Kansas and Oklahoma compared
Since 1996, NOAA recorded 79,592 storm events in Kansas and 63,696 in Oklahoma; per 1,000 square miles that is 973 against 929. FEMA has declared 96 disasters in Kansas and 259 in Oklahoma since 1953.
Side by side
| Measure | Kansas | Oklahoma |
|---|---|---|
| FEMA declarations for natural disasters since 1953 | 90 | 240 |
| Of which major disasters | 72 | 97 |
| Tornadoes since 1950 (SPC) | 4,610 | 4,516 |
| Storm records since 1996 | 79,592 | 63,696 |
| Storm records per 1,000 sq mi | 973 | 929 |
| Storm deaths since 1996 | 267 | 482 |
| Storm deaths per million people | 91 | 122 |
| Storm damage since 1996, 2025 dollars | $5.4B | $11.8B |
| FEMA expected annual loss per person | $607 | $537 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1996 to 2026-06-30; FEMA OpenFEMA; FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025) for population and expected annual loss; land area from the Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer. Search the record at NCEI.
Hazard by hazard
| Hazard | Kansas records | Oklahoma records | Kansas deaths | Oklahoma deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 40,229 | 31,601 | 0 | 0 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 26,021 | 22,248 | 19 | 23 |
| Winter storms | 7,432 | 3,990 | 120 | 78 |
| Drought | 2,928 | 6,658 | 0 | 0 |
| Floods | 4,604 | 4,346 | 32 | 91 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3,686 | 2,209 | 20 | 1 |
| Heat | 897 | 4,699 | 20 | 106 |
| Heavy rain | 1,562 | 113 | 2 | 0 |
| Extreme cold | 691 | 639 | 5 | 9 |
| Lightning | 342 | 377 | 10 | 13 |
| Wildfires | 92 | 604 | 3 | 18 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; forecast-zone records count on every county the zone covers, once per state.