Lonoke County, Arkansas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- 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.
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
- 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 | 69.3 | $15M | ||
| Earthquake | 92.7 | $10M | ||
| Tornado | 86.2 | $7M | ||
| Heat wave | 85.0 | $2M | ||
| Ice storm | 95.2 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 86.6 | $2M | ||
| Cold wave | 44.5 | $932K | ||
| Hail | 71.4 | $717K | ||
| Lightning | 67.2 | $537K | ||
| Winter weather | 65.5 | $132K | ||
| Hurricane | 52.9 | $116K | ||
| Drought | 40.0 | $79K | ||
| Wildfire | 52.2 | $63K | ||
| Landslide | 40.3 | $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
Most recent
Show all 27
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 21, 1952 | F4 | – | 6 / 2 |
| Mar 21, 1952 | F3 | – | 9 / 9 |
| Mar 29, 1976 | F3 | – | 64 / 5 |
| May 4, 2003 | F3 | Cabot | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 15, 1988 | F2 | – | 8 / 2 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 29, 1976 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Nov 15, 1988 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Nov 15, 1988 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Apr 15, 2011 | Tornado | Pettus | $20M |
| Jun 30, 2009 | Hail | Kerr | $12M |
| May 1, 2011 | Flood | Austin | $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.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 21, 1909 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 53 mi |
| Oct 16, 1923 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 23, 1879 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 58 mi |
| Aug 27, 2020 | Laura | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 58 mi |
| Sep 24, 1941 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 45 mi |
| Sep 30, 1905 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 58 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 27, 2020 | Laura | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 58 mi |
| Sep 24, 1941 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 45 mi |
| Oct 16, 1923 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 21, 1909 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 53 mi |
| Sep 30, 1905 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 58 mi |
| Jul 7, 1891 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 61 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 ›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
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 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Pulaski County | 31 | |
| Faulkner County | 26 | |
| White County | 27 | |
| Jefferson County | 23 | |
| Arkansas County | 18 | |
| Prairie County | 20 |
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.