Natural hazards · Spencer

Spencer, OK natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Spencer comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 12 claims here since 1982. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Spencer?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Spencer to be higher than in 59% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and heat waves.

Inland flooding37%Heat waves23%Tornadoes19%Hail8%Cold waves7%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Spencer 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

Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

23% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 45% of U.S. places

Recorded about 18 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

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

Hail

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter 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 Spencer flood?

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

12paid claims since 1982

$428Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19822026

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

Insurance rates: Oklahoma County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

11storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Spencer

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SpencerDeclared for Oklahoma County only

2021

Severe Winter Storms

138 households applied for aid $176K aid approved

2015

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

27 households applied for aid $14K aid approved

2013

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

88 households applied for aid $121K aid approved $2K to the City of Spencer for repairs

2010

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

7 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2009

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

1 household applied for aid

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$26K to the City of Spencer for repairs

2007

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

30 households applied for aid $59K aid approved $18K to the City of Spencer for repairs

2005

Extreme Wildfire Threat

9 households applied for aid $46K aid approved $2K to the City of Spencer for repairs

2003

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

16 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

2000

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$39K to the City of Spencer for repairs

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

Around Spencer

Spencer and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Oklahoma Citymostly inland floodingHigh

Spencermostly inland floodingModerate

Midwest Citymostly inland floodingModerate

Nicoma Parkmostly 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. Spencer covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Spencer’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Spencer. 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 Spencer total about $1.1M 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.