Study finds Kansas City area at greatest risk of severe winter weather

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TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – A new study has found that the Kansas City area is at greatest risk of severe winter weather.

With the spring severe weather season well underway, MoneyGeek.com says it wants to help consumers understand their climate risk by order

MoneyGeek said certain cities could be more likely to experience catastrophic damage than others.

While tornados and floods are the major risks to their eyes this season, MoneyGeek’s study shows the Kansas City area has the greatest overall risk for severe winter weather. Meanwhile, Bismarck, ND, was the area with the greatest risk of severe winter weather per capita.

The study also found that areas at the greatest risk of severe weather are as follows:

Hazard Metro With Greatest Risk Overall Metro With Greatest Risk Per Capita Number of Metros at Greatest Risk Percent of National Risk
Earthquake Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California Anchorage, Alaska 91 23.9%
A tornado Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas Sioux Falls, South Dakota 304 15.3%
Riverine Flooding Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas St. George, Utah 185 14.4%
Hurricane Houston-The Woodlands-Sucar Land, Texas Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi 104 14.5%
Drought Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, California Yuba City, California 102 7.5%
Wildfire Riverside-San Bernadrdino-Ontario, California Flagstaff, Arizona 51 4.8%
Strong Wind New York-Newark-Jersey City, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania Iowa City, Iowa 23 3.5%
Hail Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas Grand Island, Nebraska 19 3.6%
Coastal Flooding New York-Newark-Jersey City, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania Ocean City, New Jersey 14 4.0%
Heat Wave St. Louis, Missouri, Illinois Tulsa, Oklahoma 9 2.7%
Lightning Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Florida Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, Florida 0 1.5%
Ice Storm New York-Newark-Jersey City, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania Lincoln, Nebraska 2 1.3%
Cold Wave Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin Sioux Falls, South Dakota 19 1.0%
Winter Weather Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas Bismarck, North Dakota 1 0.8%
Landslide Boise City, Idaho Corvallis, Oregon 3 0.5%
Volcanic Activity Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Washington Longview, Washington 0 0.4%
Avalanche Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Washington Anchorage, Alaska 6 0.1%
Tsunami Urban Honolulu, Hawaii Urban Honolulu, Hawaii 0 0.0%

The study also found that the metros with the highest overall climate risk are as follows:

  1. Greater Gulfport Area, Miss.
  2. Napa Area, Cali.
  3. Yuba City Area, Cali.
  4. Greater Santa Maria Area, Cali.
  5. Greater Beaumont Area, Texas
  6. Hilo Area, Ha.
  7. Chico Area, Cali.
  8. Greater Santa Rosa Area, Cali.
  9. Greater New Orleans Area, La.
  10. Greater Sebastian Area, Fla.
  11. Houston Metro Area, Texas
  12. St. George Area, Utah
  13. Wilmington Area, NC
  14. Port St. Lucie Area, Fla.
  15. Iowa City Area, Ia.

The metros with the lowest climate risk according to the study are as follows:

  1. Laredo Area, Texas
  2. Greater New Haven Area, Conn.;
  3. Greater Providence Area, RI
  4. Couer d’Alene Area, Id.
  5. Greater Bridgeport Area, Conn.
  6. Greater York Area, Penn.
  7. Worcester Area, Mass.;
  8. Greater Buffalo Area, NY
  9. Lancaster Area, Penn.
  10. Greater South Bend Area, Ind.
  11. Springfield Area, Mass.;
  12. Barnstable Town Area, Mass.
  13. Greater Hartford Area, Conn.;
  14. Erie Area, Penn.
  15. Pittsburgh Area, Penn.

MoneyGeek said severe weather can strike at any time. FEMA-approved tips:

  • Become familiar with risks most likely to affect your city
  • Create and practice your family’s emergency plan
  • Maintain proper inventory of your assets
  • Keep the emergency kit handy
  • Take steps to weatherproof property
  • Make sure to sign up for local weather alerts
  • Set up an emergency fund
  • Get adequate and affordable home or renter’s insurance coverage

For more information or see where other cities are at risk of, click HERE.

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