Platte County, MO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Platte County has experienced 26 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Platte County's highest-rated hazards are heat wave, hail, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 77% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (16th 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. Platte County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including flood (10), severe storm (9), severe ice storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 26 total declarations since 1965.
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 | Very Low | 60.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 65.9 | 21 | 0 | $100K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 42.1 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 90.2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 88 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 90 | 85 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 84.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 87.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 85 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 62.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 57.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 83 | 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
Platte County ranks in the 16th 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 | 16th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 10th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 34th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 55th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 21st | Very 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 | 52nd | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 49th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 40.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 108 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 88 in 2016–20 vs 20 in 2021–25 (-77% — 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 Platte County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Platte County, Missouri are heat wave, hail, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Platte County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Platte County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (10 declarations).
Has Platte County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Platte County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Platte County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Clay County, MO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Atchison County, KS has the lowest (Very Low). Platte County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Platte County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Platte 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. Platte County's composite score of 71 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 71% of US counties.