Hazard Plain Automated baseline

Shawnee County, KS

Risk-assessment baseline packet

County FIPS:
20177
Release:
2026-10
Data as of:
2026-09-30
Storm Events data through:
2026-06-30

Hazard Plain is an independent product built from public federal data. It is not a FEMA document and is not reviewed or endorsed by FEMA or any state agency.

Hazard Plain release 2026-10, as of 2026-09-30.

Summary

Plan status as of 2026-09-30: Plan 110592 approved 2024-10-18, pending adoption here; not yet eligible. Plan: Region J Multi-jurisdictional HMP (FEMA plan 110592), pending adoption here, approved 2024-10-18 by FEMA; not yet adopted here.

Update: FEMA tracker shows a plan approvable pending adoption.

Highest expected annual loss (FEMA National Risk Index, modeled total; see B1-a): Inland Flooding ($40,036,628 a year), Tornado ($13,866,138) and Heat Wave ($6,234,845).

The tables that follow are organized by the items of FEMA's Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool, Element B (B1-a to B2-c); each heading says which item its tables support.

Plan clock

Status:
Plan 110592 approved 2024-10-18, pending adoption here; not yet eligible
Plan:
Region J Multi-jurisdictional HMP (FEMA plan 110592), pending adoption here
Approved:
2024-10-18 by FEMA; not yet adopted here
Expires:
2029-10-17 once adopted
Update underway:
FEMA tracker shows a plan approvable pending adoption

Not yet eligible: adopt the approved plan.

Not yet eligible: adopt the approved plan.

What changed since your last plan

Not available. Plan 110592 was approved by FEMA on 2024-10-18 but is not yet adopted here, so no since-plan counts are given.

Sources: 1, 2, 4, 6 (numbered list at the end)

Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county: 13 rows, in the section "Plan clock: Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county" on the following pages.

State plan status and tribal plans in this state: see the state page.

Plan clock

Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county

Source: 1

JurisdictionTypeStatusPlanApprovedExpiresDays to expirynegative = days since expiryUpdate underwayNotes
Shawnee CountyCountyPlan 110592 approved 2024-10-18, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleRegion J Multi-jurisdictional HMP (FEMA plan 110592), pending adoption here2024-10-18 by FEMA; not yet adopted here2029-10-17 once adoptedFEMA tracker shows a plan approvable pending adoptionNot yet eligible: adopt the approved plan.
Auburn cityCityPlan 110592 approved 2024-10-18, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleRegion J Multi-jurisdictional HMP (FEMA plan 110592), pending adoption here2024-10-18 by FEMA; not yet adopted here2029-10-17 once adoptedFEMA tracker shows a plan approvable pending adoptionNot yet eligible: adopt the approved plan.
Rossville cityCityPlan 110592 approved 2024-10-18, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleRegion J Multi-jurisdictional HMP (FEMA plan 110592), pending adoption here2024-10-18 by FEMA; not yet adopted here2029-10-17 once adoptedFEMA tracker shows a plan approvable pending adoptionNot yet eligible: adopt the approved plan.
Silver Lake cityCityPlan 110592 approved 2024-10-18, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleRegion J Multi-jurisdictional HMP (FEMA plan 110592), pending adoption here2024-10-18 by FEMA; not yet adopted here2029-10-17 once adoptedFEMA tracker shows a plan approvable pending adoptionNot yet eligible: adopt the approved plan.
Topeka cityCityPlan 110592 approved 2024-10-18, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleRegion J Multi-jurisdictional HMP (FEMA plan 110592), pending adoption here2024-10-18 by FEMA; not yet adopted here2029-10-17 once adoptedFEMA tracker shows a plan approvable pending adoptionNot yet eligible: adopt the approved plan.
Kaw Valley Unified School District 321School/School DistrictPlan 111260 approved 2026-01-21, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleRegion I (FEMA plan 111260), pending adoption here2026-01-21 by FEMA; not yet adopted here2031-01-20 once adoptedFEMA tracker shows a plan approvable pending adoptionNot yet eligible: adopt the approved plan.
Topeka Public Schools Unified School District 501School/School DistrictPlan 110592 approved 2024-10-18, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleRegion J Multi-jurisdictional HMP (FEMA plan 110592), pending adoption here2024-10-18 by FEMA; not yet adopted here2029-10-17 once adoptedFEMA tracker shows a plan approvable pending adoptionNot yet eligible: adopt the approved plan.
Shawnee Heights USD 450School/School DistrictPlan 110592 approved 2024-10-18, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleRegion J Multi-jurisdictional HMP (FEMA plan 110592), pending adoption here2024-10-18 by FEMA; not yet adopted here2029-10-17 once adoptedFEMA tracker shows a plan approvable pending adoptionNot yet eligible: adopt the approved plan.
Tri County Drainage District 7Flood Control DistrictPlan 110592 approved 2024-10-18, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleRegion J Multi-jurisdictional HMP (FEMA plan 110592), pending adoption here2024-10-18 by FEMA; not yet adopted here2029-10-17 once adoptedFEMA tracker shows a plan approvable pending adoptionNot yet eligible: adopt the approved plan.
USD # 345 - SeamanSchool/School DistrictPlan 110592 approved 2024-10-18, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleRegion J Multi-jurisdictional HMP (FEMA plan 110592), pending adoption here2024-10-18 by FEMA; not yet adopted here2029-10-17 once adoptedFEMA tracker shows a plan approvable pending adoptionNot yet eligible: adopt the approved plan.
USD # 372 - Silver LakeSchool/School DistrictPlan 110592 approved 2024-10-18, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleRegion J Multi-jurisdictional HMP (FEMA plan 110592), pending adoption here2024-10-18 by FEMA; not yet adopted here2029-10-17 once adoptedFEMA tracker shows a plan approvable pending adoptionNot yet eligible: adopt the approved plan.
USD 437 Auburn WashburnSchool/School DistrictPlan 110592 approved 2024-10-18, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleRegion J Multi-jurisdictional HMP (FEMA plan 110592), pending adoption here2024-10-18 by FEMA; not yet adopted here2029-10-17 once adoptedFEMA tracker shows a plan approvable pending adoptionNot yet eligible: adopt the approved plan.
Washburn UniversityCollege/UniversityPlan 110592 approved 2024-10-18, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleRegion J Multi-jurisdictional HMP (FEMA plan 110592), pending adoption here2024-10-18 by FEMA; not yet adopted here2029-10-17 once adoptedFEMA tracker shows a plan approvable pending adoptionNot yet eligible: adopt the approved plan.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-a: hazard identification

