York County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within York County: 2.
2. Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.

Smoke overhead

1. A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.

NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Claims by ZIP code

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

1. The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.

NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

1. Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the county boundary (or inside the county).
2. Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Mapped landslides

Mapped by NE Univ of NE Lincoln (1).

1. Landslides mapped in the USGS compilation of landslide inventories across the United States (version 3.0, 2025), rated probable or better. The compilation joins inventories made by federal and state agencies for different purposes and areas, so the number mapped in a county reflects how closely it has been surveyed as much as how often its slopes fail. An area with few records may simply not have been mapped. Deaths are as recorded in the inventories; a slide listed in two inventories is counted once.

USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0, retrieved October 27, 2026.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Jun 14, 2022Hail$10.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Hail ranging in size anywhere from quarters to 2.5 inches in diameter was reported across York and in Waco. The largest stones of 2-2.5 inches in diameter were reported in the city of York. Wind gusts estimated to be near 60 MPH was reported in York. Damage to trees and canopies on the York College campus was reported.

2. Jun 14, 2022Thunderstorm Wind$10.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Wind gusts in this area were estimated to have peaked near 105 MPH. Damage included a number of overturned irrigation pivots and snapped wooden power poles. A large outbuilding was also damaged, an approximately 60 foot tall concrete silo was toppled, and a grain bin was blown off its foundation and into a nearby field.

3. Jun 14, 2022Thunderstorm Wind$10.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Wind gusts were estimated to be near 60 MPH. Hail ranged in size from quarters to 2.5 inches in diameter in York. Some tree and canopy damage was reported on the York College campus.

4. Jun 14, 2022Hail$8.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Most hail in and around York ranged in size from quarters to ping pong balls. The largest hail, tennis ball size, was reported by a storm chaser on the east side of York.

5. Jun 20, 2011Tornado$3.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   This tornado touched down approximately 4 miles southwest of Bradshaw, moving to the north-northeast and dissipating approximately 4 miles southeast of Polk, near the York and Polk County line. As the tornado approached Highway 34 west of Bradshaw, a metal outbuilding and grain bins were destroyed, and it also crossed a railroad line, derailing several train cars. North of Bradshaw, a home suffered significant roof damage and the loss of one wall, and as the tornado continued north, power poles were snapped, irrigation pivots were overturned, and several trees were damaged. Between Bradshaw to the area west of Benedict, a total of 40 power poles were downed. The maximum wind speed…

6. May 11, 2005Flash Flood$2.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Though well predicted, the severe weather and flooding on the night of May 11 was even worse than imagined. Thunderstorms ravaged a large part of south central Nebraska with hail, high winds, a tornado and catastrophic flooding.During evening and early morning hours, 4 to 12 inches of fell from Dawson County east to York County. At Kenesaw and Wood River, over 11 inches of rain was measured. The city of Grand Island set a rainfall record for a single event with 7.21 inches of rain. Statically, this event was a 100 year rain and flood event for the area. In Wood River, 12 people were evacuated due to rising water. It was estimated every structure in Wood River sustained some sort…

7. Jun 22, 2009Heat, York$1.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A strong upper level ridge anchored across the central U.S. allowed for hot air to build into the region, and along with surface dewpoints in the upper 60s and lower 70s, made for muggy conditions. Heat indices across the area reached into the 100 to 110 degree range on the 23rd, which lead to the deaths of approximately 4000 head of cattle. The afternoon high temperatures reached into the mid to upper 90s, which was a change from the previous few weeks, where highs had generally been in the 70s and 80s. The cooler than normal high temperatures had prevented the cattle from properly shedding their winter coats, which aided in their overheating.

8. May 11, 2014Tornado$1.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   This is a continuation of the tornado that started in northern Fillmore County. This tornado was the second to be rated an EF3 that affected south central Nebraska, starting in far northern Fillmore County before traversing a portion of York County and passing north of Cordova in Seward County. Damage along the track in Fillmore County was widespread, including one home which was totally destroyed. All 6 occupants took shelter in the basement. Another home suffered less significant damage, but outbuildings on the same property were destroyed. Also along the path of this tornado, and to the south of the path where rear flank downdraft winds occurred, numerous irrigation pivots were…

9. May 29, 2013Tornado$1.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   This tornado touched down approximately 5 miles south of York, traveling along a 16 mile path before lifting 12 miles northeast of York. It crossed over Interstate 80 approximately 1.3 miles east of the York interchange. This tornado had a maximum width of 400 yards and maximum wind speed estimated to be 110 MPH. Along this path, power poles and trees were snapped, large branches up to 12 to 18 inches in diameter were downed and irrigation pivots were overturned. Two outbuildings were damaged or destroyed.

10. Jul 10, 2023Thunderstorm Wind$1.3 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Wind gusts estimated to be at least 75 MPH, accompanied by hail up to the size of quarters, resulted in widespread damage mainly focused in the Waco area. Multiple irrigation pivots were overturned, a few grain bins were damaged or destroyed, trees were damaged, and power outages were reported in the area. Wind-driven hail shredded crops, with several fields a total loss. South of Waco, damage was reported at the travel center at the Interstate 80 interchange. At a campground just south of the interchange, power lines were downed, fencing was damaged, and a few RVs were tipped over. Local fire departments reported that there around six semi-trucks flipped on Interstate 80.

1. Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.

All-time high

116°F2 times, most recently Jul 25, 1936

All-time low

−31°FFeb 16, 2021

Warmest night

92°FJul 25, 1936

Coldest day

−12°FFeb 1, 1917

Wettest day

6.95 inAug 16, 2017

Snowiest day

13.0 in2 times, most recently Nov 28, 1983

Hottest year

1934mean 55.9°F

Coldest year

2008mean 47.1°F

Wettest year

197741.59 in

Driest year

193613.21 in

Snowiest season

65.0 in1931-32

Station Osceola (USC00256375), 1,662 ft elevation, 22.3 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1907 to October 3, 2026; 99.5% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.

NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.

Neighbouring counties

• Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
• Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
• Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
• Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
• Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
• Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USC00256375.
• River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
• Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Landslides USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0 (2025).
• Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.

Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.