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Christian County, Missouri

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

Relatively Low overall risk
35th of 115highest risk in Missouri
$36Mexpected losses a year
20federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Christian County, Missouri has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 66% of US counties. It ranks 35th of 115 counties in Missouri. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $36 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $407 per resident. Since 1976 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (14 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2023 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (70 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.9 million on 78 claims here.

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

Top risks in Christian County

$18.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$5.8 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.

Heat wave

Moderate
$3.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 13 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow70.0
$18M
TornadoModerate80.8
$6M
Heat waveModerate89.0
$4M
Ice stormHigh93.8
$2M
Strong windModerate77.8
$2M
EarthquakeLow71.0
$1M
Cold waveLow44.6
$1M
LightningModerate72.1
$755K
HailLow66.3
$675K
WildfireLow70.4
$249K
Winter weatherModerate75.5
$239K
DroughtLow38.2
$79K
HurricaneVery Low31.4
$22K
LandslideLow72.2
$10K

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 moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm11
Severe Ice Storm4
Flood3
Drought1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Sep 21, 2023Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 2, 2017Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 2, 2016Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingEmergency
Aug 7, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 9, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 3, 2011Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jun 19, 2009Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 30, 2009Severe Winter StormEmergency
Nov 13, 2008Severe Storms, Flooding, and A TornadoMajor disaster
Jun 25, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 20
Mar 19, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 12, 2008Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
Jan 15, 2007Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 16, 2006Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 6, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 6, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 24, 1976DroughtEmergency

Missouri also had 5 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1954

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 985 storm reports in Christian County since 1954, with 2 deaths and 18 injuries and about $153 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on November 29, 1991.

47tornadoes
319hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
408damaging thunderstorm winds
169floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Nov 29, 1991F4–0 / 0
Apr 24, 1975F4–0 / 0
May 4, 2003F3Billings3 / 1
Mar 12, 2006F3Clever3 / 0
Apr 30, 2019EF2Ozark Airpark Arpt3 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Mar 12, 2006TornadoClever$50M
Apr 28, 2026HailBillings$30M
Nov 29, 1991Tornado–$25M
May 8, 2009Thunderstorm WindBillings$7M
Apr 30, 2019TornadoOzark Airpark Arpt$7M
May 4, 2003TornadoBillings$5M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 4, 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 2008, 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm have passed within 65 miles of the center of Christian County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Ike (2008), with top winds near 45 mph about 57 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
1tropical storms
2008most recent: Ike

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 14, 2008IkeTropical storm, 45 mph57 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 14, 2008IkeTropical storm, 45 mph57 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 Christian County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (70 policies)
19.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$2.9 millionpaid on 78 flood claims since 1978
2015costliest year, with $577,605 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 Christian County

$274,900median home value (Missouri $230,300, US $332,700)
1999median year homes were built (Missouri 1978, US 1980)
18%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
3.2%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; 36,643 housing units.

Compare in Missouri

All 115 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
St. Louis CountyHighHeat wave
Jackson CountyHighInland flooding
St. Charles CountyModerateInland flooding
St. Louis CityHighHeat wave
Greene CountyModerateInland flooding
Clay CountyModerateInland flooding
Jefferson CountyModerateInland flooding
Boone CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Greene CountyModerate25
Taney CountyModerate21
Webster CountyLow31
Lawrence CountyLow18
Stone CountyLow22
Douglas CountyVery Low23

Cities in Christian County

Common questions about Christian County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Christian County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Christian County, about $18.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $5.8 million.

How many federal disasters has Christian County had?

Christian County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1976, including 14 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in September 2023.

Is Christian County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 35th highest of 115 in Missouri. 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 Christian County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Christian 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 Christian County had?

NOAA records list 47 tornadoes in Christian County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on November 29, 1991. The weather service has also logged 319 hail reports and 169 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Christian County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm passing within 65 miles of the center of Christian County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Ike (2008), 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.