Holt County Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
Hot Nebraska Rankings
The chance of earthquake damage in Holt County is about the same as Nebraska average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Holt County is much lower than Nebraska average and is lower than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #26
| Holt County | 0.03 |
| 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
| Holt 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, #66
| Holt County | 119.92 |
| 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 9,259 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Holt 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: | 73 | Cold: | 62 | Dense Fog: | 0 | Drought: | 16 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 425 | Hail: | 5,546 | Heat: | 8 | Heavy Snow: | 59 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 0 | Ice Storm: | 13 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 107 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 2,570 | Tropical Storm: | 0 | Wildfire: | 4 | Winter Storm: | 135 | Winter Weather: | 78 |
| Other: | 163 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Holt County.
Historical Earthquake Events
A total of 2 historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Holt County.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Depth (km) | Latitude | Longitude |
| 29.0 | 1975-05-13 | 4.3 | N/A | 42.12 | -98.45 |
| 41.9 | 1972-10-16 | 3.7 | 23 | 42.34 | -99.59 |
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 29 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Holt County.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 3.6 | 1996-06-19 | 2 | 42°31'N / 98°46'W | 42°29'N / 98°43'W | 3.00 Miles | 350 Yards | 0 | 0 | 1.0M | 0 | Holt |
| Brief Description: TORNADO ON THE GROUND FOR 3 MILES. THREE FARMSTEADS HEAVILY DAMAGED. THREE HEAD OF LIVESTOCK KILLED. HEAVY DAMAGE TO LARGE POWER TRANSMISSION LINE. CENTER PIVOT IRRIGAION SYSTEM DESTROYED. | |||||||||||
| 9.1 | 2003-06-09 | 3 | 42°32'N / 98°48'W | 42°26'N / 98°25'W | 23.00 Miles | 880 Yards | 0 | 0 | 5.7M | 1.3M | Holt |
| Brief Description: As the tornado initially touched down, it encountered a farmstead and destroyed three barns, a detached garage, and 3 large metal grain binds, and also ripped off a portion of the house roof, broke windows, and uprooted and snapped off 90% of the trees around the farmstead. As the tornado moved southeast, it hit two more farmsteads where it completely overturned a modular home, destroyed barns, snapped off nearly all trees. Further along the path to the southeast, the tornado threw farm machinery one quarter mile into a grove of trees. Then it hit another farm where it ripped off an attached garage on a house, broke most windows in the house, moved an old home off its foundation 2 feet, and killed one cow and extensively injured 14 other cows. A barn was also destroyed at a dairy farm across the road to the southeast. The tornado then moved southeast mainly across farmland destroying fields of corn and soybeans, overturning 200 hundred center pivot irrigation systems, snapping off 1,000 power poles, and breaking off numerous large trees. As the tornado passed 3 miles north of O'Neill, it destroyed storage sheds at numerous homesteads. Baseball size hail associated with the storm punctured holes in vinyl siding and broke windows and skylights in homes. Finally just before dissipating 2 miles north of Page, the tornado lifted the front porch on a home which then took off the roof and one exterior wall of the home. | |||||||||||
| 11.2 | 1998-10-28 | 2 | 42°32'N / 98°58'W | 42°34'N / 98°58'W | 2.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 50K | 0 | Holt |
| Brief Description: Tornado touched down on the northeast edge of Atkinson and remained on the ground for nearly 1 mile. The tornado destroyed a pole barn. It also carried a metal shed 100 yards and damaged trees and feed bunks. The tornado touched down two more times, once 1 mile north of Atkinson, just east of Highway 11, and again 2 miles north of Atkinson, just west of Highway 11, doing minor tree damage. | |||||||||||
| 11.4 | 1965-05-08 | 3 | 42°06'N / 99°06'W | 42°44'N / 98°54'W | 44.80 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25.0M | 0 | Holt |
| 19.5 | 2008-06-05 | 2 | 42°25'N / 99°13'W | 42°33'N / 99°07'W | 10.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 150K | 15K | Holt |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A supercell tornado touched down just north-northeast of Rose in Rock County and entered Holt County approximately 13 miles south-southwest of Stuart and continued for another 10 miles before dissipating 3 miles south-southeast of Stuart. In Holt County, the multiple vortex tornado broke off power poles, destroyed outbuildings, overturned several center pivot irrigation systems, snapped and uprooted numerous large trees, damaged roofs, and moved vehicles. The tornado maintained the EF2 rating in both Rock and Holt Counties. The average path width in Holt County was 30 yards with the maximum width of 50 yards. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Supercell thunderstorms developed along a nearly stationary front across southwest Nebraska during the afternoon hours of June 4th and continued through the afternoon of June 5th. The storms produced very large hail during the overninght and morning hours, then some tornadoes during the afternoon of June 5th. | |||||||||||
| 20.4 | 1992-05-15 | 2 | 42°44'N / 98°56'W | 0.50 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Holt | |
| 22.3 | 1992-05-15 | 2 | 42°46'N / 98°39'W | 1.00 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Holt | |
| 26.3 | 1992-05-15 | 2 | 42°49'N / 98°58'W | 1.00 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Holt | |
