Natural hazards · Pittsburg

Pittsburg, KS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pittsburg comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 49 claims here since 1985. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Pittsburg?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Pittsburg to be higher than in 63% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding40%Tornadoes27%Strong wind9%Heat waves6%Ice storms5%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Pittsburg faces

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

Inland flooding

40% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

27% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Strong wind

9% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about 16 times a year in the area

Ice storms

5% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Pittsburg flood?

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

49paid claims since 1985

$773Kpaid to owners

7homes flooded more than once

19852026

Biggest named events

Thunderstorms: 1 claim, $853

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Crawford County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

29flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

8storm safe rooms built

1flood-prone homes bought out and moved

Disasters that hit Pittsburg

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PittsburgDeclared for Crawford County only

2017

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$7K to the City of Pittsburg for repairs

2013

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

$18K to the City of Pittsburg for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorm

$27K to the City of Pittsburg for repairs

2009

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

$29K to the City of Pittsburg for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes

$109K to the City of Pittsburg for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$368K to the City of Pittsburg for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

11 households applied for aid $38K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2002

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$77K to the City of Pittsburg for repairs

Crawford County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Pittsburg

Pittsburg and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Bakermostly inland floodingHigh

Pittsburgmostly inland floodingHigh

Frontenacmostly inland floodingHigh

Washingtonmostly inland floodingHigh

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. Pittsburg covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Pittsburg’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Pittsburg. 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 Pittsburg total about $6.1M 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.