Natural hazards · Wamego

Wamego, KS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wamego comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1993. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Wamego?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wamego to be higher than in 43% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding40%Tornadoes19%Ice storms9%Cold waves8%Heat waves7%Strong wind6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Wamego 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 52% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 52 years in the area

Ice storms

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

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

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Wamego flood?

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

3paid claims since 1993

$39Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19932026

Biggest named events

Midwest Flooding: 1 claim, $835

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Wamego is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Pottawatomie County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Wamego

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WamegoDeclared for Pottawatomie County only

2024

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

$35K to the City of Wamego for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorm

$3K to the City of Wamego for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$57K to the City of Wamego for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

9 households applied for aid $15K aid approved

2005

Severe Winter Storms, Heavy Rains, and Flooding

$7K to the City of Wamego for repairs

Pottawatomie County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Wamego

Wamego and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Wabaunseemostly inland floodingVery high

Wamegomostly 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. Wamego 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 Wamego’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Wamego. 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.