Home › Missouri › Webster County

Webster County, Missouri

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

Relatively Low overall risk
68th of 115highest risk in Missouri
$17Mexpected losses a year
31federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Webster County, Missouri has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 55% of US counties. It ranks 68th of 115 counties in Missouri. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $17 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $432 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (25 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 9 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $341,000 on 13 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Webster County

$6.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$2.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • 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.

Heat wave

Moderate
$2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 12 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow43.4
$6M
TornadoModerate65.6
$3M
Heat waveModerate81.9
$2M
Strong windModerate80.6
$2M
Cold waveLow49.7
$1M
EarthquakeLow70.3
$967K
Ice stormHigh87.2
$861K
LightningModerate66.7
$524K
HailLow47.2
$280K
WildfireLow69.1
$198K
Winter weatherModerate67.8
$144K
DroughtLow39.3
$74K
HurricaneVery Low23.5
$10K
LandslideVery Low49.0
$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 very low 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 Webster County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm20
Flood5
Severe Ice Storm4
Drought1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Aug 3, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 22, 2025Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 21, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and WildfiresMajor disaster
May 21, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 2019Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 2, 2017Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 21, 2016Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 2, 2016Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingEmergency
Aug 7, 2015Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 6, 2013Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 31
Jul 18, 2013Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 9, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 3, 2011Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jun 19, 2009Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 30, 2009Severe Winter StormEmergency
Nov 13, 2008Severe Storms, Flooding, and A TornadoMajor disaster
Jun 25, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 19, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 12, 2008Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 5, 2008Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2007Severe Winter StormsEmergency
Sep 21, 2007Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 15, 2007Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 16, 2006Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 6, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 6, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
May 24, 1990Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 24, 1976DroughtEmergency
Apr 19, 1973Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster

Missouri also had 5 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1954

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 865 storm reports in Webster County since 1954, with 5 deaths and 36 injuries and about $124 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on January 7, 2008 near Caddo.

42tornadoes
249hail reports, largest 4 inches
276damaging thunderstorm winds
261floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jan 7, 2008EF3Caddo6 / 2
Mar 12, 2006F3Diggins0 / 0
Dec 24, 1982F2–0 / 0
Jan 7, 2008EF2Holman0 / 0
Mar 12, 2006F2Fordland13 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 28, 2026HailElkland$66M
May 26, 2024HailMarshfield$13M
Jan 7, 2008TornadoCaddo$10M
May 8, 2009Thunderstorm WindCaddo$5M
Mar 17, 2008Flash FloodMarshfield Bcknr Arp$4M
Jul 7, 2015Flash FloodOlga$3M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 18, 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 Webster County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (9 policies)
1.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$341,225paid on 13 flood claims since 1978
2008costliest year, with $106,556 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 Webster County

$228,800median home value (Missouri $230,300, US $332,700)
1991median year homes were built (Missouri 1978, US 1980)
36%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
10.4%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; 15,493 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
Greene CountyModerate25
Christian CountyLow20
Laclede CountyLow21
Wright CountyLow23
Dallas CountyVery Low23
Douglas CountyVery Low23

Common questions about Webster County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Webster County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Webster County, about $6.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Webster County had?

Webster County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 25 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2026.

Is Webster County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 68th 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 Webster County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Webster 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 Webster County had?

NOAA records list 42 tornadoes in Webster County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on January 7, 2008 near Caddo. The weather service has also logged 249 hail reports and 261 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 county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.