Lyon County, Kansas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Lyon County, Kansas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 52% of US counties. It ranks 22nd of 105 counties in Kansas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and ice storms. FEMA estimates about $18 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $549 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (22 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2025 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 35 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $970,000 on 64 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Lyon County
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
- Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
- Trim branches that hang over the roof or power lines.
- Plan for several days without power.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 49.3 | $8M | ||
| Tornado | 69.7 | $3M | ||
| Ice storm | 92.7 | $1M | ||
| Wildfire | 88.3 | $1M | ||
| Cold wave | 52.0 | $1M | ||
| Strong wind | 53.7 | $716K | ||
| Heat wave | 60.2 | $679K | ||
| Lightning | 74.1 | $673K | ||
| Hail | 61.8 | $472K | ||
| Winter weather | 88.8 | $437K | ||
| Drought | 54.7 | $238K | ||
| Earthquake | 36.8 | $145K | ||
| Landslide | 40.1 | $772 |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively low and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Lyon County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 25
Kansas also had 10 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1954
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 868 storm reports in Lyon County since 1954, with 10 deaths and 205 injuries and about $58.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on June 8, 1974.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 8, 1974 | F4 | – | 177 / 6 |
| May 21, 2011 | EF3 | Reading | 5 / 1 |
| Oct 17, 1971 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 7, 1990 | F2 | – | 17 / 0 |
| May 28, 1962 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 8, 1974 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Jun 7, 1990 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Nov 1, 1998 | Flash Flood | Emporia | $3M |
| May 21, 2011 | Tornado | Reading | $2M |
| Jul 24, 2004 | Flash Flood | Admire | $950K |
| May 28, 1962 | Tornado | – | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 4, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Flood insurance in Lyon County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Lyon County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 15,027 housing units.
Compare in Kansas
All 105 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | Inland flooding | |
| Sedgwick County | Inland flooding | |
| Shawnee County | Inland flooding | |
| Wyandotte County | Inland flooding | |
| Douglas County | Inland flooding | |
| Leavenworth County | Inland flooding | |
| Riley County | Inland flooding | |
| Butler County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Osage County | 24 | |
| Coffey County | 17 | |
| Wabaunsee County | 25 | |
| Greenwood County | 23 | |
| Morris County | 26 | |
| Chase County | 20 |
Common questions about Lyon County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Lyon County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Lyon County, about $7.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2.9 million.
How many federal disasters has Lyon County had?
Lyon County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 22 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in September 2025.
Is Lyon County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 22nd highest of 105 in Kansas. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Lyon County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Lyon County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Lyon County had?
NOAA records list 50 tornadoes in Lyon County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on June 8, 1974. The weather service has also logged 384 hail reports and 73 floods here.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.