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Thomas County, Kansas

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

Very Low overall risk
86th of 105highest risk in Kansas
$7Mexpected losses a year
11federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0

Thomas County, Kansas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 91% of US counties. It ranks 86th of 105 counties in Kansas. The costliest hazards here are hail, drought and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $6.8 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $859 per resident. Since 1993 it has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 17 homes here carry federal flood insurance.

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

Top risks in Thomas County

Hail

Moderate
$1.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 9 times a year.
  • Ask about the roof age and any impact-rated shingles.
  • Check your home policy for a separate wind and hail deductible.

Drought

Moderate
$1.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 82 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
$1.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
HailModerate83.3
$2M
DroughtModerate82.2
$2M
Inland floodingVery Low6.3
$1M
TornadoLow36.5
$1M
Cold waveLow25.4
$495K
Strong windLow24.4
$339K
Winter weatherModerate67.4
$176K
LightningLow24.4
$126K
Heat waveVery Low12.8
$41K
EarthquakeVery Low17.5
$33K
Ice stormVery Low22.9
$30K
WildfireVery Low15.4
$8K
LandslideVery Low3.8
$7

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 very 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 Thomas County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm8
Flood1
Hurricane1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Sep 1, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 24, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 26, 2023Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 16, 2017Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2008Severe Storms, Flooding and TornadoesMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
Jan 7, 2007Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 26, 2006Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Aug 3, 2004Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Show all 11
Jul 22, 1993Severe 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 964 storm reports in Thomas County since 1951, with 0 deaths and 8 injuries and about $23 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on May 12, 1995 near Colby.

62tornadoes
496hail reports, largest 4.25 inches
368damaging thunderstorm winds
35floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 12, 1995F2Colby1 / 0
May 14, 1951F2–0 / 0
Oct 29, 1956F2–0 / 0
Oct 29, 1956F2–0 / 0
Jun 11, 1984F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jul 12, 2010HailColby Muni Arpt$11M
Jun 8, 1994HailColby$5M
May 12, 1995TornadoColby$4M
Jun 8, 1994HailGem$505K
Sep 3, 1963Tornado–$250K
Jun 11, 1984Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 27, 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 Thomas County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (17 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$0paid on 3 flood claims since 1978
2002costliest year

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 Thomas County

$172,700median home value (Kansas $217,200, US $332,700)
1967median year homes were built (Kansas 1976, US 1980)
78%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
6.3%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; 3,575 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
Sherman CountyVery Low9
Logan CountyVery Low13
Decatur CountyVery Low10
Gove CountyVery Low11
Rawlins CountyVery Low9
Sheridan CountyVery Low15

Common questions about Thomas County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Thomas County?

Hail has the highest expected yearly losses in Thomas County, about $1.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Drought is second at $1.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Thomas County had?

Thomas County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1993, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in September 2026.

Is Thomas County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 86th 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 Thomas County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Thomas 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 Thomas County had?

NOAA records list 62 tornadoes in Thomas County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on May 12, 1995 near Colby. The weather service has also logged 496 hail reports and 35 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.