Natural hazards · Altus

Altus, OK natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Altus comes from strong winds, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1983. 13 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Altus?

100
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Altus to be higher than in 100% of U.S. communities, mostly from strong winds.

Strong wind85%Everything else15%
By hazard

What Altus faces

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

Strong wind

85% of expected damage
Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

Inland floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity
Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.
Flood insurance claims

Does Altus flood?

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

2paid claims since 1983
$5Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19832026
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Altus isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Jackson County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

86storm safe rooms built
Disasters that hit Altus

13 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AltusDeclared for Jackson County only
2024

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

47 households applied for aid $35K aid approved
2020

Severe Winter Storm

$79K to the City of Altus for repairs
2019

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

$62K to the City of Altus for repairs
2015

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$126K to the City of Altus for repairs
2015

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

$83K to the City of Altus for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storm

$1.4M to the City of Altus for repairs
2009

Severe Winter Storm

$51K to the City of Altus for repairs
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$1.1M to the City of Altus for repairs
2007

Severe Winter Storms

$9K to the City of Altus for repairs
2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$16K to the City of Altus for repairs
2005

Extreme Wildfire Threat

$2K to the City of Altus for repairs
2001

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$20K to the City of Altus for repairs
2000

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$18K to the City of Altus for repairs
Jackson County has had 25 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and ice storms.
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. Altus covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Altus’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Altus. 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 Altus total about $28.6M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01