Lyon County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Lyon County has experienced 27 federally declared disasters since 1965, 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.
Lyon County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, winter weather, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 30% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (72nd 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. Lyon County has been designated in 27 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (17), flood (4), 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 |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Showing the 10 most recent of 27 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 88.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 49.3 | 26 | 0 | $20K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 36.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 60.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 69.7 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 61.8 | 90 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 53.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 88.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 92.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 52 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 74.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 54.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 40.1 | 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
Lyon County ranks in the 72nd percentile (Moderate) 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 | 72nd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 62nd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 33rd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 67th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 94th | 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 | 85th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 89th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 43.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 121 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 71 in 2016–20 vs 50 in 2021–25 (-30% — 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 Lyon County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Lyon County, Kansas are ice storm, winter weather, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Lyon County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Lyon County has received 27 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (17 declarations).
Has Lyon County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Lyon County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Lyon County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Osage County, KS has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Chase County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Lyon County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Lyon County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Lyon 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. Lyon County's composite score of 48 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 48% of US counties.