak occurred during the late afternoon and evening of May 29th. Several tornadoes were reported from near Elwood to north of York. Two tornadoes caused damage in the city of Kearney and one occurred just to the south of town. Another tornado damaged homes and power poles near Aurora. Another tornado started in north-central Kansas and entered south-central Nebraska near Hubbell. Very strong winds moved down a portion of Interstate 80 and pushed cars and trucks off of the roadway near Aurora. Other areas of south-central Nebraska received heavy rains and hail. Hail to the size of baseballs was reported near Arapahoe in Furnas County. These storms also produce a lot of rainfall over areas that had fairly wet ground. Several areas of flooding were noted in the Platte and Republican River valleys. | |||||||||||
| 47.6 | 1960-05-18 | 2 | 40°33'N / 100°10'W | 4.50 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Frontier | |
| 48.1 | 1991-04-11 | 3 | 39°26'N / 99°25'W | 39°32'N / 99°17'W | 6.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 1 | 2.5M | 0 | Rooks |
| 49.1 | 1983-06-12 | 2 | 39°51'N / 100°23'W | 40°01'N / 100°10'W | 15.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Decatur |
| 49.3 | 1955-07-12 | 2 | 40°47'N / 99°01'W | 40°51'N / 98°57'W | 5.20 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Buffalo |
| 49.7 | 1985-05-10 | 4 | 39°25'N / 99°24'W | 39°30'N / 99°25'W | 5.00 Miles | 1000 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Rooks |
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.