St. Louis, MO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
St. Louis has experienced 25 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding in 2025. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
St. Louis's highest-rated hazards are heat wave, tornado, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 19% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (81st percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. St. Louis has been designated in 25 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (13), flood (5), severe ice storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2022 | Flood | Severe Storms 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 |
| 2016 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2011 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 25 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 | Very Low | 3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 97 | 13 | 1 | $85.7M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively High | 98.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very High | 99.8 | 19 | 1 | — |
| Tornado | Very High | 98.9 | 1 | 4 | $1.6B |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 32.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 87.1 | 25 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 94.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 79.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 83.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 87.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 88.9 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 46 | 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
St. Louis ranks in the 81st percentile (High) 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 | 81st | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 82nd | High |
| Household characteristics | 37th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 89th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 84th | High |
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 | 21st | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 19th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 0.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 59 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 27 in 2016–20 vs 32 in 2021–25 (+19% — frequency increasing).
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 St. Louis?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in St. Louis, Missouri are heat wave, tornado, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has St. Louis received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. St. Louis has received 25 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2025. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (13 declarations).
Has St. Louis had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for St. Louis include Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does St. Louis's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, St. Louis County, MO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Monroe County, IL has the lowest (Very Low). St. Louis is rated Relatively High overall.
How is St. Louis's composite disaster risk index calculated?
St. Louis'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. St. Louis's composite score of 99 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 99% of US counties.