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Natural hazards · Tonkawa

Tonkawa, OK natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Tonkawa comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1986. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Tonkawa?

65
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Tonkawa to be higher than in 65% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding35%Tornadoes22%Cold waves21%Drought6%Hail5%Everything else10%
By hazard

What Tonkawa faces

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

Inland flooding

35% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

22% of expected damage
Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Cold waves

21% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Drought

6% of expected damage
Recorded about 53 times a year in the area

Hail

5% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places
Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Tonkawa flood?

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

9paid claims since 1986
$52Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19862026

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. Tonkawa isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Kay County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

14storm safe rooms built
Disasters that hit Tonkawa

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into TonkawaDeclared for Kay County only
2024

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

3 households applied for aid
2021

Severe Winter Storms

$3K to the City of Tonkawa for repairs
2019

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

43 households applied for aid $30K aid approved $23K to the City of Tonkawa for repairs
2015

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

$11K to the City of Tonkawa for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$20K to the City of Tonkawa for repairs
2012

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

$84K to the City of Tonkawa for repairs
2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$11K to the City of Tonkawa for repairs
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$27K to the City of Tonkawa for repairs
2007

Severe Winter Storms

$3K to the City of Tonkawa for repairs
2007

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

1 household applied for aid $975 aid approved $81K to the City of Tonkawa for repairs
2003

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

1 household applied for aid
2002

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$230K to the City of Tonkawa for repairs
Kay County has had 31 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. Tonkawa is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Tonkawa’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Tonkawa. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.

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