Natural hazards · Wellington

Wellington, KS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wellington comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1980. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Wellington?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wellington to be higher than in 53% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding37%Tornadoes29%Cold waves14%Strong wind7%Heat waves6%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Wellington faces

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

Inland flooding

37% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

29% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 41 years in the area

Cold waves

14% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 15 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Wellington flood?

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

9paid claims since 1980

$261Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19802026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Wellington 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.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Wellington

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WellingtonDeclared for Sumner County only

2025

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$55K to the City of Wellington for repairs

2019

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

$147K to the City of Wellington for repairs

2009

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

$5K to the City of Wellington for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record Snow

$15K to the City of Wellington for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes

$51K to the City of Wellington for repairs

2005

Severe Winter Storms, Heavy Rains, and Flooding

$876K to the City of Wellington for repairs

2002

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$93K to the City of Wellington for repairs

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

Around Wellington

Wellington and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Wellingtonmostly inland floodingHigh

Osbornemostly inland floodingHigh

Downsmostly inland floodingHigh

Avonmostly 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. Wellington covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Wellington’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Wellington. 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 Wellington total about $2.6M 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.