Oklahoma City survival atlas
Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City’s biggest natural hazards are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. In FEMA’s National Risk Index they make up 78% of the natural-hazard risk for Oklahoma County, home to 76% of Oklahoma City’s 719,849 residents. FEMA rates the county’s overall risk Relatively High. Here is what to do for each, step by step.
- People
- 719,849 Census estimate, July 1, 2025. No. 21 in the U.S.
- County
- Oklahoma County Home to 75.6% of Oklahoma City’s residents. FEMA rates counties, not cities.
- Overall risk
- Relatively High Score 97.93 of 100. No. 20 of the 30 largest U.S. cities.
- Expected loss
- $298 million A year, from all 18 natural hazards (FEMA estimate).
- Top 3 hazards
- 78% of the county’s risk comes from these three: Inland flooding · Tornado · Heat wave.
What to do for Oklahoma City’s top hazards
The one rule to remember, then the first steps, word for word from our guides. Each guide lists its sources.
Inland flooding
FEMA score 97.64: higher than 97.6% of U.S. counties. Expected loss $128 million a year.
- Get to high ground now.
- Never walk, swim or drive into floodwater. 6 inches of moving water can knock you down; 12 inches carries away most cars.
- Car stalls in rising water: get out to higher ground if you safely can. Trapped in fast water: stay inside; if water rises inside, get on the roof.
Tornado
FEMA score 99.52: higher than 99.5% of U.S. counties. Expected loss $54.2 million a year.
- Go to the lowest floor: a small interior room away from windows.
- Cover your head and neck.
- In a mobile home or a car: get to a sturdy building.
Heat wave
FEMA score 99.51: higher than 99.5% of U.S. counties. Expected loss $50.8 million a year.
- Use air conditioning, or go to a library, mall or cooling center.
- Heat stroke signs: confusion, slurred speech, collapse; hot, dry or soaked skin; 103°F or higher.
- Call 911.
All 18 natural hazards in Oklahoma City, ranked
Ranked by each hazard’s share of Oklahoma County’s risk in FEMA’s National Risk Index. The score compares the county with every other U.S. county for that one hazard.
| # | Hazard | Share of risk | FEMA rating | Score | Expected loss a year | The rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inland flooding | 43% | Relatively High | 97.64 | $128 million | Turn around, don't drown. |
| 2 | Tornado | 18% | Very High | 99.52 | $54.2 million | Lowest floor, interior room, cover your head. |
| 3 | Heat wave | 17% | Relatively High | 99.51 | $50.8 million | Get somewhere cool. Check on anyone who lives alone. |
| 4 | Hail | 9.2% | Very High | 99.65 | $27.4 million | Large hail coming? Get inside a sturdy building and away from the windows. |
| 5 | Cold wave | 5.1% | Relatively High | 97.20 | $15.1 million | One warm room. Never heat with an oven or a grill. |
| 6 | Earthquake | 3.4% | Relatively Moderate | 93.98 | $10.2 million | Drop. Cover. Hold on. |
| 7 | Ice storm | 2.5% | Very High | 99.80 | $7.5 million | Stay off the roads. One warm room. |
| 8 | Strong wind | 0.5% | Relatively Moderate | 83.87 | $1.4 million | Shelter in an interior room, away from windows. |
| 9 | Lightning | 0.4% | Relatively High | 91.82 | $1.2 million | When thunder roars, go indoors. |
| 10 | Wildfire | 0.4% | Relatively Moderate | 88.93 | $1.1 million | Leave early. Know two ways out. |
| 11 | Drought | 0.2% | Relatively Moderate | 71.05 | $518,000 | Store water now: 1 gallon per person per day. |
| 12 | Winter weather | 0.1% | Relatively High | 91.91 | $427,000 | Stay in your shelter, or stay with your car. |
| 13 | Hurricane | <0.1% | Very Low | 49.52 | $65,000 | Know your evacuation zone. Told to go? Go early. |
| 14 | Landslide | <0.1% | Very Low | 57.63 | $2,000 | Follow local alerts. Leave when officials say so. |
| – | Avalanche | – | Not applicable | – | – | Check your local avalanche center before backcountry travel. |
| – | Coastal flooding | – | Not applicable | – | – | Run from the water. Hide from the wind. |
| – | Tsunami | – | Not applicable | – | – | Strong or long shaking near the sea: go high now. |
| – | Volcanic activity | – | Not applicable | – | – | Evacuate early. In ashfall, stay in and wear an N95. |
Source // FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county 40109. Rules: SOS.city survival guides.
The rest of Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City also reaches into 3 other counties, which FEMA rates separately.
| County | Oklahoma City residents | Overall FEMA rating | Top 3 hazards by share of risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian County | 94,011 (13.1%) | Relatively Moderate (83.49) | Inland flooding, Tornado, Cold wave |
| Cleveland County | 81,379 (11.3%) | Relatively Moderate (91.28) | Inland flooding, Cold wave, Tornado |
| Pottawatomie County | 85 | Relatively Moderate (82.31) | Tornado, Inland flooding, Cold wave |
How to read these numbers
- Share of risk. For each hazard, FEMA estimates the loss each year to buildings, people and farms, then adjusts it for social vulnerability and community resilience. The county’s overall risk is the sum of all 18, so the share shows how much of it each hazard carries.
- Score. A percentile from 0 to 100. A score of 99.5 means the county’s risk for that hazard is higher than 99.5% of U.S. counties.
- Rating. FEMA sorts counties into five groups, from Very Low to Very High.
- Big places rank high. Expected losses grow with the number of people and buildings exposed, so large urban counties rank high on many hazards. A high rating means plan for it, not that it will happen this year.
- County, not street. These ratings cover the whole county. For flood risk at your address, look it up on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
- Oklahoma County is rated Relatively Moderate for social vulnerability and Relatively Low for community resilience. Both feed into its overall rating.
Questions people ask
What natural disasters is Oklahoma City most at risk for?
Oklahoma City’s biggest natural hazards are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. In FEMA’s National Risk Index they make up 78% of the natural-hazard risk for Oklahoma County, home to 76% of Oklahoma City’s 719,849 residents. FEMA rates the county’s overall risk Relatively High.
How does FEMA rate Oklahoma City’s overall disaster risk?
FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the overall risk of Oklahoma County Relatively High, with a score of 97.93 out of 100. The score is a percentile: Oklahoma County’s overall risk is higher than 97.9% of U.S. counties. Expected losses from natural hazards there average $298 million a year.
What should I do first to get ready in Oklahoma City?
Write down your top three: inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. Turn on Emergency Alerts on every phone and sign up for your county’s alerts. Store water: 1 gallon per person per day for at least 3 days, 2 weeks if you can.
Sources
Every number on this page comes from these public datasets. We check them when we review the page.
- FEMA: National Risk Index data, county table (v1.20, December 2025)
- FEMA: National Risk Index frequently asked questions (December 2025)
- FEMA: National Risk Index for Natural Hazards
- U.S. Census Bureau: City and town population totals, 2020–2025 (Vintage 2025)
- Steps: What to do in a flood or flash flood (SOS.city guide; its sources are listed on the page)
- Steps: What to do in a tornado warning (SOS.city guide; its sources are listed on the page)
- Steps: What to do in extreme heat and heat stroke (SOS.city guide; its sources are listed on the page)
General safety information, not medical advice. In an emergency, call 911 and follow local officials.
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