Reynolds County, Missouri
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Reynolds County, Missouri has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 64% of US counties. It ranks 40th of 115 counties in Missouri. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $20 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $3,302 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 September 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding). Only 16 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $3.0 million on 141 claims here, including $1.3 million for floods in 2017.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Reynolds County
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold wave | 95.3 | $10M | ||
| Inland flooding | 54.1 | $6M | ||
| Heat wave | 84.7 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 42.5 | $807K | ||
| Earthquake | 72.6 | $804K | ||
| Strong wind | 24.7 | $198K | ||
| Lightning | 22.9 | $67K | ||
| Hail | 15.1 | $44K | ||
| Wildfire | 48.5 | $37K | ||
| Ice storm | 32.2 | $31K | ||
| Winter weather | 34.5 | $31K | ||
| Landslide | 84.9 | $25K | ||
| Hurricane | 25.0 | $8K | ||
| Drought | 15.0 | $500 |
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 moderate 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 Reynolds 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 193 storm reports in Reynolds County since 1955, with 3 deaths and 1 injury and about $6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on April 12, 1970.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 12, 1970 | F2 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Mar 14, 2025 | EF2 | Hadley | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 22, 2006 | F2 | Oates | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 10, 2021 | EF2 | Redford | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 2, 1982 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 9, 2026 | Flash Flood | Greeley | $3M |
| Apr 4, 2025 | Flash Flood | Ellington | $500K |
| Mar 18, 2008 | Flash Flood | Greeley | $400K |
| Jul 26, 1998 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $400K |
| Dec 28, 2015 | Flash Flood | Munger | $355K |
| Apr 12, 1970 | Tornado | – | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 9, 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 Reynolds County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1923, with top winds near 45 mph about 62 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 1923 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 25, 1941 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 28, 1906 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 62 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25, 1941 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 64 mi |
| Oct 17, 1923 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 28, 1906 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 62 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 Reynolds 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 Reynolds 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; 3,461 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Dent County | 16 | |
| Wayne County | 26 | |
| Iron County | 25 | |
| Shannon County | 25 | |
| Carter County | 20 |
Common questions about Reynolds County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Reynolds County?
Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Reynolds County, about $10 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $6.3 million.
How many federal disasters has Reynolds County had?
Reynolds 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, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in September 2026.
Is Reynolds County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 40th 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 Reynolds County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Reynolds 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 Reynolds County had?
NOAA records list 23 tornadoes in Reynolds County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on April 12, 1970. The weather service has also logged 65 hail reports and 26 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Reynolds County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 3 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Reynolds County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1923, with winds near 45 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.