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Canadian County, Oklahoma

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

Relatively Moderate overall risk
7th of 77highest risk in Oklahoma
$74Mexpected losses a year
38federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Canadian County, Oklahoma has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 84% of US counties. It ranks 7th of 77 counties in Oklahoma. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $74 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $480 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 38 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (30 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2026 (Train Trestle Fire). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (219 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $3.6 million on 232 claims here, including $1.3 million for floods in 2007.

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

Top risks in Canadian County

$24.1 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.
$17.4 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.
$11.4 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingModerate75.7
$24M
TornadoHigh95.0
$17M
Cold waveHigh91.1
$11M
Heat waveModerate93.0
$6M
HailHigh96.7
$6M
Ice stormVery High98.5
$5M
Strong windModerate63.5
$1M
WildfireLow83.9
$917K
DroughtModerate70.4
$770K
EarthquakeLow61.7
$734K
Winter weatherHigh87.5
$489K
LightningLow26.5
$137K
HurricaneVery Low30.2
$21K
LandslideVery Low60.7
$4K

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 Canadian County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm16
Severe Ice Storm11
Flood4
Tornado3
Fire3
Hurricane1

Most recent

Aug 13, 2026Train Trestle FireFire management
Feb 24, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 17, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Dec 21, 2020Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jun 1, 2019Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 10, 2016Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 29, 2015Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 26, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 20, 2013Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 1, 2011Mustang Road FireFire management
Show all 38
Jun 6, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 2, 2011Severe Winter StormEmergency
Mar 5, 2010Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Feb 25, 2010Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 30, 2010Severe Winter StormEmergency
Dec 18, 2007Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Dec 10, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
Aug 24, 2007Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 7, 2007Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jun 7, 2007Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 1, 2007Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Jan 14, 2007Severe Winter Storms and FloodingEmergency
Jan 10, 2006Extreme Wildfire ThreatMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 10, 2003Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Feb 4, 2003Severe Ice StormMajor disaster
Feb 1, 2002Severe Winter Ice StormMajor disaster
Jun 29, 2001Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 5, 2001Severe Winter Ice StormMajor disaster
May 4, 1999Ok, Tornadoes 5/3/99Major disaster
Sep 1, 1995Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 26, 1995Tornadoes, Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 12, 1993Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 1987Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 14, 1986Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 26, 1983Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Nov 26, 1974Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 13, 1973Severe Storms, Flooding, & TornadoesMajor disaster

Oklahoma also had 43 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1951

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 1,289 storm reports in Canadian County since 1951, with 20 deaths and 192 injuries and about $33.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF5 tornado on May 24, 2011 near Calumet.

110tornadoes
728hail reports, largest 7 inches
386damaging thunderstorm winds
53floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 24, 2011EF5Calumet112 / 7
May 24, 1973F4–4 / 2
Apr 30, 1978F4–0 / 0
May 22, 1981F4–0 / 0
May 31, 2013EF3Calumet26 / 8

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 3, 1995Thunderstorm WindUnion City$5M
May 8, 2007TornadoEl Reno$3M
May 24, 1973Tornado–$3M
Jun 10, 1967Tornado–$3M
Apr 20, 1974Tornado–$3M
Apr 30, 1978Tornado–$3M

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.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Hurricane risk by county ›

Since 1900, 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm have passed within 65 miles of the center of Canadian County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1900, with top winds near 45 mph about 59 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
1tropical storms
1900most recent: unnamed storm

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 10, 1900UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph59 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 10, 1900UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph59 mi

Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.

Flood insurance in Canadian County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (219 policies)
11.5%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$3.6 millionpaid on 232 flood claims since 1978
2007costliest year, with $1.3 million 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 Canadian County

$246,200median home value (Oklahoma $199,800, US $332,700)
1999median year homes were built (Oklahoma 1980, US 1980)
28%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.6%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; 61,956 housing units.

Compare in Oklahoma

All 77 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Oklahoma CountyHighInland flooding
Tulsa CountyHighInland flooding
Cleveland CountyModerateInland flooding
Canadian CountyModerateInland flooding
Comanche CountyModerateInland flooding
Rogers CountyLowInland flooding
Payne CountyModerateCold wave
Wagoner CountyLowInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Oklahoma CountyHigh49
Cleveland CountyModerate42
Grady CountyLow35
Logan CountyLow45
McClain CountyLow42
Caddo CountyLow42
Kingfisher CountyLow33
Blaine CountyVery Low31

Cities in Canadian County

Common questions about Canadian County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Canadian County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Canadian County, about $24.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $17.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Canadian County had?

Canadian County has been included in 38 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 30 major disasters. The most recent was Train Trestle Fire in August 2026.

Is Canadian County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 7th highest of 77 in Oklahoma. 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 Canadian County?

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

NOAA records list 110 tornadoes in Canadian County since 1950. The strongest was an EF5 tornado on May 24, 2011 near Calumet. The weather service has also logged 728 hail reports and 53 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Canadian County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm passing within 65 miles of the center of Canadian County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1900, with winds near 45 mph.

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.