Cowley County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Cowley County has experienced 26 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Cowley County's highest-rated hazards are wildfire, tornado, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 58% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (79th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Cowley County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (18), flood (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Tornadoes And Flooding |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 26 total declarations since 1973.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | 91.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 56.3 | 17 | 0 | $31K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 40.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 78.5 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 91 | 18 | 0 | $45K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 21 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 80.9 | 129 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 83.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 66.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 86.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 86 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 42.4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 64.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 57.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Cowley County ranks in the 79th percentile (High) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 79th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 54th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 94th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 56th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 82nd | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 87th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 91st | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 47.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 165 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 116 in 2016–20 vs 49 in 2021–25 (-58% — frequency decreasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Cowley County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Cowley County, Kansas are wildfire, tornado, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Cowley County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Cowley County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (18 declarations).
Has Cowley County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Cowley County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Cowley County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Sedgwick County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Chautauqua County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Cowley County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Cowley County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Cowley County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Cowley County's composite score of 69 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 69% of US counties.