Home › Arkansas › Carroll County

Carroll County, Arkansas

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

Relatively Low overall risk
30th of 75highest risk in Arkansas
$16Mexpected losses a year
19federal declarations
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Carroll County, Arkansas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 65% of US counties. It ranks 30th of 75 counties in Arkansas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $16 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $580 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 2 homes here carry federal flood insurance.

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

Top risks in Carroll County

$7.3 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$2.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$1.8 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 floodingLow65.1
$7M
TornadoModerate80.1
$3M
Cold waveModerate75.0
$2M
Ice stormVery High97.7
$2M
Strong windModerate75.5
$766K
Heat waveLow68.9
$588K
EarthquakeLow70.2
$538K
LightningModerate75.3
$410K
HailLow58.2
$241K
Winter weatherModerate76.6
$120K
WildfireLow64.9
$81K
HurricaneVery Low50.4
$51K
LandslideModerate88.5
$33K

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 high and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Carroll County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm11
Flood3
Hurricane2
Drought1
Severe Ice Storm1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Apr 5, 2025Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingEmergency
May 30, 2024Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 27, 2020Hurricane LauraEmergency
Jun 15, 2017Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 5, 2016Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 4, 2013Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 2, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Associated FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 3, 2009Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 6, 2009Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Show all 19
Jan 28, 2009Severe Winter StormEmergency
Oct 22, 2008Tropical Storm IkeMajor disaster
Mar 26, 2008Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 7, 2004Sever Storms, Flooding and LandslidesMajor disaster
May 15, 1990Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 3, 1976DroughtEmergency
Jan 27, 1972Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 15, 1969Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

Arkansas also had 8 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1955

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 413 storm reports in Carroll County since 1955, with 4 deaths and 67 injuries and about $2.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on May 26, 1973.

18tornadoes
155hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
193damaging thunderstorm winds
45floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 26, 1973F2–2 / 0
Apr 4, 1955F2–0 / 0
Mar 12, 1961F2–14 / 0
Apr 20, 1966F2–0 / 0
Nov 4, 2022EF1Green Forest0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 26, 1973Tornado–$250K
Apr 23, 2008Flash FloodBerryville$200K
Oct 8, 2009Flash FloodMetalton$200K
Nov 4, 2022TornadoGreen Forest$200K
Apr 23, 2011Flash FloodOak Grove$125K
Mar 1, 2007HailUrbanette$100K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 15, 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 2008, 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm have passed within 65 miles of the center of Carroll County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Ike (2008), with top winds near 45 mph about 42 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
1tropical storms
2008most recent: Ike

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 14, 2008IkeTropical storm, 45 mph42 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 14, 2008IkeTropical storm, 45 mph42 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 Carroll County

Check your address flood zone ›
0%of homes have federal flood insurance (2 policies)
0.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$9,023paid on 7 flood claims since 1978
2015costliest year, with $5,936 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 Carroll County

$210,400median home value (Arkansas $188,000, US $332,700)
1989median year homes were built (Arkansas 1987, US 1980)
35%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
12.9%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; 13,957 housing units.

Compare in Arkansas

All 75 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Pulaski CountyHighInland flooding
Benton CountyModerateInland flooding
Washington CountyModerateHeat wave
Sebastian CountyModerateInland flooding
Faulkner CountyModerateTornado
Saline CountyLowInland flooding
Craighead CountyModerateEarthquake
Garland CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Benton CountyModerate23
Taney County, MOModerate21
Boone CountyLow21
Barry County, MOLow27
Stone County, MOLow22
Madison CountyLow28
Newton CountyVery Low28

Common questions about Carroll County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Carroll County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Carroll County, about $7.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2.7 million.

How many federal disasters has Carroll County had?

Carroll County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Carroll County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 30th highest of 75 in Arkansas. 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 Carroll County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Carroll County had?

NOAA records list 18 tornadoes in Carroll County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on May 26, 1973. The weather service has also logged 155 hail reports and 45 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Carroll County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm passing within 65 miles of the center of Carroll County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Ike (2008), 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.