Natural hazards · Purcell

Purcell, OK natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Purcell comes from tornadoes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 11 claims here since 1983. 14 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Purcell?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Purcell to be higher than in 60% of U.S. communities, mostly from tornadoes and inland flooding.

Tornadoes34%Inland flooding27%Cold waves13%Hail8%Heat waves8%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Purcell faces

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

Tornadoes

34% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 54 years in the area

Inland flooding

27% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 44% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

13% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hail

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about 18 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 Purcell flood?

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

11paid claims since 1983

$385Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19832026

Biggest named events

Early summer storms: 7 claims, $371K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: McClain County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

197storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Purcell

14 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PurcellDeclared for McClain County only

2024

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

2 households applied for aid $25K aid approved

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

10 households applied for aid

2015

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

80 households applied for aid $70K aid approved $286K to the City of Purcell for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $16K aid approved

2011

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

35 households applied for aid $203K aid approved

2010

Severe Winter Storm

$507K to the City of Purcell for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm

$19K to the City of Purcell for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$24K to the City of Purcell for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

$77K to the City of Purcell for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

33 households applied for aid $37K aid approved $66K to the City of Purcell for repairs

2005

Extreme Wildfire Threat

$11K to the City of Purcell for repairs

2003

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

3 households applied for aid

2001

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$47K to the City of Purcell for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$117K to the City of Purcell for repairs

McClain County has had 35 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and ice storms.

Around Purcell

Purcell and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Slaughtervillemostly inland floodingHigh

Lexingtonmostly inland floodingHigh

Goldsbymostly 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. Purcell covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Purcell’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Purcell. 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 Purcell total about $3.1M 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.