Hazards NRI does not cover (local data needed)

  • dam failure (incl. upstream dams)
  • levee failure
  • flash flood as its own subtype
  • ice jams
  • debris flows
  • erosion (riverine and coastal)
  • land subsidence and sinkholes
  • expansive soils

The 18 National Risk Index hazards, ranked by expected annual loss (EAL)

Sources: 5, 6

Rank by EALHazardNRI risk ratingEAL ratingEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL total (see note)modeled dollars per yearStorm Events records, 1996 to 2026-06-30countStorm Events coverage note
1Inland FloodingRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$39,380,928$9,061$646,639$40,036,628125
2TornadoRelatively HighRelatively High$5,213,879$2,191$8,650,067$13,866,13817
3Heat WaveRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$42,291$3$6,192,552$6,234,84524
4Cold WaveRelatively ModerateRelatively High$2,392$6,948$4,037,385$4,046,7259
5Ice StormVery HighVery High$555,612n/a$2,333,551$2,889,1645
6LightningRelatively HighRelatively High$93,623n/a$1,850,626$1,944,24927
7Winter WeatherVery HighVery High$428,074$74$1,414,737$1,842,88681
8HailRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$1,082,982$51,187$348,231$1,482,400452
9Strong WindRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$675,758$1,032$661,979$1,338,769476Includes 14 High Wind and 2 Strong Wind records (NOAA non-thunderstorm wind types, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition).
10EarthquakeRelatively LowRelatively Low$348,143n/a$116,328$464,471Storm Events does not record earthquakes.
11WildfireRelatively LowRelatively Low$241,831$50$35,149$277,0291
12DroughtRelatively LowRelatively Lown/a$121,826n/a$121,82611
13LandslideRelatively LowVery Low$656n/a$2,974$3,6290No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
14HurricaneNo RatingNo Expected Annual Losses$0$0$0$00No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).

Total = buildings + agriculture + population equivalence; FEMA values each expected death (or 10 injuries) at $13.7 million (2024 dollars).

NRI risk rating combines expected annual loss with social vulnerability and community resilience; EAL rating rates expected annual loss alone. Both compare this county with all U.S. counties.

Local data needed: state and local landslide records (Storm Events records this hazard only in part).

Not applicable to this county per NRI, with no federal declaration and no Storm Events record since 1996: avalanche, coastal flooding, tsunami and volcanic activity. That is the evidence for leaving them out of the plan.

The state hazard mitigation plan also lists hazards for this county; FEMA asks the plan to explain any hazard it leaves out.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-b: hazard location

Affects the whole county (national data give no location within it): Cold Wave, Drought, Hail, Heat Wave, Ice Storm, Lightning, Strong Wind and Winter Weather.

Inland Flooding: The FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is the required location source for flooding. See the FEMA Flood Map Service Center (https://msc.fema.gov) for this county.

Hazards that vary within the county: highest-rated census tracts

Source: 5

HazardHighest-rated census tractsNRI risk rating, score 0 to 100
Earthquaketract 40 (Relatively Low, 70.5); tract 7 (Relatively Low, 53.4); tract 18 (Relatively Low, 46.4)
Hurricaneno tract has a National Risk Index rating for this hazard
Landslidetract 36.01 (Relatively Low, 92.7); tract 35 (Relatively Low, 91.4); tract 39.02 (Relatively Low, 90.5)
Tornadotract 26.02 (Very High, 97.3); tract 31 (Very High, 96.1); tract 35 (Very High, 95.4)
Wildfiretract 36.01 (Relatively Moderate, 95.0); tract 35 (Relatively Moderate, 89.9); tract 36.04 (Relatively Moderate, 88.6)

