Natural hazards · Lawton

Lawton, OK natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lawton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 497 claims here since 1978. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lawton?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lawton to be higher than in 59% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding37%Tornadoes24%Cold waves14%Strong wind8%Earthquakes5%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Lawton 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 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

24% of expected damage

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

Cold waves

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Strong wind

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Lawton flood?

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

497paid claims since 1978

$13.1Mpaid to owners

65homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Early summer storms: 53 claims, $2.4M
Thunderstorms: 16 claims, $476K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (16) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Lawton is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Comanche County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

402storm safe rooms built

16flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Lawton

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LawtonDeclared for Comanche County only

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

$2.0M to the City of Lawton for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storms

184 households applied for aid $74K aid approved $103K to the City of Lawton for repairs

2020

Severe Winter Storm

$369K to the City of Lawton for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

$616K to the City of Lawton for repairs

2015

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

379 households applied for aid $537K aid approved $3.0M to the City of Lawton for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm

$1.6M to the City of Lawton for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm

$223K to the City of Lawton for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$131K to the City of Lawton for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

24 households applied for aid $9K aid approved $87K to the City of Lawton for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

356 households applied for aid $597K aid approved $1.1M to the City of Lawton for repairs

2001

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$234K to the City of Lawton for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$732K to the City of Lawton for repairs

Comanche County has had 28 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. Lawton covers 26 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lawton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lawton. 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 Lawton total about $29.9M 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.