Sumner County, KS Environment & Hazard Risk
Relatively Low natural hazard risk, led by hail. 1,068 storm events since 1996.
- Expected yearly loss
- $17.14M
- Relatively Low nationally
- Storm events since 1996
- 1,068
- Most often hail
- Flood insurance policies
- 107
- 0.9% of homes
- Hurricanes nearby
- 0
- 1 tropical storm or stronger since 1900
Natural hazard risk
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Overall risk
Relatively Low
Score 48.8 of 100
Social vulnerability
Relatively Low
Score 27.8 of 100
Community resilience
Relatively High
Score 78.8 of 100
Community resilience runs the other way: a higher rating means a community can recover faster.
Building value exposed: $5.97B · Agriculture value exposed: $200M · Risk-adjusted yearly loss: $16.29M
Risk by hazard
- HailRelatively Moderate$995K/yr expected annual loss, about 10 events a year
- TornadoRelatively Moderate$4.13M/yr expected annual loss, about 1.2 events a year
- DroughtRelatively Moderate$886K/yr expected annual loss, about 60 events a year
- Ice stormRelatively Moderate$301K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1 year
- Strong windRelatively Moderate$971K/yr expected annual loss, about 6.9 events a year
- Cold waveRelatively Moderate$2.02M/yr expected annual loss, about 1.4 events a year
- Heat waveRelatively Low$859K/yr expected annual loss, about 15 events a year
- WildfireRelatively Low$131K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 2,388 years
- Winter weatherRelatively Low$52.99K/yr expected annual loss, about 10 events a year
- LandslideVery Low$412/yr expected annual loss, about once every 7 years
- EarthquakeVery Low$99.16K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1,189 years
- HurricaneVery Low$6,844/yr expected annual loss, about once every 161 years
- LightningVery Low$63.35K/yr expected annual loss, about 51 events a year
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, riverine flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity.
Flood risk and insurance
National Flood Insurance Program and FEMA flood maps
Check the flood zone for an address
- Homes with flood insurance
- 107 of 11,619 (0.9%)
- Homes in high-risk flood zones
- 593
- Insured in high-risk zones
- 98 (17%)
- Flood claims since 1978
- 211
- Claims paid since 1978
- $3.72M
Flood claims paid per year
- Hurricane Ike$96.77K · 9 claims
- Midwest Flooding$47.7K · 6 claims
- Thunderstorms$12.52K · 4 claims
- Flooding$0 · 1 claim
Storm history
Since 1996: 1,068 events, 3 deaths, $45.95M in damage
- Hail457
- Thunderstorm Wind335
- Drought57
- Tornado49
- Flash Flood41
- Flood34 · 1 death
- Winter Storm22
- High Wind16
- Winter Weather15 · 1 death
- Heavy Snow12
Events per year
89 tornadoes on record (EF0 14, EF1 3, EF2 1, EF3 1, F0 39, F1 12, F2 5, F3 7, F4 1, F5 2).
Most damaging storms
Since 1996, ranked by deaths, injuries and damage
- TornadoF3, 2.5 mi path, 600 yd wide05/30/2004
Conway Spgs, Sumner County
1 injured, $17.85M damage
What happened
The following were destroyed: 15 farm dwellings and service buildings, 25 pieces of farm machinery and equipment, many miles of transmission line, with most of wheat a total loss. (This portion of narrative courtesy of USDA Flash Situation Report.) In addition, major damage to several homes along highway 49. One modular was completely removed from over a viewout basement. A teenage boy sought refuge under the staircase in the basement only to watch a car thrown overhead. He escaped unharmed. However, one woman wasn't so fortunate; the resident of a mobile home that was completely destroyed. The only recognizable parts were the steel girders that ran along the base of the home. She had sought refuge in the bathroom and was holding on to the commode. She was thrown several feet from the homestead and received several injuries. Fortunately, none were serious.
- Winter Weather12/23/2008
Sumner
1 death, 6 injured, $100K damage
What happened
Icy conditions due to light freezing rain and freezing drizzle aided in a fatal car accident shortly after 9 am just north of the Belle Plaine service center on the Kansas Turnpike. A 39-year-old Clearwater man and his 9-year-old son were traveling north on I-35 when the pickup rolled into the ditch after they lost control in the icy conditions. Sadly, the father died at the scene, while the boy sustained some injuries. Another accident occurred around 8:45 am when an SUV rolled near GKN Aerospace on Highway 81. About 30 minutes later, a semi-truck fell partially off a bridge on Highway 160, next to the Wellington Wal-Mart. Several other accidents, some with injuries, occurred across Sumner County on the 23rd due to the inclement weather. Information courtesy of the Wichita Eagle, Arkansas City Traveler and Wellington News.
- Flood09/14/2008
Argonia, Sumner County
1 death, $10.1K damage
What happened
Raging water along the Chikaskia River caused 5 teenagers to become trapped, as they were rafting down the river. The water rescue that followed lead to 3 emergency workers ending up in the water along with the stranded teenagers. A volunteer firefighter then attempted to make an individual rescue, but lost his balance, and was swept under by the strong current. The man later died from injuries sustained during the rescue.