Up to 3 census tracts per hazard, highest National Risk Index rating first, then highest score; a tract number is the Census tract number (for example 40 is Census Tract 40). FEMA's Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool maps the National Risk Index for every tract: https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/resilience-analysis-and-planning-tool

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-c: hazard extent

Extent: scale, observed range and worst recorded event per hazard

Sources: 6, 7

HazardScaleRecordscount and yearsObserved rangeWorst recorded eventMost damaging (when different)How it applies to jurisdictionsNote
Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chillwind chill9 records, 1996 to 2022 (9 zone-level)1 day to 23 days (median 2.5 days); 8 with a recorded value2000-12-11 to 2001-01-02 (2 records, 1 of them a monthly summary record), zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).
Frost/Freeze (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition)crop damage0
DroughtU.S. Drought Monitor scale (D0 to D4)11 records, 1999 to 2012 (11 zone-level)30 days to 196 days (median 45.5 days); 4 with a recorded value196 days (about 6.4 months), 2012-06-19 to 2012-12-31, a run of 7 consecutive Storm Events drought records, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).Storm Events enters a drought at D2 or worse east of the Rockies and D3 or worse from the Rockies west (NWS Instruction 10-1605); NRI drought counts D3 and D4 only.
EarthquakeModified Mercalli (local data)0Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hailhail size (inches)629 records, 1955 to 20260.75 in to 5.25 in (median 1 in); 628 with a recorded value5.25 in hail, 2011-05-21Hail, 2004-05-24, $500,000 property; crops not reported (2004 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Topeka city (161 records), Auburn city (28 records), Rossville city (28 records), Silver Lake city (18 records).
Excessive Heat, Heatheat index (in event narratives)24 records, 1996 to 2012 (24 zone-level)1 day to 34 days (median 4 days); 21 with a recorded value2000-08-01 to 2000-09-03 (2 records, 1 of them a monthly summary record), zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).
Hurricane, Tropical Storm, Tropical DepressionSaffir-Simpson0Storm Events files every zone of a storm's episode under the storm's type; flooding from the storm is filed as Flood or Flash Flood records.
Ice StormSperry-Piltz ice scale (local data)5 records, 1997 to 2007 (5 zone-level)No damage reported in 5 records.Countywide (zone-level records).
Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flooddamage and flood days (flood depth: FIRM)125 records, 1996 to 2026 (8 zone-level)Flash Flood, 2007-05-07, $3,400,000 property; $0 crops (2007 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Topeka city (49 records), Auburn city (6 records), Silver Lake city (4 records), Rossville city (2 records). Zone-level records (8) apply countywide.Flood depth: see the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map. Storm Events damage is often $0 or blank for floods, major ones included; FEMA Public Assistance by declaration (B1-d) shows which floods cost the most.
Debris Flownone (count and damage only)0
Lightningannualized frequency (the measure FEMA's Local Mitigation Planning Handbook names)27 records, 1996 to 2008Lightning, 2007-08-17, $0 property; $0 crops (2007 dollars), 1 direct death, 1 direct injuryLightning, 2001-08-25, $375,000 property; crops not reported (2001 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Topeka city (19 records), Auburn city (2 records), Silver Lake city (1 record).Storm Events lists lightning with damage or casualties.
High Wind and Strong Wind (outside NRI's Strong Wind definition)wind speed (kt and mph)16 records, 1996 to 2014 (16 zone-level)41 kt (47 mph) to 74 kt (85 mph) (median 47 kt (54 mph)); 16 with a recorded value74 kt (85 mph) estimated, High Wind, 2001-04-11; NWS zone KSZ039High Wind, 1996-01-17, $75,000 property; crops not reported (zone total, 1996 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).
Thunderstorm Windwind speed (kt and mph)639 records, 1956 to 202643 kt (49 mph) to 86 kt (99 mph) (median 56 kt (64 mph)); 584 with a recorded value86 kt (99 mph), measurement type not recorded, Thunderstorm Wind, 1967-07-28Thunderstorm Wind, 2002-04-19, $2,000,000 property; crops not reported (2002 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Topeka city (131 records), Silver Lake city (27 records), Auburn city (25 records), Rossville city (16 records).
TornadoEnhanced Fujita (Fujita before Feb 2007)52 records, 1951 to 2026F/EF0 to F/EF5 (median F/EF1); 51 with a recorded valueF5 tornado, 1966-06-08, 21.1 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 880 yd wide, $250,000,000 property; crops not recorded (1966 dollars), 16 direct deaths, 450 direct injuriesEvent records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Silver Lake city (5 records), Rossville city (4 records), Topeka city (3 records), Auburn city (2 records).Before 1996 a tornado is listed once, under the county where it began, with its whole path's rating and length; from 1996 on, each county lists its own segment. Length is not used to rank tornadoes (see Methods).
Wildfireacres burned (local data)1 record, 1996Wildfire, 1996-02-24, $250,000 property; crops not reported (1996 dollars), 3 direct injuriesEvent records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Auburn city (1 record).
Winter Storm, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Lake-Effect Snow, Winter Weather, Sleetnone in data (snowfall: local data)81 records, 1996 to 2026 (81 zone-level)Heavy Snow, 1996-10-22, $3,500,000 property; crops not reported (1996 dollars); NWS zone KSZ039Countywide (zone-level records).

