Adair County, Iowa
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Adair County, Iowa has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 50% of US counties. It ranks 28th of 99 counties in Iowa. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and drought. FEMA estimates about $14 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,913 per resident. Since 1972 it has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2024 (severe storms, tornadoes and flooding). No homes here carry federal flood insurance.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Adair County
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- 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.
- Check local water restrictions.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold wave | 88.1 | $5M | ||
| Inland flooding | 23.8 | $2M | ||
| Drought | 94.6 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 62.4 | $2M | ||
| Hail | 82.6 | $905K | ||
| Strong wind | 71.4 | $900K | ||
| Heat wave | 59.5 | $502K | ||
| Ice storm | 40.3 | $48K | ||
| Winter weather | 38.3 | $38K | ||
| Lightning | 10.2 | $30K | ||
| Wildfire | 34.1 | $16K | ||
| Earthquake | 12.3 | $11K | ||
| Hurricane | 14.7 | $3K | ||
| Landslide | 59.6 | $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 relatively moderate and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Adair County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 15
Iowa also had 11 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1953
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 427 storm reports in Adair County since 1953, with 6 deaths and 42 injuries and about $73.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F5 tornado on June 27, 1953.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 27, 1953 | F5 | – | 2 / 1 |
| May 21, 2024 | EF4 | Fisk | 35 / 4 |
| May 10, 1959 | F4 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Apr 8, 1999 | F4 | Bridgewater | 2 / 0 |
| Apr 14, 1994 | F3 | Bridgewater To 4 N Gr | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2024 | Tornado | Fisk | $30M |
| Jun 12, 2010 | Flood | Adair | $20M |
| Jun 30, 2014 | Hail | Adair | $11M |
| May 10, 1959 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Apr 8, 1999 | Tornado | Bridgewater | $1M |
| May 21, 2024 | Tornado | Greenfield | $750K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Aug 10, 2025. 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.
Flood insurance in Adair 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 Adair 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; 3,568 housing units.
Compare in Iowa
All 99 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Polk County | Inland flooding | |
| Linn County | Inland flooding | |
| Scott County | Inland flooding | |
| Johnson County | Tornado | |
| Black Hawk County | Inland flooding | |
| Woodbury County | Inland flooding | |
| Dallas County | Inland flooding | |
| Dubuque County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas County | 18 | |
| Madison County | 18 | |
| Cass County | 17 | |
| Union County | 19 | |
| Guthrie County | 15 | |
| Audubon County | 20 | |
| Adams County | 15 |
Common questions about Adair County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Adair County?
Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Adair County, about $5.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $2.5 million.
How many federal disasters has Adair County had?
Adair County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1972, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding in May 2024.
Is Adair County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 28th highest of 99 in Iowa. 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 Adair County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Adair County had?
NOAA records list 33 tornadoes in Adair County since 1950. The strongest was an F5 tornado on June 27, 1953. The weather service has also logged 175 hail reports and 27 floods here.
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.