Kay County, OK
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Kay County has experienced 36 federally declared disasters since 1974, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Kay County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, cold wave, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 183% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (85th 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. Kay County has been designated in 36 declarations since 1974, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (17), severe ice storm (7), flood (6).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2019 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 36 total declarations since 1974.
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 Low | 88.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 69.8 | 19 | 0 | $55K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 52.2 | 26 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 81.4 | 72 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 93.4 | 6 | 0 | $270K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 24.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 92.7 | 106 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 63.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 75.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 93.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 93.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 59 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 83.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 50.9 | 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
Kay County ranks in the 85th 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 | 85th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 81st | High |
| Household characteristics | 96th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 64th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 63rd | 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 | 85th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 87th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 30.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 203 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 53 in 2016–20 vs 150 in 2021–25 (+183% — frequency increasing).
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 Kay County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Kay County, Oklahoma are ice storm, cold wave, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Kay County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Kay County has received 36 federal disaster declarations since 1974, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (17 declarations).
Has Kay County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Kay County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1974.
How does Kay County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Osage County, OK has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Grant County, OK has the lowest (Very Low). Kay County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Kay County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Kay 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. Kay County's composite score of 80 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 80% of US counties.