Pemiscot County, Missouri
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
- 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.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earthquake | 96.2 | $14M | ||
| Tornado | 83.8 | $3M | ||
| Inland flooding | 27.5 | $2M | ||
| Drought | 94.0 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 84.8 | $1M | ||
| Ice storm | 95.8 | $1M | ||
| Cold wave | 57.0 | $792K | ||
| Lightning | 81.4 | $495K | ||
| Strong wind | 50.8 | $360K | ||
| Winter weather | 69.1 | $80K | ||
| Hurricane | 46.3 | $33K | ||
| Hail | 9.9 | $20K | ||
| Wildfire | 3.9 | $843 | ||
| Landslide | 26.7 | $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
Most recent
Show all 24
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 21, 1952 | F4 | – | 100 / 17 |
| Dec 10, 2021 | EF4 | Samford | 11 / 3 |
| Apr 2, 2006 | F3 | Deering | 130 / 2 |
| Oct 18, 2004 | F2 | Cooter | 7 / 3 |
| Mar 15, 2025 | EF2 | Bragg City | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2, 2006 | Tornado | Deering | $60M |
| Mar 21, 1952 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Dec 10, 2021 | Tornado | Samford | $1M |
| Aug 1, 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | – | $501K |
| Oct 18, 2004 | Tornado | Cooter | $300K |
| May 4, 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Peach 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.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 1888 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 28, 1906 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 56 mi |
| Sep 25, 1941 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 54 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25, 1941 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 54 mi |
| Sep 28, 1906 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 56 mi |
| Aug 21, 1888 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 64 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 ›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
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 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi County, AR | 19 | |
| Dyer County, TN | 22 | |
| Dunklin County | 20 | |
| New Madrid County | 26 | |
| Lake County, TN | 20 |
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.