Home › Missouri › Moniteau County

Moniteau County, Missouri

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

Very Low overall risk
82nd of 115highest risk in Missouri
$10Mexpected losses a year
21federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Moniteau County, Missouri has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 69% of US counties. It ranks 82nd of 115 counties in Missouri. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, heat waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $9.7 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $632 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (14 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 7 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $261,000 on 27 claims here.

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

Top risks in Moniteau County

$3.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once 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.

Heat wave

Moderate
$1.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 12 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
$1.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 5 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 Low32.5
$4M
Heat waveModerate82.0
$2M
TornadoLow56.2
$1M
Cold waveLow54.1
$1M
Ice stormHigh85.2
$589K
EarthquakeVery Low56.6
$376K
Strong windLow33.1
$317K
DroughtLow58.9
$255K
LightningLow38.8
$148K
WildfireLow67.7
$141K
HailVery Low23.4
$82K
Winter weatherLow50.9
$64K
HurricaneVery Low18.5
$5K
LandslideVery Low37.9
$548

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 moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm10
Flood6
Severe Ice Storm3
Drought1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Aug 3, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 1, 2021Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 2, 2016Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingEmergency
Aug 7, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 30, 2011FloodingEmergency
Mar 23, 2011Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
Feb 3, 2011Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jan 30, 2009Severe Winter StormEmergency
Mar 19, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 27, 2007Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Show all 21
Dec 12, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 6, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 14, 1998Severe Storms, Flooding and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jun 2, 1995Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Hail, FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
May 24, 1990Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 14, 1986Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 24, 1976DroughtEmergency
Nov 1, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 19, 1973Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster

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 256 storm reports in Moniteau County since 1955 and about $26.4 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on June 7, 1990.

21tornadoes
92hail reports, largest 4 inches
108damaging thunderstorm winds
32floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 7, 1990F2–0 / 0
Oct 14, 1966F2–0 / 0
Oct 14, 1966F2–0 / 0
May 12, 1980F2–0 / 0
Oct 24, 1967F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 7, 1990Tornado–$25M
Jul 26, 1998Flash FloodCountywide$350K
Mar 15, 1982Tornado–$250K
Jun 5, 2005LightningFortuna$200K
Apr 27, 2024TornadoTipton$200K
Jul 8, 2022Thunderstorm WindTipton$75K

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 1923, 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm have passed within 65 miles of the center of Moniteau County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1923, with top winds near 40 mph about 61 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
1tropical storms
1923most recent: unnamed storm

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 17, 1923UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph61 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 17, 1923UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph61 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 Moniteau County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (7 policies)
7.5%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$261,495paid on 27 flood claims since 1978
1993costliest year, with $165,362 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 Moniteau County

$181,900median home value (Missouri $230,300, US $332,700)
1979median year homes were built (Missouri 1978, US 1980)
52%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
8.8%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; 6,175 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
Boone CountyModerate25
Cole CountyLow24
Miller CountyLow28
Morgan CountyLow26
Cooper CountyVery Low22

Common questions about Moniteau County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Moniteau County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Moniteau County, about $3.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Heat wave is second at $1.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Moniteau County had?

Moniteau County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 14 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2026.

Is Moniteau County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 82nd 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 Moniteau County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Moniteau 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 Moniteau County had?

NOAA records list 21 tornadoes in Moniteau County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on June 7, 1990. The weather service has also logged 92 hail reports and 32 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Moniteau County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm passing within 65 miles of the center of Moniteau County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1923, with winds near 40 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.