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Pratt County, Kansas

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Relatively Low overall risk
17th of 105highest risk in Kansas
$16Mexpected losses a year
17federal declarations
1 in 333homes with flood insurance
Photo: Bold Frontiers, CC BY 2.0

Pratt County, Kansas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 55% of US counties. It ranks 17th of 105 counties in Kansas. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, drought and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $16 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,794 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (15 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2025 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 12 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2,009 on 12 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Pratt County

$6.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$2.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 55 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.

Tornado

Moderate
$2.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Cold waveHigh90.5
$7M
DroughtHigh96.1
$3M
TornadoModerate68.6
$2M
HailModerate91.1
$2M
Inland floodingVery Low15.2
$2M
Strong windLow49.9
$494K
WildfireLow80.6
$389K
Ice stormModerate70.7
$208K
Heat waveVery Low32.7
$140K
LightningVery Low16.2
$50K
EarthquakeVery Low23.5
$34K
Winter weatherVery Low5.9
$4K
LandslideVery Low6.1
$10

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 moderate and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Pratt County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm12
Severe Ice Storm2
Flood1
Hurricane1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Jul 22, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 20, 2019Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And MudslidesMajor disaster
Feb 25, 2019Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 19, 2018Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 24, 2017Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Oct 22, 2013Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 26, 2013SnowstormMajor disaster
Jun 24, 2009Severe Winter Storm and Record and Near Record SnowMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2008Severe Storms, Flooding and TornadoesMajor disaster
Feb 1, 2008Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Show all 17
Dec 12, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
May 6, 2007Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Feb 8, 2005Severe Winter Storms, Heavy Rains, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 6, 2002Severe Winter Ice StormMajor disaster
Sep 28, 1973Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
May 2, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

Kansas also had 10 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1951

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 1,000 storm reports in Pratt County since 1951, with 3 deaths and 10 injuries and about $27.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on May 23, 2008 near Sawyer.

75tornadoes
576hail reports, largest 6 inches
291damaging thunderstorm winds
20floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 23, 2008EF3Sawyer2 / 2
May 4, 2007EF3Hopewell1 / 1
Apr 30, 1951F3–0 / 0
May 25, 1965F3–7 / 0
Mar 26, 1991F3–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 7, 2002TornadoPratt$20M
Oct 8, 2018FloodPratt$3M
Aug 2, 1996Thunderstorm WindCullison$2M
Sep 27, 1998Thunderstorm WindPratt$850K
May 7, 2002TornadoHopewell$500K
Apr 30, 1951Tornado–$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 Pratt County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (12 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$2,009paid on 12 flood claims since 1978
1978costliest year, with $2,009 paid

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 Pratt County

$114,600median home value (Kansas $217,200, US $332,700)
1956median year homes were built (Kansas 1976, US 1980)
74%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.5%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

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; 4,364 housing units.

Compare in Kansas

All 105 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Johnson CountyHighInland flooding
Sedgwick CountyHighInland flooding
Shawnee CountyModerateInland flooding
Wyandotte CountyModerateInland flooding
Douglas CountyLowInland flooding
Leavenworth CountyLowInland flooding
Riley CountyLowInland flooding
Butler CountyLowInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Reno CountyLow22
Kingman CountyVery Low19
Barber CountyVery Low17
Stafford CountyVery Low25
Edwards CountyVery Low27
Kiowa CountyVery Low18

Common questions about Pratt County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Pratt County?

Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Pratt County, about $6.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Drought is second at $2.8 million.

How many federal disasters has Pratt County had?

Pratt County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 15 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in July 2025.

Is Pratt County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 17th 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 Pratt County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Pratt 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 Pratt County had?

NOAA records list 75 tornadoes in Pratt County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on May 23, 2008 near Sawyer. The weather service has also logged 576 hail reports and 20 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.