Sevier County, Arkansas
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Sevier County, Arkansas has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 65% of US counties. It ranks 28th of 75 counties in Arkansas. The costliest hazards here are ice storms, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $14 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $870 per resident. Since 1968 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 20 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $774,000 on 19 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Sevier County
- Trim branches that hang over the roof or power lines.
- Plan for several days without power.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ice storm | 99.9 | $7M | ||
| Inland flooding | 48.2 | $4M | ||
| Tornado | 63.5 | $1M | ||
| Hail | 82.8 | $579K | ||
| Heat wave | 66.4 | $438K | ||
| Strong wind | 57.3 | $381K | ||
| Earthquake | 61.7 | $284K | ||
| Lightning | 69.0 | $272K | ||
| Cold wave | 31.8 | $259K | ||
| Drought | 46.7 | $66K | ||
| Hurricane | 54.1 | $63K | ||
| Wildfire | 58.0 | $42K | ||
| Winter weather | 52.2 | $39K | ||
| Landslide | 61.4 | $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 very high and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Sevier County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 16
Arkansas also had 8 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1954
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 470 storm reports in Sevier County since 1954, with 0 deaths and 16 injuries and about $11.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 2, 1982.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2, 1982 | F4 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 9, 2009 | EF3 | West Line | 7 / 0 |
| May 4, 1999 | F3 | Falls Chapel | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 28, 2020 | EF2 | Cheatham | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 20, 1973 | F2 | – | 6 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 9, 2009 | Tornado | West Line | $4M |
| Apr 2, 1982 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Sep 2, 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | De Queen | $2M |
| May 24, 2024 | Tornado | Beacon Hill | $500K |
| Apr 28, 2020 | Tornado | Cheatham | $400K |
| Nov 20, 1973 | Tornado | – | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 12, 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 3 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Sevier County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1879, with top winds near 45 mph about 64 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 23, 1879 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 7, 1918 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 55 mi |
| Sep 13, 2008 | Ike | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 51 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 13, 2008 | Ike | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 51 mi |
| Aug 7, 1918 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 55 mi |
| Aug 23, 1879 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 64 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 Sevier 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 Sevier 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; 6,791 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 |
|---|---|---|
| McCurtain County, OK | 20 | |
| Polk County | 22 | |
| Howard County | 20 | |
| Little River County | 21 |
Common questions about Sevier County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Sevier County?
Ice storm has the highest expected yearly losses in Sevier County, about $6.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $3.5 million.
How many federal disasters has Sevier County had?
Sevier County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1968, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.
Is Sevier County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 28th 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 Sevier County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Sevier 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 Sevier County had?
NOAA records list 23 tornadoes in Sevier County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 2, 1982. The weather service has also logged 188 hail reports and 35 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Sevier County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 3 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Sevier County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1879, with winds near 45 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.