Natural hazards · Atchison

Atchison, KS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Atchison comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2011. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Atchison?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Atchison to be higher than in 54% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding49%Tornadoes20%Heat waves7%Hail6%Strong wind6%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Atchison faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

20% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about 13 times a year in the area

Hail

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Atchison flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Atchison, from FEMA’s records.

1paid claims since 2011

$15Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20112026

Biggest named events

Late spring storms: 1 claim, $15K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Atchison isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Atchison County.

Disasters that hit Atchison

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Atchison itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Atchison.

Brought FEMA money into AtchisonDeclared for Atchison County only

2019

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,landslides,and Mudslides

$28K to the City of Atchison for repairs

2015

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$7K to the City of Atchison for repairs

2011

Flooding

$267K to the City of Atchison for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$129K to the City of Atchison for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$30K to the City of Atchison for repairs

2005

Severe Winter Storms, Heavy Rains, and Flooding

$10K to the City of Atchison for repairs

Atchison County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Atchison

Atchison and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Atchisonmostly inland floodingModerate

Lancastermostly inland floodingModerate

Walnutmostly inland floodingModerate

Mount Pleasantmostly inland floodingModerate

Shannonmostly inland floodingLow

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Atchison covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Atchison’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Atchison. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Atchison total about $3.4M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.