St. Louis City, Missouri
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
St. Louis City, Missouri has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 99% of US counties. It ranks 2nd of 115 counties in Missouri. The costliest hazards here are heat waves, inland flooding and earthquakes. FEMA estimates about $359 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,192 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (16 major disasters). The most recent was in June 2025 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (135 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $10 million on 739 claims here, including $4.1 million for floods in 1993.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in St. Louis City
- Check that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
- 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.
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat wave | 99.8 | $172M | ||
| Inland flooding | 97.0 | $91M | ||
| Earthquake | 98.5 | $58M | ||
| Tornado | 98.9 | $28M | ||
| Cold wave | 87.2 | $5M | ||
| Strong wind | 94.5 | $2M | ||
| Hail | 87.1 | $1M | ||
| Lightning | 88.9 | $874K | ||
| Ice storm | 83.7 | $434K | ||
| Winter weather | 79.7 | $162K | ||
| Hurricane | 32.1 | $13K | ||
| Wildfire | 3.0 | $831 | ||
| Landslide | 46.0 | $827 |
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 high and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included St. Louis City. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 23
Missouri also had 5 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1958
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 286 storm reports in St. Louis City since 1958, with 19 deaths and 362 injuries and about $1.7 billion in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on February 10, 1959.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 10, 1959 | F4 | – | 175 / 11 |
| May 1, 1983 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 16, 1958 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 31, 2010 | EF1 | St Louis | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 22, 2011 | EF1 | Baden | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2025 | Tornado | Tower Grove | $1.6B |
| Jul 26, 2022 | Flash Flood | Carondelet | $85M |
| Feb 10, 1959 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Jul 1, 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Tower Grove | $500K |
| Feb 27, 1999 | Hail | St Louis | $500K |
| May 11, 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Tower Grove | $500K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Apr 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.
Flood insurance in St. Louis City
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 St. Louis City
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; 174,111 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 |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis County | 32 | |
| Madison County, IL | 14 | |
| St. Clair County, IL | 17 |
Cities in St. Louis City
Common questions about St. Louis City
What is the biggest natural hazard in St. Louis City?
Heat wave has the highest expected yearly losses in St. Louis City, about $172 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $90.9 million.
How many federal disasters has St. Louis City had?
St. Louis City has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 16 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in June 2025.
Is St. Louis City a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively High, 2nd 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 St. Louis City?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in St. Louis City 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 St. Louis City had?
NOAA records list 8 tornadoes in St. Louis City since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on February 10, 1959. The weather service has also logged 102 hail reports and 37 floods here.
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 city, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.