| 27.8 | 2009-06-24 | 2 | 42°38'N / 99°19'W | 42°35'N / 99°16'W | 5.00 Miles | 20 Yards | 0 | 0 | 200K | 15K | Rock |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A tornado touched down north of Newport and overturned 2 center pivot irrigation systems, moved a 5000 bushel gran bin approximately 75 yards, snapped a large electrical transmission line pole, snapped a smaller wooden power pole, broke off numerous tree limbs, damaged the roof of an outbuilding, and picked up and spun around an empty grain truck traveling on Highway 20. The truck was heading west and was picked up and deposited in the south ditch. A storm chaser on Highway 20 also witnessed the tornado. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A supercell dropped south out of South Dakota and into north central Nebraska late in the evening. The supercell produced strong winds...large hail...and 2 brief tornadoes. | |||||||||||
| 28.8 | 1962-05-29 | 4 | 42°41'N / 98°27'W | 43°00'N / 98°40'W | 24.20 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Holt |
| 29.7 | 1992-05-15 | 2 | 42°45'N / 99°13'W | 1.00 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Holt | |
| 29.9 | 2008-06-05 | 2 | 42°12'N / 99°27'W | 42°25'N / 99°13'W | 20.00 Miles | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 50K | 10K | Rock |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: This multiple vortex tornado formed near Rose and tracked northeast for about 20 miles before exiting Rock County about 13 miles south-southeast of Newport at 1500 CST. In Rock County, the tornado broke power poles, shifted a house off its foundation a few inches, destroyed outbuildings, overturned a couple of center pivot irrigation systems, and snapped trees. The tornado maintained the EF2 intensity through Rock and Holt County. The average path width in Rock County was 30 yards. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Supercell thunderstorms developed along a nearly stationary front across southwest Nebraska during the afternoon hours of June 4th and continued through the afternoon of June 5th. The storms produced very large hail during the overninght and morning hours, then some tornadoes during the afternoon of June 5th. | |||||||||||
| 33.4 | 1962-05-21 | 3 | 42°52'N / 98°43'W | 43°00'N / 98°35'W | 11.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Boyd |
| 34.0 | 2004-07-12 | 2 | 41°59'N / 98°40'W | 41°58'N / 98°40'W | 1.50 Miles | 40 Yards | 0 | 0 | 130K | 0 | Wheeler |
| Brief Description: The tornado touched down in an grove of trees, uprooting and breaking off numerous large trees. As the tornado moved southeastwards, it encountered a farmstead where it ripped off the roof of the home, destroyed a machine shed and garage, and broke power poles. Before lifting, the tornado moved through a field and overturned the end of a center pivot irrigation system. | |||||||||||
| 38.4 | 1964-04-26 | 2 | 41°57'N / 98°10'W | 42°20'N / 98°10'W | 26.40 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Antelope |
| 38.5 | 1965-05-08 | 2 | 42°21'N / 99°29'W | 43°00'N / 99°29'W | 44.90 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Rock |
| 38.7 | 1962-05-21 | 3 | 43°00'N / 98°35'W | 43°00'N / 98°35'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Charles Mix | ||
| 41.9 | 1962-05-14 | 3 | 43°00'N / 99°02'W | 43°06'N / 98°55'W | 8.50 Miles | 1760 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Charles Mix |
| 42.6 | 1980-10-16 | 2 | 42°13'N / 98°01'W | 0.30 Mile | 60 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Antelope | |
| 42.8 | 1962-05-16 | 3 | 43°04'N / 98°57'W | 0 | 2 | 0K | 0 | Charles Mix | |||
| 43.7 | 1979-07-07 | 2 | 42°32'N / 99°42'W | 42°27'N / 99°35'W | 7.80 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Rock |
| 44.5 | 2004-07-12 | 2 | 41°49'N / 98°44'W | 41°49'N / 98°43'W | 1.00 Mile | 40 Yards | 0 | 0 | 90K | 0 | Wheeler |
| Brief Description: The tornado touched down in open rangeland and then moved south breaking off and uprooting numerous large trees as it encountered a farmstead. One large tree fell on the roof of a home. As the tornado moved south across the road, it hit another farmstead. Again, it broke off and uprooted numerous large trees and broke many power poles. The barn and steel fencing was lifted and tossed 50 yards northwestwards into a tree belt behind the house. The roof of the home was taken off. A detached garage was demolished. Before lifting, the tornado moved through a corral south of the home where it severely injured or killed several horses. After the storm, two colts and a mare were found up in a tree. | |||||||||||
| 45.1 | 1975-06-21 | 2 | 42°27'N / 97°54'W | 0.50 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Knox | |
| 45.2 | 1954-07-29 | 2 | 43°03'N / 98°20'W | 42°59'N / 98°18'W | 4.10 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Charles Mix |
| 45.7 | 1973-06-24 | 2 | 43°01'N / 98°18'W | 1 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Charles Mix | |||
| 47.9 | 1981-08-04 | 2 | 41°46'N / 98°50'W | 0.20 Mile | 60 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Garfield | |
| 48.3 | 1962-05-14 | 3 | 42°53'N / 99°55'W | 43°00'N / 99°02'W | 45.30 Miles | 1760 Yards | 0 | 8 | 250K | 0 | Boyd |
| 49.6 | 1965-05-08 | 4 | 41°14'N / 98°40'W | 42°20'N / 98°15'W | 78.90 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Howard |
| 49.7 | 2002-08-09 | 2 | 43°07'N / 99°12'W | 43°07'N / 99°10'W | 2.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 1.0M | 0 | Gregory |
| Brief Description: A tornado destroyed a church, a county highway shop, several garages, several small sheds, a mobile home, a camper, and a ten thousand bushel silo. The church was ripped from its foundation, with debris and contents blown over a wide area. Tree damage includes uprooted trees, and power lines were blown down. A resulting power outage lasted for several hours. Windows in many homes and some businesses were broken. The Herrick Honey House was severely damaged, and a honey truck was tipped over. Holes were punched in the walls of some houses by flying debris. | |||||||||||
* 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.