In event narratives only (local data needed): wind chill, temperature, heat index, ice thickness, acres burned and snow depth; any physical measure of debris flow and lightning.

Storm Events records are more complete after 1996; before 1996 only Tornado (from 1950), Hail and Thunderstorm Wind (from 1955) exist. Zone-level records from zones that no NWS zone-county file places in this county (mostly before 2020) are not counted here (the Methods page explains the zone matching).

Dollars are nominal (as reported), labeled with the year; not adjusted for inflation.

A monthly summary record covers most or all of a month; it does not count days at wave conditions.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-d: previous occurrences

Federal declarations for this county: 17 declarations covering 13 separate hazard incidents counted in this packet (declarations for the same incident count once; non-natural and evacuation-only declarations are not counted).

Plan 110592 was approved by FEMA on 2024-10-18 but is not yet adopted here, so no since-plan counts are given.

Federal disaster declarations for this county

Sources: 1, 2, 3

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazardCounty Public Assistancefederal share obligated, nominal dollarsFlagsNotes
2024-04-282024-01-08DR-4774-KSMajor disasterSevere Winter StormWinter Weather$3,308,112.65within last 5 years
2020-03-292020-01-20DR-4504-KSMajor disasterCOVID-19 PandemicNon-natural, not counted$6,556,750.76
2020-03-132020-01-20EM-3481-KSEmergencyCOVID-19Non-natural, not countedno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4504
2010-03-092009-12-22DR-1885-KSMajor disasterSevere Winter Storms and SnowstormWinter Weather$449,824.93
2008-02-012007-12-06DR-1741-KSMajor disasterSevere Winter StormsWinter Weather$821,276.20
2007-12-122007-12-06EM-3282-KSEmergencySevere Winter StormsWinter Weatherno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-1741
2007-05-062007-05-04DR-1699-KSMajor disasterSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingInland Flooding; Tornado$1,043,071.76
2005-11-152005-10-01DR-1615-KSMajor disasterSevere Storms and FloodingInland Flooding$2,280,464.53
2005-09-102005-09-01EM-3236-KSEmergencyHurricane Katrina EvacuationHurricane: evacuation support, not a local hazard event; not counted$41,557.45
2005-02-082005-01-04DR-1579-KSMajor disasterSevere Winter Storms, Heavy Rains, and FloodingInland Flooding; Winter Weather$140,322.93
2004-08-032004-06-12DR-1535-KSMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesInland Flooding; Tornado$207,193.57
2002-02-062002-01-29DR-1402-KSMajor disasterSevere Winter Ice StormIce StormPA not declared for this county
1993-07-221993-06-28DR-1000-KSMajor disasterSevere Storms & FloodingInland Floodingno Public Assistance recorded
1977-09-201977-09-20DR-539-KSMajor disasterSevere Storms & FloodingInland Floodingno Public Assistance recorded
1973-09-281973-09-28DR-403-KSMajor disasterSevere Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingInland Flooding; Tornadono Public Assistance recorded
1973-05-021973-05-02DR-378-KSMajor disasterSevere Storms & FloodingInland Floodingno Public Assistance recorded
1966-06-101966-06-10DR-219-KSMajor disasterTornadoes & Severe StormsTornadono Public Assistance recorded

School districts and special districts in this county: $33,160.59 (included in the county total above). Public Assistance matched by applicant name to the school districts and special districts FEMA lists as plan participants in this county. They have no row of their own in the jurisdiction table, so their total is listed here. These dollars are already included in the county PA column of the declarations table (the FEMA record places each applicant in this county), so this line is not added to it.

County Public Assistance: applicants the FEMA record places in this county, including any state agencies FEMA files there; statewide rows are listed on the state page; federal share obligated, nominal dollars.

Statewide declarations

Source: 2

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazard
1982-06-281982-06-28DR-663-KSMajor disasterSevere Storms and FloodingInland Flooding
1958-11-061958-11-06DR-88-KSMajor disasterFloodsInland Flooding
1957-09-051957-09-05DR-81-KSMajor disasterFloodsInland Flooding
1955-05-271955-05-27DR-34-KSMajor disasterTornadoTornado

FEMA recorded these with designated area Statewide and no county, so they are listed on every county page in the state and not counted with county rows. Local data needed: whether each one affected this county.

Public Assistance filed under this county for declarations that do not list it: 2 rows, $12,236.01

Sources: 2, 3

FEMA numberDeclaredTitleApplicantPA obligatedfederal share obligated, nominal dollars
DR-4824-KS2024-09-24Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingFreeState Electric Cooperative, Inc.$6,794.99
DR-4640-KS2022-02-17Severe Storms and Straight Line WindsFreeState Electric Cooperative, Inc.$5,441.02

FEMA's Public Assistance summaries file these applicants under this county, but FEMA's declaration rows for these disasters do not designate it (an electric cooperative or district serving several counties, for example). Not in any declaration row above and not counted.

Public Assistance not placed in any Kansas county: 4 rows, $183,565.84; listed on the Kansas state page.

