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Natural hazards · Blackwell

Blackwell, OK natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Blackwell comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 118 claims here since 1984. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Blackwell?

70
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Blackwell to be higher than in 70% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding36%Cold waves24%Tornadoes22%Hail5%Everything else14%
By hazard

What Blackwell faces

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

Inland flooding

36% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

24% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

22% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 26 years in the area

Hail

5% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places
Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Blackwell flood?

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

118paid claims since 1984
$1.3Mpaid to owners
15homes flooded more than once
19842026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Ike: 29 claims, $682K
  • Thunderstorms: 2 claims, $13K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Blackwell isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Kay County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3storm safe rooms built
Disasters that hit Blackwell

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BlackwellDeclared for Kay County only
2024

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

13 households applied for aid $45K aid approved
2019

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

60 households applied for aid $68K aid approved $334K to the City of Blackwell for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$12K to the City of Blackwell for repairs
2012

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

$83K to the City of Blackwell for repairs
2009

Severe Winter Storm

$25K to the City of Blackwell for repairs
2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$151K to the City of Blackwell for repairs
2007

Severe Winter Storms

$12K to the City of Blackwell for repairs
2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$805K to the City of Blackwell for repairs
2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

$900 to the City of Blackwell for repairs
2002

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$578K to the City of Blackwell for repairs
2000

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$52K to the City of Blackwell for repairs
Kay County has had 31 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. Blackwell 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 Blackwell’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Blackwell. 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.

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