Natural hazards · Lexington

Lexington, OK natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lexington comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 24 claims here since 1983. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lexington?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lexington to be higher than in 72% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding38%Cold waves14%Tornadoes11%Drought10%Heat waves8%Hail7%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Lexington faces

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

Inland flooding

38% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

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

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 39 years in the area

Drought

10% of expected damage

Recorded about 34 times a year in the area

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 18 times a year in the area

Hail

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Lexington flood?

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

24paid claims since 1983

$355Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19832026

Biggest named events

Early summer storms: 11 claims, $162K

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. Lexington isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Cleveland County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

28storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Lexington

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LexingtonDeclared for Cleveland County only

2025

Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds

1 household applied for aid

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

1 household applied for aid

2015

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

161 households applied for aid $477K aid approved $41K to the City of Lexington for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

29 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

2012

Freedom and Noble Wildfires

1 household applied for aid

2010

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

20 households applied for aid $72K aid approved

2010

Severe Winter Storm

$166K to the City of Lexington for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm

$63K to the City of Lexington for repairs

2009

Wildfires

18 households applied for aid $220K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

16 households applied for aid $50K aid approved

2000

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$12K to the City of Lexington for repairs

Cleveland County has had 34 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and fires.

Around Lexington

Lexington and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Lexingtonmostly inland floodingHigh

Purcellmostly tornadoesHigh

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. Lexington 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 Lexington’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lexington. 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.