Drew County, Arkansas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Drew County, Arkansas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 65% of US counties. It ranks 60th of 75 counties in Arkansas. The costliest hazards here are earthquakes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $7.1 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $413 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 32 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $671,000 on 40 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Drew County
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | 83.7 | $2M | ||
| Inland flooding | 19.0 | $1M | ||
| Tornado | 63.1 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 77.9 | $864K | ||
| Drought | 82.4 | $684K | ||
| Strong wind | 67.2 | $571K | ||
| Ice storm | 78.4 | $229K | ||
| Cold wave | 25.8 | $217K | ||
| Hail | 40.2 | $115K | ||
| Hurricane | 56.6 | $91K | ||
| Lightning | 33.5 | $79K | ||
| Winter weather | 15.1 | $8K | ||
| Wildfire | 25.7 | $7K | ||
| Landslide | 24.2 | $112 |
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 relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Drew County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 18
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 369 storm reports in Drew County since 1955, with 1 death and 11 injuries and about $9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 23, 1957.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 23, 1957 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 17, 1980 | F2 | – | 2 / 1 |
| Mar 27, 2021 | EF2 | Rose Hill | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 21, 1971 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 24, 1973 | F2 | – | 1 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 6, 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Rock Spgs | $3M |
| May 15, 1995 | Hail | Lacey | $1M |
| May 1, 2011 | Flood | Rock Spgs | $750K |
| Sep 2, 2008 | Flash Flood | Bethel | $340K |
| Mar 27, 2021 | Tornado | Rose Hill | $300K |
| Oct 17, 1980 | Tornado | – | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Apr 28, 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 1888, 0 hurricanes and 8 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Drew County, 3 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with top winds near 70 mph about 60 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 20, 1888 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 21, 1909 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 49 mi |
| Aug 27, 2020 | Laura | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 16, 1923 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 55 mi |
| Jun 28, 1957 | Audrey | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 50 mi |
| Sep 10, 1965 | Betsy | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 27, 2020 | Laura | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 10, 1965 | Betsy | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
| Jun 28, 1957 | Audrey | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 50 mi |
| Oct 16, 1923 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 55 mi |
| Sep 21, 1909 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 49 mi |
| Sep 30, 1905 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 65 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 Drew 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 Drew 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; 8,289 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ashley County | 13 | |
| Lincoln County | 22 | |
| Desha County | 19 | |
| Bradley County | 24 | |
| Chicot County | 16 | |
| Cleveland County | 19 |
Common questions about Drew County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Drew County?
Earthquake has the highest expected yearly losses in Drew County, about $1.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $1.5 million.
How many federal disasters has Drew County had?
Drew County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.
Is Drew County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 60th 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 Drew County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 167 homes in Drew 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 Drew County had?
NOAA records list 21 tornadoes in Drew County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 23, 1957. The weather service has also logged 92 hail reports and 56 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Drew County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 8 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Drew County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with winds near 70 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.