Delaware County, OK
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Delaware County has experienced 33 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Delaware County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, heat wave, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 74 storm events in the county over the past decade. 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. Delaware County has been designated in 33 declarations since 1973, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (18), severe ice storm (7), flood (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2017 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 33 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 | 90.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 86.5 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 60.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 92 | 12 | 1 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 87 | 19 | 0 | $1.4M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 44.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 72.5 | 38 | 0 | $925K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 90.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 80.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 98.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 74.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 71.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 64.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 75.2 | 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
Delaware 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 | 83rd | High |
| Household characteristics | 72nd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 75th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 53rd | Moderate |
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 | 88th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 84th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 83.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 74 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 39 in 2016–20 vs 35 in 2021–25 (-10% — relatively stable).
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 Delaware County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Delaware County, Oklahoma are ice storm, heat wave, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Delaware County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Delaware County has received 33 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (18 declarations).
Has Delaware County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Delaware County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Delaware County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Benton County, AR has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Adair County, OK has the lowest (Relatively Low). Delaware County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Delaware County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Delaware 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. Delaware County's composite score of 83 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 83% of US counties.