Dent County, Missouri
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Dent County, Missouri has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 52% of US counties. It ranks 58th of 115 counties in Missouri. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $16 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,133 per resident. Since 1976 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2025 (severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding). Only 9 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 Dent 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 that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold wave | 92.5 | $8M | ||
| Inland flooding | 32.7 | $4M | ||
| Heat wave | 79.0 | $1M | ||
| Earthquake | 78.2 | $1M | ||
| Tornado | 44.9 | $995K | ||
| Strong wind | 38.9 | $378K | ||
| Ice storm | 70.1 | $209K | ||
| Lightning | 35.2 | $126K | ||
| Wildfire | 60.0 | $79K | ||
| Winter weather | 49.0 | $58K | ||
| Hail | 14.1 | $44K | ||
| Drought | 29.1 | $21K | ||
| Hurricane | 28.0 | $11K | ||
| Landslide | 58.5 | $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 very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Dent County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 16
Missouri also had 5 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1955
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 404 storm reports in Dent County since 1955, with 4 deaths and 4 injuries and about $20.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 21, 1957.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 1957 | F3 | – | 2 / 0 |
| Jun 1, 1999 | F2 | Lecoma | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 31, 2010 | EF1 | Lecoma | 0 / 2 |
| Oct 24, 2021 | EF1 | Gladden | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 26, 1994 | F1 | Salem To | 2 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 5, 2024 | Flash Flood | Sligo | $15M |
| Mar 18, 2008 | Flash Flood | Hobson | $1M |
| May 8, 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Coulstone | $1M |
| Apr 29, 2017 | Flash Flood | Salem | $1M |
| Apr 23, 2011 | Flood | Montauk | $500K |
| Dec 31, 2010 | Tornado | Lecoma | $450K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 10, 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 1923, 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm have passed within 65 miles of the center of Dent County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1923, with top winds near 45 mph about 49 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 1923 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 49 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 1923 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 49 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 Dent 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 Dent 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; 6,822 housing units.
Compare in Missouri
All 115 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis County | Heat wave | |
| Jackson County | Inland flooding | |
| St. Charles County | Inland flooding | |
| St. Louis City | Heat wave | |
| Greene County | Inland flooding | |
| Clay County | Inland flooding | |
| Jefferson County | Inland flooding | |
| Boone County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Phelps County | 23 | |
| Texas County | 25 | |
| Crawford County | 22 | |
| Iron County | 25 | |
| Shannon County | 25 | |
| Reynolds County | 25 |
Common questions about Dent County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Dent County?
Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Dent County, about $8.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $3.6 million.
How many federal disasters has Dent County had?
Dent County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1976, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in January 2025.
Is Dent County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 58th 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 Dent County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Dent 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 Dent County had?
NOAA records list 20 tornadoes in Dent County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 21, 1957. The weather service has also logged 131 hail reports and 103 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Dent County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm passing within 65 miles of the center of Dent County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1923, 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.