Source: 3

Previous occurrences by hazard, with explicit no-event rows

Sources: 2, 6, 7

HazardStorm Events records, all years on file(years in the Period column)Since plan approvalrecordsIn the 12 months before plan approvalrecordsLast 5 yearsrecordsDeclared incidents, all yearsseparate disastersDeclared since approvalseparate disastersPeriodStatement
Cold Wave9101996 to 2026-06-30
Drought11001996 to 2026-06-30
Earthquake000Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hail6292801955 to 2026-06-30
Heat Wave24001996 to 2026-06-30
Hurricane0001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Ice Storm5011996 to 2026-06-30
Inland Flooding1251481996 to 2026-06-30
Landslide0001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Lightning27001996 to 2026-06-30
Strong Wind65513601955 to 2026-06-30Includes 14 High Wind and 2 Strong Wind records.
Tornado52341950 to 2026-06-30
Wildfire1001996 to 2026-06-30
Winter Weather81841996 to 2026-06-30

Notable Storm Events records

Sources: 1, 6, 7

DateEvent typeMagnitude or extentDamagenominal dollarsDeaths, injuriesdirect onlyLocationWhy listed
2011-05-21Hail5.25 indamage not reported0, 0TOPEKAB1-c worst recorded: Hail
2007-08-17Lightning$0 property; $0 crops (2007 dollars)1, 1TOPEKAB1-c worst recorded: Lightning
2007-05-07Flash Flood$3,400,000 property; $0 crops (2007 dollars)0, 0TOPEKAB1-c worst recorded: Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flood
2001-04-11High Wind74 kt (85 mph) estimateddamage not reported0, 0NWS zone KSZ039 (SHAWNEE), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: High Wind and Strong Wind
2000-12-11Extreme Cold/Wind Chilldamage not reported0, 0NWS zone KSZ039 (SHAWNEE), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
2000-08-01Heatdamage not reported0, 10NWS zone KSZ039 (SHAWNEE), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Excessive Heat, Heat
2000-01-23Winter Stormdamage not reported2, 2NWS zone KSZ039 (SHAWNEE), zone-leveldeaths or injuries recorded
1996-10-22Heavy Snow$3,500,000 property; crops not reported (zone total, 1996 dollars)0, 0NWS zone KSZ039 (SHAWNEE), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Winter Storm, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Lake-Effect Snow, Winter Weather, Sleet
1996-02-24Wildfire$250,000 property; crops not reported (1996 dollars)0, 3AUBURNB1-c worst recorded: Wildfire
1967-07-28Thunderstorm Wind86 kt (99 mph), measurement type not recordeddamage not recorded (pre-1996 record)0, 0location not recordedB1-c worst recorded: Thunderstorm Wind
1966-06-08TornadoF5, 21.1 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 880 yd wide$250,000,000 property; crops not recorded (1966 dollars)16, 450location not recordeddeaths or injuries recorded
1960-05-19TornadoF4, 19.6 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 880 yd wide$2,500,000 property; crops not recorded (1960 dollars)1, 91location not recordeddeaths or injuries recorded

The full list is in the Excel file, sheet "B1-d Storm Events history" (1,619 rows).

Location is the place NOAA recorded, as written in its data; it need not be a jurisdiction in this plan.

Local data needed: state-declared emergencies, from your state emergency management agency (federal data do not include them).

Tribal and special-area declarations in this state are listed on the state page.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-e: probability of future events

Probability: FEMA annualized frequency and descriptor per hazard

Sources: 5, 6

HazardFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)unit per rowUnitIn plain termsDescriptorDescriptor basisNRI events or days in its record period (hail, wind and tornado are area-weighted, so can be fractional)NRI periodLocationNote
Cold Wave2.42event-days per yearabout 2.42 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 8 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (26.7%)462005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Drought12.9event-days per yearabout 12.9 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 3 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (10%)3852000 to 2025 (25.25 years; D3 and D4 only)countywide
Earthquake0.000893annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county has at least minor-damage shaking in a year: 0.0893%not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor (Storm Events does not record earthquakes).
Hail9.94events per yearabout 9.94 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)377.7 (modeled)1986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Heat Wave14.1event-days per yearabout 14.1 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 10 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (33.3%)1952005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Hurricane0events per yearnone modeledUnlikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)01851 to 2024 (Atlantic)see B1-fNRI counts hurricane and tropical storm tracks passing within storm-force wind range; federal declarations are in B1-d.
Ice Storm1.09event-days per yearabout 1.09 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 4 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (13.3%)741946-12-31 to 2014-02-12 (67 years)countywide
Inland Flooding2.5event-days per yearabout 2.5 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 25 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (83.3%)701996 to 2023 (28 years)see B1-f
Landslide0.148events per year (modeled)about 1 in 7 yearsLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shownmodeledsee B1-f
Lightning51.2days per year with a strikeabout 51.2 days per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1995 to 2023 (29 years; CONUS)countywide
Strong Wind7.45events per yearabout 7.45 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)2841986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Tornado0.428events per yearabout 1 in 2 yearsLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1950 to 2023 (EF2+); 1986 to 2023 (EF0-1)see B1-f
Wildfire0.00132annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county burns in a year: 0.132%PossibleStorm Events records in 1 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (3.33%)not shownmodeledsee B1-f
Winter Weather12.1event-days per yearabout 12.1 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 25 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (83.3%)2302005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide

FEMA annualized frequency (modeled) is the National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025) estimate of how often a hazard affects this county in a year; it is not recorded events divided by years, and its unit differs by hazard (events, event-days, or days with a lightning strike per year). For earthquake, wildfire, coastal flooding and tsunami the value is the chance (or number of events) at a location in the county, not across the county, so no "1 in N years" is given and the descriptor comes from Storm Events where it has a record (none for earthquake). The Methods page gives each hazard's method, from FEMA's National Risk Index Technical Documentation v1.20.

