Callaway County, MO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Callaway County has experienced 30 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Callaway County's highest-rated hazards are heat wave, landslide, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 56% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (24th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Callaway County has been designated in 30 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (15), flood (7), severe ice storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Wildfires |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 30 total declarations since 1973.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 66.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 68.4 | 9 | 0 | $2.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 75.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 91.6 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 61.6 | 4 | 0 | $135K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 19.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 71.5 | 20 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 62.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 73.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 71.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 68.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 71.9 | 1 | 0 | $50K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 57.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 91.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Callaway County ranks in the 24th percentile (Very low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 24th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 44th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 6th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 32nd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 32nd | Low |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 49th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 46th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 78.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 39 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 27 in 2016–20 vs 12 in 2021–25 (-56% — frequency decreasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Callaway County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Callaway County, Missouri are heat wave, landslide, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Callaway County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Callaway County has received 30 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (15 declarations).
Has Callaway County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Callaway County include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Wildfires (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Callaway County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Boone County, MO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Gasconade County, MO has the lowest (Very Low). Callaway County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Callaway County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Callaway County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Callaway County's composite score of 64 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 64% of US counties.