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Arkansas heat wave risk

75 counties scored 0 rated Very High

Washington County has the highest heat wave risk in Arkansas, scoring 99.4 out of 100 — rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded heat wave events across Arkansas have increased 113% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.

# County NRI score Rating NOAA events
2016–2026
1 Washington County 99.4 Relatively High 1
2 Sebastian County 96.4 Relatively Moderate 0
3 Pulaski County 95.9 Relatively Moderate 1
4 Craighead County 95.2 Relatively Moderate 100
5 Benton County 94.7 Relatively Moderate 1
6 Garland County 93.9 Relatively Moderate 0
7 Crawford County 93.4 Relatively Moderate 0
8 Mississippi County 93.2 Relatively Moderate 96
9 Saline County 92.4 Relatively Moderate 0
10 Faulkner County 91.7 Relatively Moderate 0
11 Jefferson County 91.4 Relatively Moderate 0
12 Greene County 91 Relatively Moderate 94
13 Crittenden County 89.3 Relatively Moderate 105
14 White County 88.4 Relatively Moderate 0
15 Miller County 87.2 Relatively Moderate 68
16 Franklin County 86.4 Relatively Moderate 0
17 Pope County 86.1 Relatively Moderate 0
18 St. Francis County 85.4 Relatively Moderate 109
19 Bradley County 85.1 Relatively Moderate 0
20 Lonoke County 85 Relatively Moderate 0
21 Union County 84.4 Relatively Moderate 70
22 Randolph County 82.9 Relatively Moderate 17
23 Clay County 82.8 Relatively Moderate 95
24 Johnson County 79.3 Relatively Moderate 0
25 Ashley County 78.7 Relatively Low 0
26 Columbia County 78 Relatively Low 70
27 Drew County 77.9 Relatively Low 0
28 Hot Spring County 77.6 Relatively Low 0
29 Madison County 77.6 Relatively Low 1
30 Lawrence County 77.1 Relatively Low 19
31 Ouachita County 76.7 Relatively Low 0
32 Independence County 76.4 Relatively Low 0
33 Baxter County 76 Relatively Low 0
34 Poinsett County 76 Relatively Low 102
35 Phillips County 75.2 Relatively Low 118
36 Logan County 73.4 Relatively Low 0
37 Yell County 72.4 Relatively Low 0
38 Sharp County 71.7 Relatively Low 0
39 Conway County 71.1 Relatively Low 0
40 Cross County 70.4 Relatively Low 108
41 Hempstead County 70 Relatively Low 68
42 Jackson County 70 Relatively Low 0
43 Carroll County 68.9 Relatively Low 1
44 Arkansas County 68.8 Relatively Low 0
45 Polk County 68.4 Relatively Low 0
46 Clark County 67.8 Relatively Low 0
47 Fulton County 66.5 Relatively Low 0
48 Sevier County 66.4 Relatively Low 68
49 Cleburne County 66.2 Relatively Low 0
50 Lincoln County 65.7 Relatively Low 0
51 Boone County 64.4 Relatively Low 0
52 Desha County 64 Relatively Low 0
53 Lee County 62.7 Relatively Low 115
54 Van Buren County 61.6 Relatively Low 0
55 Chicot County 61.4 Relatively Low 0
56 Grant County 61.1 Relatively Low 0
57 Marion County 61 Relatively Low 0
58 Izard County 60.7 Relatively Low 0
59 Howard County 60.2 Relatively Low 68
60 Little River County 57.9 Relatively Low 68
61 Perry County 55.6 Relatively Low 0
62 Nevada County 55.4 Relatively Low 69
63 Stone County 53.7 Relatively Low 0
64 Montgomery County 53.4 Relatively Low 0
65 Cleveland County 52.2 Relatively Low 0
66 Prairie County 51.4 Relatively Low 0
67 Pike County 51.1 Relatively Low 0
68 Dallas County 50.8 Relatively Low 0
69 Lafayette County 49.6 Relatively Low 70
70 Scott County 49.3 Relatively Low 0
71 Monroe County 48.8 Relatively Low 0
72 Woodruff County 46.9 Relatively Low 0
73 Newton County 37.1 Very Low 0
74 Searcy County 36.9 Very Low 0
75 Calhoun County 29.2 Very Low 0

Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.

Heat Wave risk nationally:

Top 50 US counties

Other hazard risks in Arkansas:

WildfireInland FloodingCoastal FloodingEarthquakeTornadoHurricaneHailStrong WindWinter WeatherIce StormCold WaveLightningDroughtLandslideAvalancheTsunamiVolcanic Activity

Frequently asked questions

What is the highest heat wave risk county in Arkansas?

Washington County, AR has the highest heat wave risk in Arkansas, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 99.4 out of 100 (rated "Relatively High").

What causes heat wave risk in Arkansas?

Heat is consistently the leading cause of weather-related mortality in the US, yet it remains underrepresented in federal disaster declarations relative to its actual impact. High scores reflect a combination of extreme temperature exposure, population vulnerability (elderly, outdoor workers), and limited access to cooling infrastructure.