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Natural hazard risk in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on FEMA, NOAA and OpenFEMA data. Published by Humblebee.

FEMA overall Risk Index rating: Relatively High (score 97.9 of 100)[5]

Expected annual loss (FEMA)
$297.5 million[1]
Federal disaster declarations since 1974
49[2]
NFIP flood claims paid, 1978 to 2026
$24.7 million[3]
Tornadoes recorded, 1950 to 2024
136[4]

FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates overall natural hazard risk in Oklahoma County Relatively High relative to all US counties[5]. Within the county, the hazards with the highest FEMA scores are ice storm, hail and tornado, all rated Very High[6].

FEMA risk ratings for each hazard

Ratings and expected losses from the FEMA National Risk Index. Each rating compares this county with all US counties for that hazard, from Very Low to Very High. They are planning estimates, not predictions, and they do not describe any single property.

FEMA's National Risk Index rates Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Oklahoma County Relatively High[1]. This is a FEMA estimate of average yearly loss, not money anyone paid. FEMA rates the Expected Annual Loss for hail, ice storm and tornado Very High[7][8][9], and for inland flooding and heat wave Relatively High[10][11]. FEMA rates Social Vulnerability Relatively Moderate, which describes how susceptible social groups are to the harm hazards cause[12]. FEMA rates Community Resilience Relatively Low, which describes a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards[13].

Hazards sorted by FEMA hazard-type Risk Index score, highest first
HazardFEMA risk ratingExpected annual loss
Ice StormVery High$7.5 million[8]
HailVery High$27.4 million[7]
TornadoVery High$54.2 million[9]
Heat WaveRelatively High$50.8 million[11]
Inland FloodingRelatively High$127.5 million[10]
Cold WaveRelatively High$15.1 million[14]
EarthquakeRelatively Moderate$10.2 million[15]
Winter WeatherRelatively High$427,000[16]
LightningRelatively High$1.2 million[17]
WildfireRelatively Moderate$1.1 million[18]
Strong WindRelatively Moderate$1.4 million[19]
DroughtRelatively Moderate$518,000[20]
LandslideVery Low$2,131[21]
HurricaneVery Low$65,000[22]

Rated Not Applicable by FEMA for this county: avalanche, coastal flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity[23].

Social vulnerability and community resilience

FEMA uses these two ratings to scale expected losses into the Risk Index.

FEMA measureRatingScore
Social vulnerabilityRelatively Moderate49.0[12]
Community resilienceRelatively Low39.3[13]

Flooding and flood insurance

FEMA rates inland flooding risk in Oklahoma County Relatively High relative to all US counties[10]. OpenFEMA data as of 2026-08-03 show 1,251 residential flood insurance contracts in force out of 260,669 residential structures[24]. A HazardFacts tally of OpenFEMA claims records counts 1,715 NFIP claims for losses from 1978 to 2026, 1,190 of them with a payment[3]. To check the flood zone for a specific address, use FEMA's Flood Map Service Center[25].

Measure Value
Inland Flooding, FEMA risk rating[10] Relatively High, $127.5 million expected loss a year
NFIP residential flood policies in force (2026)[24] 1,251 of 260,669 homes
Homes in FEMA's mapped high-risk flood area (SFHA)[24] 3,484, of which 643 insured
NFIP flood claims, 1978 to 2026[3] 1,715 filed, $24.7 million paid

Is a specific address in a flood zone? Only FEMA's flood maps answer that, property by property[25]. This page describes the whole county.

Search an address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center

Disaster declarations and tornado records

OpenFEMA lists 49 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Oklahoma County since 1974, with fire (17) and severe storm (15) the most common incident types[2]. The most recent is FM-5669-OK, the Train Trestle Fire, declared 2026-08-13[26]. NOAA's Storm Prediction Center tornado database records 136 tornadoes that touched the county from 1950 to 2024, 23 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger[4]. The strongest were rated F5, the most recent of them on 1999-05-03[4].

Federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Oklahoma County, since 1974
Incident type Declarations
Fire[2] 17
Severe Storm[2] 15
Severe Ice Storm[2] 10
Flood[2] 4
Tornado[2] 2
Hurricane[2] 1
Most recent declarations
Declaration Incident Declared
FM-5669-OK[26] Train Trestle Fire 2026-08-13
DR-4866-OK[26] Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds 2025-05-21
DR-4862-OK[26] Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding 2025-03-18
FM-5562-OK[26] Luther Fire 2025-03-14
FM-5459-OK[26] Hefner Fire, Oklahoma Fmag 2023-03-31

How to prepare

Steps from Ready.gov, FEMA's preparedness site, for the hazards with the highest FEMA ratings here. Follow instructions from local officials and the National Weather Service when a warning is issued.

Winter storms and cold

Before

  • Insulate your home and learn how to keep pipes from freezing.
  • Install and test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup.
  • Keep several days of supplies in case the power goes out, including medication and pet needs.
  • Put an emergency kit in your car with jumper cables, sand, blankets, water and snacks, and keep the tank full.

During

  • Under a winter storm warning, find shelter right away.
  • Stay off the roads if you can. If you are stuck in your car, stay inside it.
  • Run generators and grills only outdoors, away from windows, and never heat your home with an oven or stove.

Source: Ready.gov, winter storms and cold

Tornadoes

Before

  • Learn the warning signs: a rotating funnel cloud, an approaching cloud of debris or a loud roar like a freight train.
  • Sign up for community warning systems and learn what your local sirens sound like.
  • Pick a safe spot, such as a safe room built to FEMA criteria or an ICC 500 storm shelter, and practice getting there.
  • Include your pets in the household emergency plan.
  • Keep supplies, food, water and medication in case you have to stay home for a long time.

During

  • Go right away to the safe place you picked in advance.
  • Protect your head and neck with your arms and stay away from windows, doors and outside walls.
  • No place in a car is fully safe. If you can get lower than the road, leave the car and lie down there.

Source: Ready.gov, tornadoes

Extreme heat

Before

  • Learn the signs of heat illness and how to respond.
  • Do not rely on a fan as your main way to stay cool. Fans do not lower body temperature.
  • Find cool public places, such as libraries or malls, or ask your local health department.
  • Keep heat out with window shades, weather stripping and insulation.
  • If you cannot afford cooling costs, contact LIHEAP for help.

During

  • Never leave a person or an animal in a parked car in warm weather.
  • If your home has no air conditioning, go to a cooling center.
  • Wear light, loose clothing, drink plenty of fluids and avoid hard outdoor work in the middle of the day.

Source: Ready.gov, extreme heat

Questions people ask

Is Oklahoma County at risk of tornadoes?
FEMA rates tornado risk in Oklahoma County Very High relative to all US counties[9]. NOAA's tornado database records 136 tornadoes that touched the county from 1950 to 2024[4].
Does Oklahoma County flood?
FEMA rates inland flooding risk Relatively High relative to all US counties[10]. A HazardFacts tally of OpenFEMA records counts 1,715 NFIP claims for losses in the county from 1978 to 2026[3].
Is Oklahoma County at risk of earthquakes?
FEMA rates earthquake risk in Oklahoma County Relatively Moderate relative to all US counties[15].
How many disasters have been declared in Oklahoma County?
OpenFEMA lists 49 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Oklahoma County since 1974, including 28 major disaster declarations[2].
How do I check if a home in Oklahoma County is in a flood zone?
Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center or ask the local floodplain manager[25]. County-level ratings do not tell you the flood zone of a single address[25].

