Natural hazards · Wells

Wells, KS natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wells comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Wells?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wells to be higher than in 58% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding45%Tornadoes17%Strong wind12%Wildfire10%Hail7%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Wells faces

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

Inland flooding

45% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 54% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Strong wind

12% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Wildfire

10% of expected damage

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

Hail

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Wells flood?

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

Disasters that hit Wells

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WellsDeclared for Marshall County only

2019

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

$32K to the Township of Wells for repairs

2015

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

$17K to the Township of Wells for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorm

$59K to the Township of Wells for repairs

Marshall County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Wells

Wells and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Blue Rapids Citymostly inland floodingHigh

Wellsmostly inland floodingModerate

Centermostly inland floodingModerate

Bigelowmostly inland floodingModerate

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