Tulsa County, OK
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Tulsa County has experienced 40 federally declared disasters since 1971, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Tulsa County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, heat wave, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 18% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (78th 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. Tulsa County has been designated in 40 declarations since 1971, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (11), flood (9), severe ice storm (8).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2019 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Fire | Turley Fire |
Showing the 10 most recent of 40 total declarations since 1971.
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 | 91.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 97.9 | 124 | 6 | $2.6M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 89.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 99.6 | 42 | 6 | — |
| Tornado | Very High | 99.1 | 25 | 0 | $60.7M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 46.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 98.4 | 283 | 0 | $4.3M |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 99.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 89.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 99.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 94.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 91.9 | 2 | 0 | $280K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 73.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 68.7 | 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
Tulsa County ranks in the 78th 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 | 78th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 75th | High |
| Household characteristics | 79th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 79th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 60th | 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 | 83rd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 79th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 23.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 470 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 216 in 2016–20 vs 254 in 2021–25 (+18% — 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 Tulsa County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Tulsa County, Oklahoma are ice storm, heat wave, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Tulsa County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Tulsa County has received 40 federal disaster declarations since 1971, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).
Has Tulsa County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Tulsa County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes in 2023.
How does Tulsa County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Creek County, OK has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Wagoner County, OK has the lowest (Relatively Low). Tulsa County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Tulsa County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Tulsa 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. Tulsa County's composite score of 98 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 98% of US counties.