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Ozark County, Missouri

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

Very Low overall risk
76th of 115highest risk in Missouri
$7Mexpected losses a year
25federal declarations
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

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

$3.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 5 times 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
$1.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 13 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
$782,509 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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 floodingLow42.0
$3M
Heat waveModerate84.5
$1M
TornadoLow51.8
$783K
Cold waveLow41.5
$412K
Strong windModerate55.2
$377K
EarthquakeLow64.7
$353K
Ice stormHigh82.3
$292K
LightningLow39.1
$91K
WildfireVery Low60.8
$52K
Winter weatherLow41.9
$29K
HailVery Low10.8
$21K
DroughtVery Low30.2
$15K
LandslideLow78.7
$8K
HurricaneVery Low27.5
$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

Severe Storm16
Flood4
Severe Ice Storm3
Drought1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Jul 22, 2025Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 21, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and WildfiresMajor disaster
May 21, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 1, 2025Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 21, 2023Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2019Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 2, 2017Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 21, 2016Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 2, 2016Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingEmergency
Aug 7, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 25
Sep 6, 2013Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds and FloodingMajor disaster
May 9, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 3, 2011Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jun 19, 2009Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 17, 2009Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 30, 2009Severe Winter StormEmergency
Nov 13, 2008Severe Storms, Flooding, and A TornadoMajor disaster
Mar 19, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 12, 2008Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 6, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 24, 1976DroughtEmergency
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 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.

36tornadoes
188hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
201damaging thunderstorm winds
275floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 2, 1982F4–0 / 0
Mar 14, 2025EF3Dawt4 / 3
May 7, 1961F3–0 / 0
May 7, 1961F3–1 / 0
Mar 12, 1961F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 2, 1982Tornado–$25M
Nov 4, 2024Flash FloodRockbridge$6M
Apr 25, 2011Flash FloodGainesville$4M
May 8, 2009Thunderstorm WindLongrun$3M
Apr 30, 2017Flash FloodLawndale$3M
Mar 14, 2025TornadoDawt$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.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
2tropical storms
2008most recent: Ike

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 17, 1923UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph58 mi
Sep 14, 2008IkeTropical storm, 45 mph36 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 14, 2008IkeTropical storm, 45 mph36 mi
Oct 17, 1923UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph58 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 ›
0%of homes have federal flood insurance (2 policies)
1.1%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$334,857paid on 6 flood claims since 1978
2017costliest year, with $274,588 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 Ozark County

$168,600median home value (Missouri $230,300, US $332,700)
1980median year homes were built (Missouri 1978, US 1980)
51%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
17.8%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; 5,030 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
Taney CountyModerate21
Baxter County, ARLow19
Howell CountyLow23
Marion County, ARLow26
Fulton County, ARLow26
Douglas CountyVery Low23

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.