Where NRI gives event-days, the descriptor comes from the share of years with a Storm Events record; NRI's source records more events, so the two differ.

Descriptor scale used in this packet (defined per unit)

Sources: 5, 6

UnitDescriptorDefinition
events per yearHighly likely1 or more per year
events per yearLikelyabout once in 1 to 10 years
events per yearPossibleabout once in 10 to 100 years
events per yearUnlikelyless than once in 100 years
annual probabilityLikely10% to under 100% chance in a given year
annual probabilityPossible1% to under 10% chance in a given year
annual probabilityUnlikelyunder 1% chance in a given year
event-days (share of years)Highly likelyevent-days recorded in 90% or more of years
event-days (share of years)Likelyevent-days recorded in 10% to under 90% of years
event-days (share of years)Possibleevent-days recorded in some years but under 10% of years
lightning strike-daysHighly likelycloud-to-ground strikes on 1 or more days per year

Intensity bands: historical frequency (Storm Events)

Source: 6

HazardBandYearsEventscounty-coded recordsYears in periodEvents per yearevents / years
Hail1.00-1.99 in1996 to 2025269308.97
Hail2.00 in+1996 to 202525300.833
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)50-64 kt1996 to 20253683012.3
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)65 kt+1996 to 202569302.3
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)unmeasured or below 50 kt1996 to 20254300.133
TornadoEF0-11996 to 202515300.5
TornadoEF2-31996 to 20251300.0333
TornadoEF4-51996 to 20250300
Tornadounrated (EFU)1996 to 20250300

The bands show how often events of each severity were recorded in this county, to profile how severe events have been (FEMA's probability item asks for the range of intensities).

Hail smaller than 1 inch is not counted: on 2010-01-05 the National Weather Service raised its severe-hail threshold from 3/4 inch to 1 inch, so smaller reports became less common after 2009 (NWS Service Change Notice 09-52). NRI hail frequency uses a 0.75 inch threshold.

Optional: future conditions. Not a required item in the 2025 FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide; some states ask for it. The federal Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation (CMRA) site gives county exposure to future climate conditions (https://resilience.climate.gov/).

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-f: hazards that vary across jurisdictions

Range of census tract risk within the county

Source: 5

HazardTractsrated of allNRI risk score, 0 to 100Tracts by rating
MinMedianMax
Cold Wave46 of 4647.261.381.0Relatively High 2, Relatively Moderate 43, Relatively Low 1
Drought23 of 4669.478.194.7Relatively Moderate 1, Relatively Low 8, Very Low 14, No Rating 23
Earthquake46 of 468.521.870.5Relatively Low 4, Very Low 42
Hail46 of 4659.874.888.8Relatively High 1, Relatively Moderate 35, Relatively Low 10
Heat Wave46 of 4669.683.394.3Relatively High 20, Relatively Moderate 26
Hurricane0 of 46No Rating 46
Ice Storm46 of 4689.994.698.1Very High 2, Relatively High 43, Relatively Moderate 1
Inland Flooding46 of 467.463.197.2Very High 1, Relatively High 12, Relatively Moderate 20, Relatively Low 11, Very Low 2
Landslide46 of 4613.152.792.7Relatively Low 6, Very Low 40
Lightning46 of 4670.786.197.6Very High 2, Relatively High 40, Relatively Moderate 4
Strong Wind46 of 4644.963.983.0Relatively High 1, Relatively Moderate 38, Relatively Low 7
Tornado46 of 4667.083.497.3Very High 5, Relatively High 35, Relatively Moderate 6
Wildfire44 of 4620.653.695.0Relatively Moderate 3, Relatively Low 12, Very Low 29, No Rating 2
Winter Weather46 of 4692.697.399.4Very High 39, Relatively High 7

Drought: Agriculture is all of NRI's expected annual loss for this hazard in the county, so the tract range mostly reflects where crop and livestock value is.

Rated tracts only: No Rating (score 0.0), Not Applicable and Insufficient Data tracts are counted but not used for the minimum, median and maximum.

The score ranks a tract against all U.S. tracts (100 = highest). The rating is FEMA's category for the tract's risk value, computed differently, so the two can disagree.

Frequency data for cold wave, drought, hail, heat wave, ice storm, lightning, strong wind and winter weather are county-wide or coarse (49 km grid or NWS zone), the same for every jurisdiction; the tract range mostly reflects where buildings and people are (crop and livestock value where a line above names agriculture).

