Natural hazards · Nowata

Nowata, OK natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Nowata comes from strong winds, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 1999. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Nowata?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Nowata to be higher than in 73% of U.S. communities, mostly from strong winds and inland flooding.

Strong wind25%Inland flooding20%Tornadoes18%Ice storms15%Cold waves13%Heat waves6%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Nowata faces

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

Strong wind

25% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

20% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 27 years in the area

Ice storms

15% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

13% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 41% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 24 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Nowata flood?

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

8paid claims since 1999

$153Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19992026

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

Insurance rates: Nowata County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

5storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Nowata

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NowataDeclared for Nowata County only

2024

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

6 households applied for aid $34K aid approved

2019

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

81 households applied for aid $146K aid approved $38K to the City of Nowata for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$11K to the City of Nowata for repairs

2011

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

$907 to the City of Nowata for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$23K to the City of Nowata for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm

$6K to the City of Nowata for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm

$19K to the City of Nowata for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$292K to the City of Nowata for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

24 households applied for aid $157K aid approved

2007

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$4K to the City of Nowata for repairs

2003

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

12 households applied for aid $16K aid approved

2000

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$161K to the City of Nowata for repairs

Nowata 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. Nowata covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Nowata’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Nowata. 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 Nowata total about $3.3M 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.