Gray County, KS Environment & Hazard Risk

• DroughtRelatively High$3.8M/yr expected annual loss, about 77 events a year
• HailRelatively High$3.1M/yr expected annual loss, about 11 events a year
• Cold waveRelatively Low$1.5M/yr expected annual loss, about 3.3 events a year
• TornadoRelatively Low$1M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1 year
• Ice stormRelatively Low$62.6K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 2 years
• WildfireVery Low$23.9K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 2,253 years
• Strong windRelatively Low$383K/yr expected annual loss, about 4.8 events a year
• EarthquakeVery Low$30.1K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1,818 years
• LightningVery Low$59.6K/yr expected annual loss, about 44 events a year
• Winter weatherVery Low$14.5K/yr expected annual loss, about 11 events a year
• Heat waveVery Low$10.5K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.0 events a year
• LandslideVery Low$7/yr expected annual loss, about once every 11 years

Bars show the national percentile score (0 to 100) for each hazard. Dollar figures are expected annual losses to buildings, people and crops. Not rated here: avalanche, coastal flooding, hurricane, riverine flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity.

Check the flood zone for an address

Homes with flood insurance

2 of 2,715 (0.1%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

0

• Hail407
• Thunderstorm Wind250
• Tornado40
• High Wind36
• Heavy Snow27
• Heavy Rain27
• Winter Weather26
• Winter Storm25
• Blizzard11
• Flash Flood8

• TornadoF3, 22 mi path, 900 yd wide05/26/1996

  Sublette, Gray County

  $2.2M damage

  What happened

  The thunderstorm that produced the F2 tornado in Seward and Haskell counties spun up an even bigger tornado further into Haskell and Gray counties. The tornado took a few trees in Haskell county. In Gray county...34 irrigation sprinklers systems were damaged or destroyed...power poles were snapped...2 houses were damaged...a barn was destroyed...a truck overturned...flood irrigation pipe was tossed like match sticks. In fact...one witness reported the 30 foot pieces of pipe were 4 or 5 hundred feet in the air. In addition...3 inch high corn plants were completely removed...leaving the field bare. Several people video taping the tornado were chased by the tornado...only to take shelter under a bridge. The tornado passed about 1/2 mile east of them while they watched 5 inch diameter hail pound the ground.

• Hail3" hail06/12/2009

  Cimarron, Gray County

  $1.5M damage

  What happened

  Hail was accompanied by 70 to 90 mph winds and did extensive damage to vehicles, buildings, crops and wildlife. The largest stones were a bit bigger than a baseball with the majority golfball sized. At one location 2 miles southeast of Cimarron the siding was stripped off a house. Many fields of alfalfa and wheat were completely mowed down by the wind and hail. Numerous rabbits and birds were laying dead where cover had once stood. Also, there were 5 pivot irrigation sprinklers overturned and several trees uprooted. Trees that were not uprooted were completely stripped of leaves and even pine trees were stripped of their needles in some cases.

• TornadoF1, 10 mi path, 400 yd wide05/26/1996

  Cimarron, Gray County

  $850K damage

  What happened

  Supercell cycled once again. Dairy farm heavily damaged with 32 head of cattle injured or killed...6 sprinklers damaged or destroyed...trees uprooted...power poles snapped.

• Thunderstorm Wind70 kt wind06/14/2009

  Copeland, Gray County

  $750K damage

  What happened

  In a 7 mile long stretch by 3 miles wide there were 10 pivot irrigation sprinklers overturned by down burst winds. In addition there were two trailers turned over and numerous tree limbs broken in this area.

• Thunderstorm Wind70 kt wind05/29/2018

  Charleston, Gray County

  $700K damage

  What happened

  One half of a school roof was torn off by the high wind. At least 5 pivot irrigation sprinklers were overturned in the area.

• Hail1.75" hail05/06/1998

  Montezuma, Gray County

  $700K damage

  What happened

  Hail swath varying from 2 to 5 miles wide extended from lakin to near montezuma. Wheat and even CRP grass consisting of Little Blue Stem, Indian, Switch and Side Oats were mowed down to the ground. There was no loss on the CRP but there was a total loss on the wheat and corn. There was also substantial property damage to homes, businesses and vehicles.

• Cimarron, City ofServes 1,973 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+4 monitoring or reporting
• Montezuma, City ofServes 951 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
• Copeland, City ofServes 251 · Groundwater · Local government17 health violations+19 monitoring or reporting
• Ingalls, City ofServes 249 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+11 monitoring or reporting
• Ensign, City ofServes 167 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+4 monitoring or reporting