- Excessive Heat07/15/2011
Sumner
1 death
What happened
The searing heat claimed one life, when a 47 year old man was riding his bicycle in the triple digit heat and collapsed on the side of the road near Oxford, Kansas. He was later pronouced dead from a heat related cardivascular collapse.
- Thunderstorm Wind95 kt wind04/28/1996
Wellington, Sumner County
$7M damage
What happened
AT 12 MILES WEST OF WELLINGTON, 68-CAR FREIGHT TRAIN, 1.2 MILES LONG, BLOWN OFF TRACK CAUSING $6-7 MILLION DAMAGE.
- Flash Flood08/28/2025
Wellington Arpt, Sumner County
6 injured
What happened
A dispatcher reported water over Interstate 35 somewhere between mile markers 19 and 21. The interstate was closed for a period of time to allow the water to recede. One accident was reported from water over the roadway along Highway 81 west of Belle Plaine with unfortunately six injuries.
Latest storm reports
Newest first
- Thunderstorm Wind52 kt wind07/10/2026
Belle Plaine, Sumner County
- Thunderstorm Wind52 kt wind07/10/2026
Belle Plaine, Sumner County
- Hail1" hail07/10/2026
Belle Plaine, Sumner County
- Hail1.75" hail07/10/2026
Belle Plaine, Sumner County
- Hail1.5" hail07/04/2026
Caldwell, Sumner County
- Hail1" hail07/04/2026
Perth, Sumner County
- Thunderstorm Wind52 kt wind07/04/2026
Caldwell, Sumner County
- Hail2.25" hail07/04/2026
Argonia, Sumner County
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Storms whose track crossed Sumner County, with the wind when it passed
- Unnamed storm (1900)08/27/1900 · Landfall: TX · 936 mbTropical storm40 mph nearby
Drinking water
17 community water systems serve about 23,681 people. Violations since 2021.
2 systems had health-based violations, such as a contaminant over the legal limit or a missed treatment step. 7 systems had a violation of any kind still open at last report.
- Wellington, City ofServes 7,664 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations+2 monitoring or reporting
- Mulvane, City ofServes 6,587 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
- Belle Plaine, City ofServes 1,468 · Groundwater · Local government14 health violations
- Sumner Co Rwd 5Serves 1,429 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+5 monitoring or reporting
- Sumner Co Rwd 4Serves 1,157 · Purchased groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+4 monitoring or reporting
- Conway Springs, City ofServes 1,106 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+5 monitoring or reporting
- Oxford, City ofServes 1,048 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations+2 monitoring or reporting
- Caldwell, City ofServes 1,019 · Groundwater · PrivateNo health violations
Largest systems by population served. Monitoring and reporting violations mean required tests or notices were late or missing, not that the water was unsafe.
Climate
1991-2020 normals at Wellington, 3.9 mi from the county center
Summer highs peak around 92°F in Jul and winter lows bottom out near 22°F in Jan. About 36.1 inches of rain falls in a typical year, with 9.2 inches of snow.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 22°F | 0.96 in | 2.6 in |
| Feb | 49°F | 25°F | 1.34 in | 2.0 in |
| Mar | 59°F | 34°F | 2.48 in | 1.5 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 43°F | 3.14 in | - |
| May | 77°F | 54°F | 5.27 in | - |
| Jun | 87°F | 65°F | 5.19 in | - |
| Jul | 92°F | 69°F | 4.03 in | - |
| Aug | 91°F | 68°F | 4.25 in | - |
| Sep | 83°F | 59°F | 3.09 in | - |
| Oct | 71°F | 47°F | 3.28 in | - |
| Nov | 57°F | 34°F | 1.78 in | 0.3 in |
| Dec | 45°F | 25°F | 1.33 in | 2.8 in |
| Year | 57°F average | 36.1 in | 9.2 in | |
Pollution sites
0 Superfund sites and 1 toxic release facility in Sumner County
Superfund sites
None in this county.
Toxic release facilities
- Kansas Castings0 lbs released, Belle Plaine
Superfund sitesToxic release facilitiesEPA inspections and enforcementAir toxics cancer risk7 historic places
Frequently asked questions
- How risky is Sumner County for natural disasters?
- FEMA rates Sumner County relatively low for overall natural hazard risk, with expected losses of $17.14M a year. The highest-rated hazards are hail (relatively moderate), tornado (relatively moderate), drought (relatively moderate).
- What storms are most common in Sumner County?
- Since 1996, NOAA recorded 1,068 storm events affecting Sumner County, most often hail (457), thunderstorm wind (335), drought (57).
- How many tornadoes have hit Sumner County?
- 89 tornadoes have been recorded in Sumner County since 1950, including 11 rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
- How many homes in Sumner County have flood insurance?
- 107 residential flood insurance policies are in force in Sumner County, covering about 0.9% of homes. The program has paid $3.72M on 211 claims here since 1978.
- What is the weather like in Sumner County?
- At Wellington, average highs reach 92°F in Jul and lows fall to 22°F in Jan, with 36.1 inches of rain a year (1991-2020 normals).
Source: FEMA (National Risk Index, NFIP), NOAA (Storm Events, HURDAT2, Climate Normals), EPA · Last updated 08/01/2026 · Storm counts include events in forecast zones that touch the county. This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA.