Clay Center, Nebraska
12 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1898 and the latest in 1985. It stands in Clay Center City. It lies in ZIP code area 68933. The Survey maps it on the Harvard quadrangle. 735 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,785 feet above sea level.
On record in Clay Center
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 2 records
Clay County Courthouselisted 1990- Clay Center Library and Gymnasiumlisted 2022
Population over time
2 figuresClay Center fell from 760 to 735 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 760 | |
| 2020 | 735 | -25 (-3%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
6 surveys from 12 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1898 USGS Grand Island quadrangle1:125000, 4 printings
- 1955 USGS Grand Island quadrangle1:250000, 3 printings
- 1957 USGS Grand Island quadrangle1:250000
- 1958 USGS Grand Island quadrangle1:250000
- 1969 USGS Harvard quadrangle1:24000
- 1985 USGS Grand Island quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
Fires near this place
13 since 2005Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 13 fires within 5 miles of Clay Center between 2005 and 2020, burning about 48 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 5 |
| Debris and open burning | 4 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 3 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 July 2020 | Equipment and vehicle use | under an acre | Rainwater Basin Wetland Management District | MASSIE |
| 15 June 2018 | Debris and open burning | 2.0 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 7 April 2016 | Power generation/transmission/distribution | 28 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 26 April 2014 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2.0 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 15 April 2005 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 10 acres | Rainwater Basin Wetland Management District | WILKENS |
| 12 April 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 10 April 2018 | Debris and open burning | 3.5 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 15 March 2018 | Equipment and vehicle use | under an acre | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Storms near this place
60 of 117 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Clay Center in 117 storm reports between 1995 and 2024: 56 hail, 41 thunderstorm wind, 16 heavy rain, 3 tornado. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | $250,000 | Wind gusts estimated to be near 70 MPH resulted in damage across Clay Center. Emergency management reported widespread tree damage and power outages across town and much of Clay County. A couple metal buildings in town sustained damage, including one at the grain elevator. A few power poles were also damaged. |
| August 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | $250,000 | no account filed |
| April 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | $200,000 | Wind gusts were estimated to be between 60 and 70 MPH by the NWS Cooperative Observer located six miles east-southeast of Clay Center. Clay County Emergency management reported two irrigation pivots were knocked over four miles north of Clay Center. |
| May 2013 | Tornado (EF1) | Clay Center | $200,000 | This was the second tornado to touch down approximately 2 miles north-northeast of Clay Center this day, with this one traveling along a 4 mile path before lifting 6 miles north-northeast of Clay Center. This tornado had a maximum width of 75 yards and maximum wind speed estimated to be 100 MPH. One home suffered minor damage, as did an outbuilding, with metal panels being pulled from the roof and walls. |
| April 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | $200,000 | Wind gusts estimated at 70 mph resulted in a few center irrigation pivots being overturned. |
| August 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | $150,000 | Numerous large trees fell onto homes. |
| August 2007 | Flash Flood | Clay Center | $150,000 | Flash flooding throughout the county with many county roads under water. |
| May 2018 | Hail | Clay Center | $150,000 | no account filed |
| June 1998 | Hail | Clay Center | $125,000 | no account filed |
| July 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | $100,000 | A wind gust of 72 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located three miles west-northwest of Clay Center and a gust of 71 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located one mile southeast of Clay Center. The NWS Cooperative Observer located six miles east-southeast of Clay Center estimated gusts to be between 60 and 70 MPH and reported downed tree limbs, some up to 8 inches in diameter. Tree damage was also reported in Clay Center. This wind was accompanied by dime size hail. |
| August 2013 | Hail | Clay Center | $100,000 | The time of occurrence was estimated from radar data and also using a nearby report. Severe hail damage to crops occurred. This report was from Nebraska Rainfall Assessment and Information Network (NERAIN). |
| June 2008 | Hail | Clay Center | $100,000 | Hail accompanied by wind gusts estimated at 70 mph. |
| August 2020 | Hail | Clay Center | $100,000 | no account filed |
| August 2020 | Hail | Clay Center | $100,000 | no account filed |
| August 2013 | Hail | Clay Center | $100,000 | no account filed |
| June 2015 | Hail | Clay Center | $75,000 | Quarter to golf ball size hail fell during this time in Clay Center. |
| May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | $75,000 | no account filed |
| June 2004 | Hail | Clay Center | $50,000 | no account filed |
| June 2004 | Hail | Clay Center | $50,000 | no account filed |