Each jurisdiction (starting figures from federal data)

Sources: 1, 3, 4, 6

JurisdictionTypePlan statusRepetitive lossFMA RL and SRL (44 CFR 77.2); repeat-flood, any definitionPublic Assistance to this jurisdictionFEMA records matched by applicant name; federal share obligated, nominal dollarsEvent records naming this placeall years; since its plan
Shawnee CountyCountyPlan 110592 approved 2024-10-18, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleFMA RL 0, SRL 1; any 4no Public Assistance recorded0 total; no approved plan
Auburn cityCityPlan 110592 approved 2024-10-18, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleFMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0no Public Assistance recorded64 total; no approved plan
Rossville cityCityPlan 110592 approved 2024-10-18, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleFMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 8$40,893.3850 total; no approved plan
Silver Lake cityCityPlan 110592 approved 2024-10-18, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleFMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0no Public Assistance recorded55 total; no approved plan
Topeka cityCityPlan 110592 approved 2024-10-18, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleFMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 2$4,462,283.13363 total; no approved plan

Repetitive-loss counts are for whole NFIP communities, which can extend beyond this county (see the note in B2-c).

School districts and special districts get a plan clock row only.

County Public Assistance in B1-d also includes applicants filed under the county that are not jurisdictions in this plan (for example state agencies, special districts and nonprofits), so the jurisdiction rows add up to less.

Supports FEMA checklist items B2-a and B2-b: vulnerability and potential impacts

Local data needed

The table below gives county-level starting figures; the plan describes impacts for each jurisdiction and its own assets.

Plan 110592 was approved by FEMA on 2024-10-18 but is not yet adopted here, so no since-plan counts are given.

  • Critical facilities and lifelines per hazard
  • A problem statement per jurisdiction per hazard
  • Changes in development in hazard-prone areas since the last approval, or a statement of none (E1-a)
  • Future assets

County-level starter: exposure, expected annual loss and damage since the plan

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

HazardBuilding exposuremodeled dollarsAgriculture exposuremodeled dollarsPopulation exposedpeopleEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL as % of exposurebuildings; agriculture where notedStorm Events damage since plancounty-coded records, property plus crops, nominal dollarsZone-level damage since planproperty plus crops, reported for the zonePublic Assistance since plannominal dollars; see noteNote
Cold Wave$37,311,101,777$63,286,629178,851$2,392$6,948$4,037,385under 0.0001%
Droughtn/a$44,520,280n/an/a$121,826n/a0.274% (agriculture)NRI has no building exposure for this hazard; agriculture shown
Earthquake$66,163,916,337n/a178,909$348,143n/a$116,3280.000526%
Hail$37,311,140,737$63,286,629178,851$1,082,982$51,187$348,2310.0029%
Heat Wave$37,311,101,777$63,286,629178,851$42,291$3$6,192,5520.000113%
Hurricane$37,311,140,737$63,286,629178,851$0$0$00%
Ice Storm$37,310,444,616n/a178,839$555,612n/a$2,333,5510.00149%
Inland Flooding$37,303,286,200$19,360,7637,382$39,380,928$9,061$646,639n/a (see note)NRI counts the full building value of any census block with some flood loss; this is not the value of buildings in the floodplain. Use local FIRM overlays for B2-a/B2-b.
Landslide$281,099,164n/a1,178$656n/a$2,9740.000233%
Lightning$37,311,140,737n/a178,851$93,623n/a$1,850,6260.000251%
Strong Wind$37,311,140,737$63,286,629178,851$675,758$1,032$661,9790.00181%
Tornado$37,311,140,737$63,286,629178,851$5,213,879$2,191$8,650,0670.014%
Wildfire$3,521,421,343$14,424,09524,502$241,831$50$35,1490.00687%
Winter Weather$37,311,101,777$63,286,629178,851$428,074$74$1,414,7370.00115%

Totals since the plan: not available. Plan 110592 was approved by FEMA on 2024-10-18 but is not yet adopted here, so no since-plan counts are given.

FEMA does not split Public Assistance by hazard. A declaration mapped to several hazards is listed under each of them with its full amount, so the per-hazard column does not add up to the total; the unit total counts each declaration once.

NRI computes earthquake exposure on its own basis, so it exceeds the county building value in B2-a.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-a: vulnerability (county context)

County context

Source: 5

MeasureValue
Population178,851
Building value (total, not at risk)$37,311,140,737
Agriculture value (total, not at risk)$63,286,629
NRI risk rating (all hazards)Relatively Moderate
Expected annual loss, buildings and agriculture, all hazards$48,258,541
Expected annual loss, population equivalence, all hazards (NRI values each statistical life at $13.7M; a modeled value of expected deaths and injuries, not property damage)$26,290,217
Social vulnerability ratingRelatively Low
Community resilience ratingVery High
NRI versionDecember 2025

FEMA's all-hazard expected annual loss adds buildings, agriculture and population equivalence; this table gives the property part and the population-equivalence part as separate rows.

