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Pemiscot County, Missouri

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

Relatively Low overall risk
18th of 115highest risk in Missouri
$24Mexpected losses a year
24federal declarations
1 in 21homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, CC0

Pemiscot County, Missouri has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 78% of US counties. It ranks 18th of 115 counties in Missouri. The costliest hazards here are earthquakes, tornadoes and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $24 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,568 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (19 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2025 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). About 1 in 21 homes here carry federal flood insurance (308 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $746,000 on 127 claims here.

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

Top risks in Pemiscot County

Earthquake

Moderate
$13.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 60 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.

Tornado

Moderate
$3.1 million 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.
$2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
EarthquakeModerate96.2
$14M
TornadoModerate83.8
$3M
Inland floodingVery Low27.5
$2M
DroughtHigh94.0
$1M
Heat waveModerate84.8
$1M
Ice stormVery High95.8
$1M
Cold waveLow57.0
$792K
LightningModerate81.4
$495K
Strong windLow50.8
$360K
Winter weatherModerate69.1
$80K
HurricaneVery Low46.3
$33K
HailVery Low9.9
$20K
WildfireVery Low3.9
$843
LandslideVery Low26.7
$145

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 relatively low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm15
Flood5
Severe Ice Storm2
Tornado1
Hurricane1

Most recent

May 21, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 10, 2022Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2020Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2019Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 20, 2019Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, 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
May 9, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 24
Feb 3, 2011Severe Winter StormEmergency
Feb 17, 2009Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 30, 2009Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jun 25, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 19, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
Apr 5, 2006Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 6, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 2, 1995Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Hail, FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 21, 1994Severe Storms, Tornadoes, FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 21, 1979Tornadoes, Torrential Rain & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 19, 1973Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster

Missouri also had 5 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1952

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 273 storm reports in Pemiscot County since 1952, with 26 deaths and 256 injuries and about $67.4 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on March 21, 1952.

40tornadoes
82hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
133damaging thunderstorm winds
16floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 21, 1952F4–100 / 17
Dec 10, 2021EF4Samford11 / 3
Apr 2, 2006F3Deering130 / 2
Oct 18, 2004F2Cooter7 / 3
Mar 15, 2025EF2Bragg City0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 2, 2006TornadoDeering$60M
Mar 21, 1952Tornado–$3M
Dec 10, 2021TornadoSamford$1M
Aug 1, 1993Thunderstorm Wind–$501K
Oct 18, 2004TornadoCooter$300K
May 4, 2020Thunderstorm WindPeach Orchard$300K

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 1888, 0 hurricanes and 3 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Pemiscot County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with top winds near 60 mph about 64 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
3tropical storms
1941most recent: unnamed storm

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 21, 1888UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph64 mi
Sep 28, 1906UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph56 mi
Sep 25, 1941UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph54 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 25, 1941UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph54 mi
Sep 28, 1906UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph56 mi
Aug 21, 1888UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph64 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 Pemiscot County

Check your address flood zone ›
4.7%of homes have federal flood insurance (308 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$746,031paid on 127 flood claims since 1978
2011costliest year, with $110,049 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 Pemiscot County

$97,000median home value (Missouri $230,300, US $332,700)
1973median year homes were built (Missouri 1978, US 1980)
65%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
8.2%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; 7,501 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
Mississippi County, ARModerate19
Dyer County, TNModerate22
Dunklin CountyLow20
New Madrid CountyLow26
Lake County, TNLow20

Common questions about Pemiscot County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Pemiscot County?

Earthquake has the highest expected yearly losses in Pemiscot County, about $13.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $3.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Pemiscot County had?

Pemiscot County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 19 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in May 2025.

Is Pemiscot County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 18th 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 Pemiscot County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 21 homes in Pemiscot 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 Pemiscot County had?

NOAA records list 40 tornadoes in Pemiscot County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on March 21, 1952. The weather service has also logged 82 hail reports and 16 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Pemiscot County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 3 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Pemiscot County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with winds near 60 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.