Crawford County, Arkansas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Crawford County, Arkansas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 72% of US counties. It ranks 21st of 75 counties in Arkansas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, heat waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $30 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $498 per resident. Since 1968 it has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (16 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (105 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.6 million on 71 claims here, including $486,000 for floods in 2019.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Crawford 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.
- Check that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 70.6 | $13M | ||
| Heat wave | 93.4 | $5M | ||
| Tornado | 81.4 | $4M | ||
| Cold wave | 64.1 | $2M | ||
| Ice storm | 95.0 | $2M | ||
| Wildfire | 91.1 | $2M | ||
| Earthquake | 66.6 | $656K | ||
| Lightning | 77.9 | $655K | ||
| Drought | 69.0 | $490K | ||
| Strong wind | 41.7 | $428K | ||
| Hail | 63.3 | $421K | ||
| Winter weather | 79.9 | $207K | ||
| Landslide | 88.6 | $48K | ||
| Hurricane | 43.4 | $40K |
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 low 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 Crawford County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 24
Arkansas also had 8 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1953
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 791 storm reports in Crawford County since 1953, with 1 death and 102 injuries and about $182 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 21, 1996 near Van Buren.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 21, 1996 | F3 | Van Buren | 49 / 0 |
| Apr 30, 1954 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 14, 1960 | F3 | – | 3 / 0 |
| Dec 2, 1982 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 4, 1999 | F3 | Natural Dam | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 21, 1996 | Tornado | Van Buren | $150M |
| May 3, 2021 | Tornado | Van Buren | $15M |
| Oct 16, 1984 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Oct 16, 1984 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Nov 30, 2018 | Tornado | Van Buren | $3M |
| Mar 5, 1999 | Hail | Alma | $800K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 6, 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 Crawford County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Ike (2008), with top winds near 40 mph about 58 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 14, 2008 | Ike | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 58 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 14, 2008 | Ike | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 58 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 Crawford 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 Crawford 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; 25,621 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Washington County | 18 | |
| Sebastian County | 19 | |
| Sequoyah County, OK | 29 | |
| Adair County, OK | 27 | |
| Franklin County | 25 | |
| Madison County | 28 |
Common questions about Crawford County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Crawford County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Crawford County, about $13.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Heat wave is second at $4.6 million.
How many federal disasters has Crawford County had?
Crawford County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1968, including 16 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.
Is Crawford County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 21st 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 Crawford County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Crawford 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 Crawford County had?
NOAA records list 43 tornadoes in Crawford County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 21, 1996 near Van Buren. The weather service has also logged 312 hail reports and 110 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Crawford County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm passing within 65 miles of the center of Crawford County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Ike (2008), with winds near 40 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.