| June 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | $50,000 | no account filed |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | $50,000 | no account filed |
| May 2001 | Hail | Clay Center | $40,000 | no account filed |
| July 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | $25,000 | Wind gusts were estimated to be near 70 MPH, resulting in damage to large trees in the area. |
| August 2020 | Hail | Clay Center | $25,000 | Hail ranging in size from golf balls to baseballs was reported along this path. A vehicle's windshield was cracked approximately 6 miles southeast of Clay Center. |
| May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | $25,000 | Wind gusts were estimated to be near 70 MPH. |
| June 2014 | Heavy Rain | Clay Center | $25,000 | A 24 hour rainfall total of 4.07 inches fell 4 miles west southwest of Clay Center. This was an NERAIN report. The rain occurred from late evening into the overnight hours. |
| May 2006 | Hail | Clay Center | $25,000 | Quarter sized hail was accompanied by 50 to 60 mph winds. |
| May 2012 | Hail | Clay Center | $25,000 | no account filed |
| May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | $25,000 | no account filed |
| September 2001 | Hail | Clay Center | $25,000 | no account filed |
| June 1998 | Hail | Clay Center | $25,000 | no account filed |
| May 2012 | Hail | Clay Center | $20,000 | no account filed |
| May 2007 | Hail | Clay Center | $20,000 | no account filed |
| September 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | $20,000 | no account filed |
| September 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | $20,000 | no account filed |
| May 1999 | Hail | Clay Center | $20,000 | no account filed |
| May 2007 | Hail | Clay Center | $10,000 | no account filed |
| April 2005 | Hail | Clay Center | $10,000 | no account filed |
| September 1997 | Hail | Clay Center | $10,000 | no account filed |
| October 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | $5,000 | Wind gusts estimated to be near 60 MPH caused minor tree damage and downed power lines in Clay Center. |
| June 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | $5,000 | Wind gusts were estimated to be near 70 MPH. A gustnado was also reported in the area. |
| August 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | $5,000 | no account filed |
| May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | $5,000 | no account filed |
| June 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | $2,000 | Wind gusts estimated to be near 60 MPH downed a few tree limbs, one of which was at least 6 inches in diameter. |
| June 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | $2,000 | Wind gusts were estimated to be near 60 MPH, resulting in minor tree damage. |
| April 2023 | Hail | Clay Center | - | Hail up to the size of half dollars was reported along and near this path. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | - | Wind gusts estimated to be near 60 MPH downed a few tree branches of 3 to 4 inches in diameter. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | - | Emergency management estimated wind gusts near 60 MPH. |
| October 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | - | Wind gusts were estimated to be near 60 MPH. |
| April 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | - | Wind gusts estimated to be near 70 MPH resulted in grain bins being destroyed as well as a nearby outbuilding located two miles west-northwest of Clay Center. A wind gust of 66 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located one mile north of Clay Center. |
| April 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | - | A wind gust of 58 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located four miles northeast of Fairfield. |
| April 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | - | A wind gust of 62 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located four miles southeast of Clay Center. An NWS Cooperative Observer located six miles east-southeast of Clay Center noted wind gusts estimated to be between 55 and 65 MPH, damaging two cedar trees, one of which was 12 inches in diameter. |
| June 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | - | A wind gust of 58 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located four miles northeast of Fairfield. |
| June 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | - | A wind gust of 64 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located four miles northeast of Fairfield. |
| May 2021 | Tornado (EFU) | Clay Center | - | This landspout tornado briefly touched down 4 miles south-southeast of Clay Center. |
| June 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | - | Thunderstorm wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph occurred near Road T and Road 311. |
| December 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | - | Wind gusts were estimated to be near 70 MPH. Visibility was near zero due to rain and wind. A wind gusts of 63 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located four miles southeast of Clay Center. |
| December 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | - | A wind gust of 63 MPH was measured by a mesonet station located four miles northeast of Fairfield. |
| July 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | - | Wind gusts were estimated to be near 65 MPH. Tree damage was reported in Clay Center, including tree limbs landing on a few homes. |
| August 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Clay Center | - | Wind gusts were estimated to be near 60 MPH. |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Clay Center | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q966365 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 828169. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.