Social vulnerability: higher means people are more likely to be harmed and slower to recover. Community resilience: lower means the community is less able to recover. High social vulnerability and low resilience both raise the NRI risk rating.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-c: repetitive loss properties

Repetitive loss in this county, both definitions

Sources: 1, 4

DefinitionPropertiesSevere repetitive lossProperties
Repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)0Severe repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)1
Repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition14Severe repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition1

The state NFIP coordinator's list, the source FEMA's Handbook names, often uses the NFIP insurance definition (second row).

Repeat-flood properties: county and state-level rows

Sources: 1, 4

ScopeRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
County total011411407
of which: Shawnee County (unincorporated area)0141402
of which: Rossville city0080804
of which: Topeka city0020201
Statewide, no county in FEMA's file0010100

The statewide row counts properties FEMA's file gives with no county in this state; they are listed for reference and are not in this county's counts.

Repeat-flood properties by jurisdiction in the plan (NFIP community)

Sources: 1, 4

JurisdictionNFIP community IDRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
Shawnee County2003310141402
Auburn city2003320000000
Rossville city2003340080804
Silver Lake city2003350000000
Topeka city2051870020201

Counts by occupancy group for each jurisdiction are in the Excel file, sheet "B2-c Jurisdictions".

Jurisdiction rows are whole NFIP communities and need not add up to the county total: a community that extends into another county is counted in full on each jurisdiction row, while the county table counts only its part in this county.

County repeat-flood properties by occupancy group

Sources: 1, 4

Occupancy groupRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
single-family residential011411407
2 to 4 unit residential0000000
other residential0000000
non-residential0000000
not reported0000000

FEMA's occupancy groups have no institutional class; institutional properties are counted in non-residential or other residential in the table by occupancy group.

FMA RL and FMA SRL are the Flood Mitigation Assistance definitions (44 CFR 77.2), the ones the FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide cites. NFIP repetitive loss (the FEMA insurance definition) is 2 or more claims over $1,000 in 10 years, and a property can leave that group once it is mitigated. Also shown: NFIP severe repetitive loss, any category, mitigated and currently insured. The Methods page gives the OpenFEMA field details.

Counts are aggregates of FEMA's public NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (FEMA's data date 2026-08-02; file version 2026-08-04). No property is identified. County assignment is FEMA's geocode.

In this county 0 properties are FMA repetitive loss but not NFIP repetitive loss, and 14 properties are NFIP repetitive loss but not FMA repetitive loss.

Exact counts; no count suppression.

Sources

Tables cite these sources by number. The full list, for the plan's bibliography (FEMA review item A4-a):

  1. FEMA, OpenFEMA HazardMitigationPlanStatuses v1, version 2026-09-29T134039Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/HazardMitigationPlanStatuses (API)
  2. FEMA, OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, version 2026-09-29T162832Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v2/DisasterDeclarationsSummaries (API)
  3. FEMA, OpenFEMA PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries v1, version 2026-09-29T150754Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries (API)
  4. FEMA, OpenFEMA NfipMultipleLossProperties v1, version 2026-08-04T164045Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/NfipMultipleLossProperties (API)
  5. FEMA, FEMA National Risk Index 1.20.0 (December 2025), county and census tract tables, version 1.20.0, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_Counties.zip (download, 25 MB), https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_CensusTracts.zip (download, 635 MB)
  6. NOAA NCEI, NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, details files (csvfiles v1.0), version c20260918, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/swdi/stormevents/csvfiles/
  7. NOAA National Weather Service, NWS county-public forecast zones correlation file, version bp03mr20 to bp16ap26 (11 files; newest bp16ap26), pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.weather.gov/gis/ZoneCounty
  8. U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2024 Gazetteer, 2020 place by county, CT county-to-cousub crosswalk, version 2024-gazetteer, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_counties_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_cousubs_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_place_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_unsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_elsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_scsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/codes2020/national_place_by_county2020.txt, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/ct_change/ct_cou_to_cousub_crosswalk.xlsx (used to match place names and codes; no table prints its values)

What this packet is and what the plan adds

This packet is the federal data for the plan's risk assessment (the summary on page 1 says how it is organized); the plan and FEMA's review decide whether each item is met.

The plan adds what only the community has: local data on assets, critical facilities, development and each jurisdiction's impacts; local hazard history, including state-declared emergencies; the mitigation strategy; and adoption.

How the federal data are built: National Risk Index values are FEMA's model, not counts of events. Storm Events is more complete from 1996; zone-level records are placed by forecast zone, not by location in the county. Public Assistance for a jurisdiction is matched by applicant name. The Methods page gives every rule and the known edge cases.

OpenFEMA disclaimer

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

Reuse, citation and corrections

Reuse and citation: Hazard Plain text and tables are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/); credit Hazard Plain and the release. The underlying federal data are public domain; OpenFEMA data are also subject to the OpenFEMA terms and conditions.

Cite this: Hazard Plain (2026). Shawnee County, KS: risk-assessment baseline packet, release 2026-10 (data as of 2026-09-30; County FIPS 20177). Automated baseline. https://hazardplain.org/ks/20177/ Built from FEMA OpenFEMA, the FEMA National Risk Index and NOAA NCEI Storm Events; source versions in the packet's Sources list.

Corrections: to report an error, name the packet, the table and what your records show. Contact: [email protected]