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Woodruff County, Arkansas

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

Very Low overall risk
54th of 75highest risk in Arkansas
$8Mexpected losses a year
26federal declarations
1 in 111homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Woodruff County, Arkansas has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 58% of US counties. It ranks 54th of 75 counties in Arkansas. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $8.5 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,351 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (19 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 29 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.7 million on 72 claims here, including $527,000 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 Woodruff County

$2.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 10 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.
$2.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 150 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.

Tornado

Moderate
$1.4 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 floodingVery Low34.5
$3M
EarthquakeLow87.9
$2M
TornadoModerate65.7
$1M
DroughtModerate87.4
$879K
Ice stormHigh88.4
$501K
Heat waveLow46.9
$203K
Strong windLow30.3
$188K
HailLow38.5
$108K
Cold waveVery Low14.9
$97K
LightningLow24.1
$54K
HurricaneVery Low49.8
$46K
Winter weatherLow26.6
$16K
WildfireVery Low11.6
$2K
LandslideVery Low15.0
$40

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 low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Woodruff County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm13
Flood4
Tornado3
Severe Ice Storm3
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
Dec 23, 2021Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Aug 27, 2020Hurricane LauraEmergency
Jun 15, 2017Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 5, 2016Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 25, 2013Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 2, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Associated FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 4, 2010Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 26
Dec 3, 2009Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 28, 2009Severe Winter StormEmergency
Mar 26, 2008Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 2, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 7, 2004Sever Storms, Flooding and LandslidesMajor disaster
Jun 6, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 24, 2002Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 29, 2000Severe Winter Ice StormMajor disaster
Dec 28, 2000Severe Winter Ice StormEmergency
Mar 2, 1997Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Nov 23, 1988Severe Storms & TornadoesMajor disaster
Dec 31, 1987Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 13, 1982Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 20, 1978TornadoesEmergency
Apr 27, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 15, 1969Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1950

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 602 storm reports in Woodruff County since 1950, with 32 deaths and 223 injuries and about $47.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on March 21, 1952.

36tornadoes
46hail reports, largest 3 inches
111damaging thunderstorm winds
403floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 21, 1952F4–180 / 29
May 26, 1973F4–0 / 0
Dec 24, 1982F3–0 / 1
Mar 12, 1961F3–12 / 0
Mar 26, 1976F3–2 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 1, 2011FloodFitzhugh$9M
Jul 1, 2014FloodFitzhugh$5M
Mar 18, 2008FloodFitzhugh$4M
May 1, 2017FloodAugusta$4M
May 1, 2017FloodRiverside$4M
Nov 1, 2009FloodOvercup$3M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 11, 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 1906, 0 hurricanes and 4 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Woodruff County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1923, with top winds near 50 mph about 57 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
4tropical storms
1941most recent: unnamed storm

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 16, 1923UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph57 mi
Sep 21, 1909UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph55 mi
Sep 28, 1906UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph64 mi
Sep 24, 1941UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph60 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 24, 1941UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph60 mi
Oct 16, 1923UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph57 mi
Sep 21, 1909UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph55 mi
Sep 28, 1906UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph64 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 Woodruff County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.9%of homes have federal flood insurance (29 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$1.7 millionpaid on 72 flood claims since 1978
2011costliest year, with $527,242 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 Woodruff County

$106,500median home value (Arkansas $188,000, US $332,700)
1977median year homes were built (Arkansas 1987, US 1980)
60%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
12.9%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; 3,256 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
White CountyModerate27
St. Francis CountyLow20
Cross CountyLow22
Jackson CountyLow33
Prairie CountyVery Low20
Monroe CountyVery Low25

Common questions about Woodruff County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Woodruff County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Woodruff County, about $2.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $2.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Woodruff County had?

Woodruff County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 19 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Woodruff County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 54th 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 Woodruff County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 111 homes in Woodruff 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 Woodruff County had?

NOAA records list 36 tornadoes in Woodruff County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on March 21, 1952. The weather service has also logged 46 hail reports and 403 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Woodruff County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 4 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Woodruff County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1923, with winds near 50 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.