Natural hazards · Otter

Otter, KS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Otter comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very 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 Otter?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Otter to be higher than in 83% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and wildfires.

Inland flooding31%Wildfire22%Tornadoes18%Cold waves12%Hail6%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Otter faces

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

Inland flooding

31% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Wildfire

22% of expected damage

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

Tornadoes

18% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Cold waves

12% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 34% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hail

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Otter flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Cowley County.

Disasters that hit Otter

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OtterDeclared for Cowley County only

2015

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

$10K to the Township of Otter for repairs

2013

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

$9K to the Township of Otter for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes

$40K to the Township of Otter for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$29K to the Township of Otter for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$4K to the Township of Otter for repairs

2002

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$5K to the Township of Otter for repairs

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

Around Otter

Otter and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Ottermostly inland floodingVery high

Windsormostly inland floodingVery high

Cedarmostly inland floodingVery high

Dextermostly inland floodingVery high

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