Scott County, Missouri
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Scott County, Missouri has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 80% of US counties. It ranks 16th of 115 counties in Missouri. The costliest hazards here are earthquakes, tornadoes and inland flooding. FEMA estimates about $37 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $976 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (23 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). About 1 in 24 homes here carry federal flood insurance (665 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $4.4 million on 484 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Scott 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 | $18M | ||
| Tornado | 89.9 | $6M | ||
| Inland flooding | 49.0 | $6M | ||
| Heat wave | 85.5 | $2M | ||
| Cold wave | 67.6 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 87.0 | $2M | ||
| Ice storm | 92.2 | $1M | ||
| Drought | 74.3 | $592K | ||
| Lightning | 62.1 | $318K | ||
| Hail | 56.3 | $294K | ||
| Winter weather | 81.7 | $200K | ||
| Hurricane | 40.1 | $26K | ||
| Wildfire | 11.3 | $3K | ||
| Landslide | 55.7 | $2K |
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 moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Scott County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 29
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 396 storm reports in Scott County since 1955, with 10 deaths and 79 injuries and about $64.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on May 16, 2025 near Crowder.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2025 | EF3 | Crowder | 10 / 2 |
| Nov 17, 2013 | EF3 | Vanduser | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 18, 1957 | F2 | – | 1 / 3 |
| Jun 4, 2012 | EF2 | Diehlstadt | 0 / 3 |
| May 15, 1986 | F2 | – | 15 / 1 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 1986 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| May 16, 2025 | Tornado | Crowder | $15M |
| Dec 18, 1957 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 15, 1986 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 24, 1981 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jul 1, 2019 | Flood | Scott City | $2M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Apr 16, 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 2 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Scott County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1941, with top winds near 40 mph about 41 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25, 1941 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 41 mi |
| Sep 28, 1906 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 61 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25, 1941 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 41 mi |
| Sep 28, 1906 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 61 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 Scott 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 Scott 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; 16,861 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Girardeau County | 27 | |
| Stoddard County | 24 | |
| New Madrid County | 26 | |
| Mississippi County | 23 | |
| Alexander County, IL | 15 |
Cities in Scott County
Common questions about Scott County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Scott County?
Earthquake has the highest expected yearly losses in Scott County, about $17.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $6.2 million.
How many federal disasters has Scott County had?
Scott County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 23 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2026.
Is Scott County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 16th 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 Scott County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 24 homes in Scott 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 Scott County had?
NOAA records list 49 tornadoes in Scott County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on May 16, 2025 near Crowder. The weather service has also logged 103 hail reports and 63 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Scott County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 2 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Scott County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1941, with winds near 40 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.