Morton County, KS
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Morton County has experienced 8 federally declared disasters since 2005, most recently Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Morton County's highest-rated hazards are drought, wildfire, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 58% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Morton County has been designated in 8 declarations since 2005, covering 4 disaster types including severe storm (4), biological (2), snowstorm (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
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 | 73.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 0.9 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 17 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 2.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 20.1 | 2 | 0 | $80K |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 35.8 | 80 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | 9.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 29.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 18.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 14.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 20.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 91.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 1.3 | 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
Morton County ranks in the 31st percentile (Low) 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 | 31st | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 34th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 85th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 66th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 2nd | Very low |
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 | 84th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 49.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 85 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 60 in 2016–20 vs 25 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 Morton County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Morton County, Kansas are drought, wildfire, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Morton County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Morton County has received 8 federal disaster declarations since 2005, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (4 declarations).
Has Morton County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Morton County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds in 2022.
How does Morton County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Texas County, OK has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Stanton County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Morton County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Morton County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Morton 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. Morton County's composite score of 5 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 5% of US counties.