Facts and sources

  1. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Oklahoma County is $297.5 million a year (Expected Annual Loss rating Relatively High, score 97.6). Of this, buildings account for $194.5 million, injuries and deaths (converted to dollars by FEMA) for $102.4... FEMA National Risk Index
  2. OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries list 49 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Oklahoma County since 1974 (28 major disaster, 21 emergency or fire management). By incident type: fire 17, severe storm 15, severe ice storm 10, flood 4, tornado 2, hurricane 1. Biological (such as... OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations
  3. HazardFacts tally of OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims (losses from 1978 to 2026): 1,715 National Flood Insurance Program claims were filed for losses in Oklahoma County, 1,190 of them with a payment, and NFIP paid $24.7 million in total (building, contents and increased cost of compliance, in dollars of the year... OpenFEMA NFIP claims
  4. NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950 to 2024): 136 recorded tornadoes touched Oklahoma County. The strongest were rated F5 (most recent of them on 1999-05-03). 23 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger. The most recent recorded tornado was on 2024-11-03. Ratings used the Fujita scale until early 2007 and the... NOAA Storm Prediction Center
  5. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): the overall natural hazard Risk Index rating for Oklahoma County is Relatively High, with a Risk Index score of 97.9 out of 100. The score is the county's percentile rank among all US counties. FEMA National Risk Index
  6. Among the 18 hazards in the FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), the hazards with the highest hazard-type Risk Index scores for Oklahoma County are ice storm (99.8, Very High), hail (99.6, Very High), tornado (99.5, Very High). HazardFacts sorted FEMA's published scores; FEMA's scores compare... FEMA National Risk Index
  7. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hail in Oklahoma County: Risk Index rating Very High (score 99.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $27.4 million a year (rating Very High). Annualized frequency 11.21 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 37 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  8. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), ice storm in Oklahoma County: Risk Index rating Very High (score 99.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $7.5 million a year (rating Very High). Annualized frequency 1.19 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 68 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  9. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), tornado in Oklahoma County: Risk Index rating Very High (score 99.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $54.2 million a year (rating Very High). Annualized frequency 0.86 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  10. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), inland flooding in Oklahoma County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 97.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $127.5 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 3.07 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of... FEMA National Risk Index
  11. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), heat wave in Oklahoma County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 99.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $50.8 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 18.16 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  12. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Social Vulnerability rating for Oklahoma County is Relatively Moderate (score 49.0). FEMA describes social vulnerability as how susceptible social groups are to the harm natural hazards cause. FEMA National Risk Index
  13. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Community Resilience rating for Oklahoma County is Relatively Low (score 39.3). FEMA describes community resilience as a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  14. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), cold wave in Oklahoma County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 97.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $15.1 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 1.84 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  15. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), earthquake in Oklahoma County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 93.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $10.2 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0014 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  16. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), winter weather in Oklahoma County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 91.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $427,000 a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 9.47 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  17. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), lightning in Oklahoma County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 91.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.2 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 51.25 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 24 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  18. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), wildfire in Oklahoma County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 88.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.1 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0018 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  19. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), strong wind in Oklahoma County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 83.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.4 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 5.76 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38... FEMA National Risk Index
  20. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), drought in Oklahoma County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 71.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $518,000 a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 24.93 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 22... FEMA National Risk Index
  21. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), landslide in Oklahoma County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 57.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $2,131 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  22. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hurricane in Oklahoma County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 49.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $65,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.01 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 172 years for the Atlantic... FEMA National Risk Index
  23. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) rates these hazards Not Applicable for Oklahoma County: avalanche, coastal flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity. FEMA uses Not Applicable when its source data has no historical record of the hazard in the community and the hazard is not considered... FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  24. NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (OpenFEMA, as of 2026-08-03): 1,251 residential flood insurance contracts were in force in Oklahoma County, out of 260,669 residential structures, a penetration rate of 0.5%. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area there were 3,484 residential structures and 643 contracts,... OpenFEMA NFIP penetration rates
  25. FEMA's Flood Map Service Center is the official public source for flood maps (Flood Insurance Rate Maps) produced under the National Flood Insurance Program. Flood zones apply to specific properties: look up an address there or ask the local floodplain manager. County-level ratings do not tell you the flood zone of... FEMA Flood Map Service Center
  26. Most recent federal disaster declarations for natural hazards (table on this page). OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations

FEMA's National Risk Index compares each county with all other US counties. Ratings are relative (Very Low to Very High), not a measure of safety. Never call a place safe, unsafe, good or bad to live in. Risk Index and Expected Annual Loss values are FEMA estimates for planning. They do not predict next year's losses and do not apply to a single property. Flood zones are set by FEMA flood maps for specific properties. County ratings and flood insurance counts do not tell anyone whether an address is in a flood zone. Disaster declaration, NFIP and tornado counts are records of the past for this county only. Do not compare with other counties unless a fact does.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Risk Index Dataset: National Risk Index Counties, v1.20 (December 2025). Retrieved from fema.maps.arcgis.com on October 30, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA.