Natural hazards · Downs

Downs, KS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Downs comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Downs?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Downs to be higher than in 65% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding38%Tornadoes21%Drought12%Hail9%Cold waves8%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Downs faces

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

Inland flooding

38% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

21% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Drought

12% of expected damage

Recorded about 64 times a year in the area

Hail

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Downs flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Downs.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Sumner County.

Disasters that hit Downs

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into DownsDeclared for Sumner County only

2025

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

$51K to the Township of Downs for repairs

2019

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

$61K to the Township of Downs for repairs

2018

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$11K to the Township of Downs for repairs

2015

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

$44K to the Township of Downs for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes

$16K to the Township of Downs for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$18K to the Township of Downs for repairs

Sumner County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Downs

Downs and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Downsmostly inland floodingHigh

Fallsmostly inland floodingHigh

Jacksonmostly inland floodingHigh

Osbornemostly inland floodingHigh

Chikaskiamostly inland floodingHigh

Wellingtonmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Downs is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

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

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.