Douglas County, Missouri
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Douglas County, Missouri has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 76% of US counties. It ranks 94th of 115 counties in Missouri. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $6.5 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $565 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (17 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2025 (severe storms and flooding). Only 1 home here carries federal flood insurance.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Douglas County
- 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.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 27.0 | $3M | ||
| Tornado | 46.1 | $878K | ||
| Heat wave | 71.6 | $789K | ||
| Cold wave | 46.3 | $661K | ||
| Strong wind | 60.8 | $602K | ||
| Earthquake | 63.4 | $440K | ||
| Ice storm | 80.9 | $356K | ||
| Lightning | 32.9 | $98K | ||
| Wildfire | 58.7 | $62K | ||
| Hail | 18.0 | $51K | ||
| Winter weather | 37.1 | $33K | ||
| Drought | 26.4 | $12K | ||
| Hurricane | 27.2 | $9K | ||
| Landslide | 76.0 | $8K |
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 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 Douglas County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 23
Missouri also had 5 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1957
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 957 storm reports in Douglas County since 1957, with 4 deaths and 2 injuries and about $34.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 11, 1979.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 11, 1979 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 2, 1982 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 12, 1990 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 6, 1960 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 24, 1982 | F2 | – | 2 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 5, 2024 | Flash Flood | Ava Muni Meml Arpt | $12M |
| May 8, 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ongo | $5M |
| Apr 30, 2017 | Flash Flood | Evans | $3M |
| Dec 2, 1982 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 12, 1990 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 8, 2024 | Hail | Mt Zion | $1M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 27, 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 2 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Douglas County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1923, with top winds near 45 mph about 59 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 1923 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 59 mi |
| Sep 14, 2008 | Ike | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 54 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 14, 2008 | Ike | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 54 mi |
| Oct 17, 1923 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 59 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 Douglas 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 Douglas 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; 5,391 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Christian County | 20 | |
| Taney County | 21 | |
| Howell County | 23 | |
| Webster County | 31 | |
| Texas County | 25 | |
| Wright County | 23 | |
| Ozark County | 25 |
Common questions about Douglas County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Douglas County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Douglas County, about $2.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $877,675.
How many federal disasters has Douglas County had?
Douglas County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 17 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms and Flooding in July 2025.
Is Douglas County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 94th 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 Douglas 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 Douglas County had?
NOAA records list 42 tornadoes in Douglas County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 11, 1979. The weather service has also logged 241 hail reports and 379 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Douglas County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 2 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Douglas 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.