Oregon County, Missouri
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Oregon County, Missouri has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 51% of US counties. It ranks 63rd of 115 counties in Missouri. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and earthquakes. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,262 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (16 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2025 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and wildfires). Only 6 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $490,000 on 39 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Oregon 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 46.4 | $4M | ||
| Cold wave | 79.9 | $3M | ||
| Earthquake | 82.4 | $1M | ||
| Tornado | 62.0 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 69.0 | $611K | ||
| Strong wind | 36.8 | $260K | ||
| Ice storm | 77.6 | $239K | ||
| Lightning | 35.8 | $96K | ||
| Wildfire | 60.1 | $59K | ||
| Winter weather | 53.3 | $50K | ||
| Hail | 12.6 | $29K | ||
| Hurricane | 37.2 | $17K | ||
| Landslide | 65.9 | $3K |
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 Oregon 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 344 storm reports in Oregon County since 1957, with 0 deaths and 17 injuries and about $19.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on December 24, 1982.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 24, 1982 | F4 | – | 6 / 0 |
| Oct 18, 1984 | F3 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Mar 14, 2025 | EF3 | Koshkonong | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 14, 2025 | EF3 | Rover | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 19, 1970 | F3 | – | 7 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 29, 2017 | Flash Flood | Alton | $4M |
| Dec 24, 1982 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Dec 24, 1982 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Oct 18, 1984 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Nov 5, 2005 | Tornado | Thayer | $2M |
| Mar 18, 2008 | Flash Flood | Rover | $1M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Apr 16, 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 1906, 0 hurricanes and 3 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Oregon County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1923, with top winds near 50 mph about 47 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 1923 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 47 mi |
| Sep 24, 1941 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 50 mi |
| Sep 28, 1906 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 60 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 24, 1941 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 50 mi |
| Oct 17, 1923 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 47 mi |
| Sep 28, 1906 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 60 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 Oregon 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 Oregon 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; 4,321 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Howell County | 23 | |
| Randolph County, AR | 25 | |
| Sharp County, AR | 24 | |
| Fulton County, AR | 26 | |
| Ripley County | 22 | |
| Shannon County | 25 | |
| Carter County | 20 |
Common questions about Oregon County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Oregon County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Oregon County, about $4.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $2.5 million.
How many federal disasters has Oregon County had?
Oregon County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 16 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Wildfires in May 2025.
Is Oregon County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 63rd 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 Oregon County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Oregon 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 Oregon County had?
NOAA records list 22 tornadoes in Oregon County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on December 24, 1982. The weather service has also logged 116 hail reports and 82 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Oregon County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 3 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Oregon County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1923, with winds near 50 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.