Natural hazards · Oklahoma

Oklahoma, OK natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Oklahoma comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 996 claims here since 1978. 13 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Oklahoma?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Oklahoma to be higher than in 62% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding42%Tornadoes18%Heat waves15%Hail9%Cold waves8%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Oklahoma faces

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

Inland flooding

42% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Heat waves

15% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Recorded about 18 times a year in the area

Hail

9% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Oklahoma flood?

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

996paid claims since 1978

$18.8Mpaid to owners

149homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Early summer storms: 8 claims, $193K
Early winter storms: 2 claims, $9K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 3 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (23) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Oklahoma is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Oklahoma County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2,567storm safe rooms built

143flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit Oklahoma

13 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OklahomaDeclared for Oklahoma County only

2025

Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds

87 households applied for aid $123K aid approved

2024

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

$487K to the City of Oklahoma for repairs

2021

Severe Winter Storms

2,228 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved $140K to the City of Oklahoma for repairs

2020

Severe Winter Storm

$19.4M to the City of Oklahoma for repairs

2015

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

1,576 households applied for aid $3.4M aid approved

2013

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

5,938 households applied for aid $4.8M aid approved

2010

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

628 households applied for aid $131K aid approved

2009

Wildfires

33 households applied for aid $68K aid approved

2009

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

55 households applied for aid $41K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

129 households applied for aid $204K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

207 households applied for aid $176K aid approved $753K to the City of Oklahoma for repairs

2005

Extreme Wildfire Threat

27 households applied for aid $10K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

1,198 households applied for aid $684K aid approved

Oklahoma County has had 42 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and fires.

Around Oklahoma

Oklahoma and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Tuttlemostly inland floodingHigh

Newcastlemostly tornadoesHigh

Del Citymostly inland floodingHigh

Oklahoma Citymostly inland floodingHigh

Jonesmostly inland floodingHigh

Choctawmostly inland floodingHigh

Normanmostly inland floodingHigh

Spencermostly inland floodingModerate

Midwest Citymostly inland floodingModerate

Mooremostly inland floodingModerate

Edmondmostly inland floodingModerate

Yukonmostly tornadoesModerate

Union Citymostly inland floodingModerate

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. Oklahoma covers 213 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Oklahoma’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Oklahoma. 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 Oklahoma total about $266M 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.