Ozark County, Missouri
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Ozark County, Missouri has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 64% of US counties. It ranks 76th of 115 counties in Missouri. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, heat waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $6.7 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $787 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (19 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2025 (severe storms and flooding). Only 2 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 Ozark 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.
- Check that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 42.0 | $3M | ||
| Heat wave | 84.5 | $1M | ||
| Tornado | 51.8 | $783K | ||
| Cold wave | 41.5 | $412K | ||
| Strong wind | 55.2 | $377K | ||
| Earthquake | 64.7 | $353K | ||
| Ice storm | 82.3 | $292K | ||
| Lightning | 39.1 | $91K | ||
| Wildfire | 60.8 | $52K | ||
| Winter weather | 41.9 | $29K | ||
| Hail | 10.8 | $21K | ||
| Drought | 30.2 | $15K | ||
| Landslide | 78.7 | $8K | ||
| Hurricane | 27.5 | $7K |
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 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 Ozark County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 25
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 716 storm reports in Ozark County since 1955, with 5 deaths and 11 injuries and about $50.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 2, 1982.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2, 1982 | F4 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 14, 2025 | EF3 | Dawt | 4 / 3 |
| May 7, 1961 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 7, 1961 | F3 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Mar 12, 1961 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2, 1982 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Nov 4, 2024 | Flash Flood | Rockbridge | $6M |
| Apr 25, 2011 | Flash Flood | Gainesville | $4M |
| May 8, 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Longrun | $3M |
| Apr 30, 2017 | Flash Flood | Lawndale | $3M |
| Mar 14, 2025 | Tornado | Dawt | $2M |
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 Ozark County, 1 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1923, with top winds near 50 mph about 58 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 1923 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 58 mi |
| Sep 14, 2008 | Ike | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 36 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 14, 2008 | Ike | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 36 mi |
| Oct 17, 1923 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 58 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 Ozark 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 Ozark 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; 5,030 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Taney County | 21 | |
| Baxter County, AR | 19 | |
| Howell County | 23 | |
| Marion County, AR | 26 | |
| Fulton County, AR | 26 | |
| Douglas County | 23 |
Common questions about Ozark County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Ozark County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Ozark County, about $3.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Heat wave is second at $1.2 million.
How many federal disasters has Ozark County had?
Ozark County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 19 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms and Flooding in July 2025.
Is Ozark County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 76th 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 Ozark 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 Ozark County had?
NOAA records list 36 tornadoes in Ozark County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 2, 1982. The weather service has also logged 188 hail reports and 275 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Ozark County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 2 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Ozark 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.