Natural hazards · Tulsa

Tulsa, OK natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Tulsa comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2,197 claims here since 1978. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Tulsa?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Tulsa to be higher than in 52% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and heat waves.

Inland flooding45%Heat waves27%Tornadoes13%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Tulsa faces

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

Inland flooding

45% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Heat waves

27% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 26 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Tulsa flood?

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

2,197paid claims since 1978

$40.4Mpaid to owners

82homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Early summer storms: 4 claims, $27K
Thunderstorms: 2 claims, $8K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (8) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 45% off flood insurance. Tulsa is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 1) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Tulsa County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

190storm safe rooms built

59flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Tulsa

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into TulsaDeclared for Tulsa County only

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

$2.8M to the City of Tulsa for repairs

2022

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

447 households applied for aid $77K aid approved

2021

Severe Winter Storms

1,383 households applied for aid $901K aid approved $46K to the City of Tulsa for repairs

2019

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

538 households applied for aid $448K aid approved $6.5M to the City of Tulsa for repairs

2015

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

56 households applied for aid $23K aid approved

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$519K to the City of Tulsa for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm

$923K to the City of Tulsa for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms

$16.7M to the City of Tulsa for repairs

2005

Extreme Wildfire Threat

3 households applied for aid $8K aid approved $15K to the City of Tulsa for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$987K to the City of Tulsa for repairs

1999

Ok, Tornadoes 5/3/99

$60K to the City of Tulsa for repairs

Tulsa County has had 32 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Tulsa

Tulsa and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Fair Oaksmostly inland floodingHigh

Bixbymostly inland floodingHigh

Sperrymostly inland floodingHigh

Jenksmostly inland floodingHigh

Sapulpamostly inland floodingHigh

Oakhurstmostly inland floodingHigh

Turleymostly inland floodingHigh

Broken Arrowmostly inland floodingModerate

Tulsamostly inland floodingModerate

Sand Springsmostly inland floodingModerate

Catoosamostly inland floodingLow

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. Tulsa covers 137 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Tulsa’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Tulsa. 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 Tulsa total about $174M 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.