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St. Louis City, Missouri

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

Relatively High overall risk
2nd of 115highest risk in Missouri
$359Mexpected losses a year
23federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: Jeremy Noble, CC BY 2.0

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

Heat wave

Very High
$172 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 15 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
$90.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.
$58.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 190 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Heat waveVery High99.8
$172M
Inland floodingHigh97.0
$91M
EarthquakeHigh98.5
$58M
TornadoVery High98.9
$28M
Cold waveModerate87.2
$5M
Strong windHigh94.5
$2M
HailModerate87.1
$1M
LightningHigh88.9
$874K
Ice stormHigh83.7
$434K
Winter weatherModerate79.7
$162K
HurricaneVery Low32.1
$13K
WildfireVery Low3.0
$831
LandslideVery Low46.0
$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

Severe Storm13
Flood5
Severe Ice Storm3
Tornado1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Jun 9, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 8, 2022Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2019Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 21, 2016Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 2, 2016Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingEmergency
Jun 30, 2011FloodingEmergency
Feb 3, 2011Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jan 30, 2009Severe Winter StormEmergency
Nov 13, 2008Severe Storms, Flooding, and A TornadoMajor disaster
Jun 25, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 23
Mar 19, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
Jan 15, 2007Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 29, 2006Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Nov 2, 2006Severe StormsMajor disaster
Jul 21, 2006Severe StormsEmergency
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Oct 19, 1998Severe Storms 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 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.

8tornadoes
102hail reports, largest 4.5 inches
129damaging thunderstorm winds
37floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Feb 10, 1959F4–175 / 11
May 1, 1983F3–0 / 0
Sep 16, 1958F1–0 / 0
Dec 31, 2010EF1St Louis0 / 0
Apr 22, 2011EF1Baden0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 16, 2025TornadoTower Grove$1.6B
Jul 26, 2022Flash FloodCarondelet$85M
Feb 10, 1959Tornado–$25M
Jul 1, 2023Thunderstorm WindTower Grove$500K
Feb 27, 1999HailSt Louis$500K
May 11, 2016Thunderstorm WindTower 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 ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (135 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$10.1 millionpaid on 739 flood claims since 1978
1993costliest year, with $4.1 million 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 St. Louis City

$197,500median home value (Missouri $230,300, US $332,700)
1938median year homes were built (Missouri 1978, US 1980)
86%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
0.5%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; 174,111 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
St. Louis CountyHigh32
Madison County, ILModerate14
St. Clair County, ILHigh17

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.