Natural hazards · McAlester

McAlester, OK natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in McAlester comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1996. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is McAlester?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in McAlester to be higher than in 47% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding37%Tornadoes17%Heat waves13%Hail8%Ice storms8%Cold waves6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What McAlester 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

Below average · higher than 28% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Heat waves

13% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Recorded about 25 times a year in the area

Hail

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Ice storms

8% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 McAlester flood?

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

4paid claims since 1996

$54Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19962026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. McAlester isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Pittsburg County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

104storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit McAlester

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into McAlesterDeclared for Pittsburg County only

2024

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

$569K to the City of McAlester for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storms

93 households applied for aid $40K aid approved $199K to the City of McAlester for repairs

2019

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

$38K to the City of McAlester for repairs

2015

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

192 households applied for aid $95K aid approved $259K to the City of McAlester for repairs

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

$100K to the City of McAlester for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

30 households applied for aid $8K aid approved $105K to the City of McAlester for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$535K to the City of McAlester for repairs

2005

Extreme Wildfire Threat

3 households applied for aid $1K to the City of McAlester for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$450K to the City of McAlester for repairs

Pittsburg County has had 26 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. McAlester covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to McAlester’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of McAlester. 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 McAlester total about $4.5M 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.

McAlester, OK natural hazards

How exposed is McAlester?

What McAlester faces

Inland flooding

Tornadoes

Heat waves

Hail

Ice storms

Cold waves

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does McAlester flood?

What’s been done with FEMA grants

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Severe Winter Storms

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

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

Severe Storms and Flooding

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Severe Winter Storms

Extreme Wildfire Threat

Severe Winter Ice Storm

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

Nearby