Clark County, Arkansas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Clark County, Arkansas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 59% of US counties. It ranks 57th of 75 counties in Arkansas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and lightning. FEMA estimates about $10 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $477 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (17 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 45 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $891,000 on 32 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Clark County
- 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.
- 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.
- Go indoors when you hear thunder.
- Use surge protectors for electronics.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 38.1 | $4M | ||
| Tornado | 68.4 | $2M | ||
| Lightning | 92.2 | $1M | ||
| Earthquake | 73.1 | $775K | ||
| Ice storm | 90.0 | $746K | ||
| Heat wave | 67.8 | $652K | ||
| Strong wind | 64.3 | $651K | ||
| Hail | 72.5 | $497K | ||
| Drought | 47.6 | $99K | ||
| Cold wave | 12.4 | $88K | ||
| Hurricane | 51.0 | $62K | ||
| Winter weather | 42.2 | $39K | ||
| Wildfire | 31.0 | $12K | ||
| Landslide | 57.9 | $2K |
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 relatively high and community resilience is relatively low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Clark County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 22
Arkansas also had 8 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1950
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 642 storm reports in Clark County since 1950, with 9 deaths and 127 injuries and about $140 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on March 1, 1997 near Okolona.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 1997 | F4 | Okolona | 100 / 6 |
| Mar 5, 1999 | F3 | Amity | 0 / 0 |
| May 27, 1996 | F3 | Okolona | 0 / 0 |
| May 3, 1979 | F2 | – | 2 / 0 |
| Nov 15, 1988 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 1997 | Tornado | Okolona | $120M |
| May 3, 1979 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Nov 15, 1988 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Mar 5, 1999 | Tornado | Amity | $2M |
| May 27, 1996 | Tornado | Okolona | $2M |
| Dec 24, 2009 | Flood | Amity | $1M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 2, 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 1865, 0 hurricanes and 7 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Clark County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Laura (2020), with top winds near 55 mph about 55 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 27, 2020 | Laura | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 55 mi |
| Aug 23, 1879 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 53 mi |
| Sep 14, 1865 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 59 mi |
| Jul 7, 1891 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 24, 1941 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 64 mi |
| Oct 13, 1886 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 61 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 27, 2020 | Laura | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 55 mi |
| Sep 24, 1941 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 30, 1905 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 55 mi |
| Jul 7, 1891 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 60 mi |
| Oct 13, 1886 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 61 mi |
| Aug 23, 1879 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 53 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 Clark County
Check your address flood zone ›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 Clark County
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; 10,029 housing units.
Compare in Arkansas
All 75 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Pulaski County | Inland flooding | |
| Benton County | Inland flooding | |
| Washington County | Heat wave | |
| Sebastian County | Inland flooding | |
| Faulkner County | Tornado | |
| Saline County | Inland flooding | |
| Craighead County | Earthquake | |
| Garland County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Hot Spring County | 18 | |
| Ouachita County | 27 | |
| Pike County | 21 | |
| Montgomery County | 22 | |
| Nevada County | 24 | |
| Dallas County | 20 |
Common questions about Clark County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Clark County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Clark County, about $3.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.9 million.
How many federal disasters has Clark County had?
Clark County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 17 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.
Is Clark County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 57th 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 Clark County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Clark County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Clark County had?
NOAA records list 35 tornadoes in Clark County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on March 1, 1997 near Okolona. The weather service has also logged 192 hail reports and 137 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Clark County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 7 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Clark County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Laura (2020), with winds near 55 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.