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Lonoke County, Arkansas

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

Relatively Low overall risk
15th of 75highest risk in Arkansas
$41Mexpected losses a year
27federal declarations
1 in 143homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Lonoke County, Arkansas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 75% of US counties. It ranks 15th of 75 counties in Arkansas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $41 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $555 per resident. Since 1968 it has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (19 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (180 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.3 million on 89 claims here, including $463,000 for floods in 2011.

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

Top risks in Lonoke County

$15.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times 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.

Earthquake

Moderate
$9.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 180 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.

Tornado

Moderate
$6.7 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow69.3
$15M
EarthquakeModerate92.7
$10M
TornadoModerate86.2
$7M
Heat waveModerate85.0
$2M
Ice stormVery High95.2
$2M
Strong windHigh86.6
$2M
Cold waveLow44.5
$932K
HailLow71.4
$717K
LightningModerate67.2
$537K
Winter weatherModerate65.5
$132K
HurricaneVery Low52.9
$116K
DroughtLow40.0
$79K
WildfireVery Low52.2
$63K
LandslideVery Low40.3
$805

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 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 Lonoke County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm10
Tornado6
Flood4
Severe Ice Storm4
Hurricane2
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
May 21, 2025Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 5, 2025Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingEmergency
Nov 14, 2023Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Apr 2, 2023Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Aug 27, 2020Hurricane LauraEmergency
Jan 29, 2013Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
May 2, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Associated FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 4, 2010Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 28, 2009Severe Winter StormEmergency
Show all 27
May 20, 2008Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Mar 26, 2008Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jun 6, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 29, 2000Severe Winter Ice StormMajor disaster
Dec 28, 2000Severe Winter Ice StormEmergency
Jan 23, 1999Ar Severe Weather 1-21-99Major disaster
Apr 14, 1997Flooding, Severe StormsMajor disaster
Mar 2, 1997Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Nov 23, 1988Severe Storms & TornadoesMajor disaster
Dec 31, 1987Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 23, 1982Severe Storms & TornadoesEmergency
Apr 16, 1980Severe Storms & TornadoesMajor disaster
Apr 22, 1978TornadoesEmergency
Apr 1, 1976TornadoesMajor disaster
Feb 15, 1969Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
May 29, 1968Tornadoes, Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1951

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 843 storm reports in Lonoke County since 1951, with 21 deaths and 132 injuries and about $157 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on March 21, 1952.

89tornadoes
275hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
374damaging thunderstorm winds
86floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 21, 1952F4–6 / 2
Mar 21, 1952F3–9 / 9
Mar 29, 1976F3–64 / 5
May 4, 2003F3Cabot0 / 0
Nov 15, 1988F2–8 / 2

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Mar 29, 1976Tornado–$25M
Nov 15, 1988Tornado–$25M
Nov 15, 1988Tornado–$25M
Apr 15, 2011TornadoPettus$20M
Jun 30, 2009HailKerr$12M
May 1, 2011FloodAustin$9M

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 1879, 0 hurricanes and 7 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Lonoke County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1909, with top winds near 55 mph about 53 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
7tropical storms
2020most recent: Laura

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 21, 1909UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph53 mi
Oct 16, 1923UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi
Aug 23, 1879UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph58 mi
Aug 27, 2020LauraTropical storm, 45 mph58 mi
Sep 24, 1941UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph45 mi
Sep 30, 1905UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph58 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 27, 2020LauraTropical storm, 45 mph58 mi
Sep 24, 1941UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph45 mi
Oct 16, 1923UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi
Sep 21, 1909UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph53 mi
Sep 30, 1905UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph58 mi
Jul 7, 1891UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph61 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 Lonoke County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.7%of homes have federal flood insurance (180 policies)
8.1%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$1.3 millionpaid on 89 flood claims since 1978
2011costliest year, with $462,792 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 Lonoke County

$193,600median home value (Arkansas $188,000, US $332,700)
1997median year homes were built (Arkansas 1987, US 1980)
23%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
13%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; 30,884 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
Pulaski CountyHigh31
Faulkner CountyModerate26
White CountyModerate27
Jefferson CountyModerate23
Arkansas CountyLow18
Prairie CountyVery Low20

Cities in Lonoke County

Common questions about Lonoke County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Lonoke County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Lonoke County, about $15.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $9.9 million.

How many federal disasters has Lonoke County had?

Lonoke County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1968, including 19 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Lonoke County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 15th 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 Lonoke County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 143 homes in Lonoke 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 Lonoke County had?

NOAA records list 89 tornadoes in Lonoke County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on March 21, 1952. The weather service has also logged 275 hail reports and 86 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Lonoke County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 7 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Lonoke County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1909, 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.