Natural hazards · Lawrence

Lawrence, KS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lawrence comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lawrence?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lawrence to be higher than in 68% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hail.

Inland flooding42%Hail16%Tornadoes13%Strong wind11%Ice storms5%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Lawrence faces

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

Inland flooding

42% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hail

16% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Strong wind

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Ice storms

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Winter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Lawrence flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Cloud County.

Disasters that hit Lawrence

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LawrenceDeclared for Cloud County only

2011

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

$4K to the Township of Lawrence for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$5K to the Township of Lawrence for repairs

Cloud County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Lawrence

Lawrence and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Lawrencemostly inland floodingHigh

Nelsonmostly inland floodingHigh

Shirleymostly inland floodingHigh

Elkmostly inland floodingHigh

Grantmostly hailHigh

Sibleymostly inland floodingModerate

Lincolnmostly 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. Lawrence 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 Lawrence’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Lawrence. 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.