3 federal flood & hurricane disasters
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Cedar County, Missouri. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Flash flooding driven by severe summer thunderstorms dominates the flood risk profile in Cedar County, Missouri, accounting for the majority of recorded flood events over the last 30 years compared to standard riverine floods.
Recent history demonstrates this vulnerability. On April 20, 2025, a strong storm system brought heavy rain to an already saturated area, causing multiple local rivers to reach minor to moderate flood stages from heavy runoff. Later that year, additional rainfall on June 7, 2025, triggered flash flooding due to saturated soils following earlier storms. Severe conditions also struck on June 9, 2024, when 3 to 6 inches of rainfall overnight caused significant flash flooding that required numerous water rescues.
Properties located near rivers and streams, as well as homes situated in low-lying areas prone to rapid runoff and saturated ground conditions, should pay the most attention to this ongoing flood risk.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
13 NOAA storm reports from Cedar County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Missouri flood stories →
23 federal disaster declarations since 1976, 3 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Apr 29, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds And Flooding | Apr 28, 2017 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Dec 23, 2015 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds And Flooding | Aug 2, 2013 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 31, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Jan 31, 2011 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | May 8, 2009 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 26, 2009 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
52 since 1996: 40 flash floods and 12 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Apr 20, 2025 | — |
| Flood | Jun 6, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 9, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 9, 2024 | $800,000 |
| Flash Flood | Apr 21, 2022 | $10,000 |
| Flood | May 5, 2022 | — |
| Flash Flood | Apr 30, 2019 | — |
| Flash Flood | Apr 30, 2017 | $200,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Apr 20, 2025. A strong storm system moved through the area on Sunday April 20th, 2025. This system brought tornadoes, damaging wind, large hail and heavy rain. The heavy rainfall led to flooding as the area had already received heavy rainfall from storms earlier in the week. Multiple area rivers reached minor to moderate flood stage due to heavy runoff.
Flood · Jun 6, 2025. A round of showers and thunderstorms occurred during the late night hours of June 5th through the morning hours of June 6th. A line of thunderstorms moved into the area from the southwest and caused damaging winds and a tornado. Additional rainfall on June 7th caused flash flooding occurred due to saturated soils.
Flash Flood · Jun 9, 2024. Two rounds of thunderstorms affected the Missouri Ozarks beginning on the evening of June 8th and continued through the morning of June 9th. Severe thunderstorms with large hail and damaging winds occurred with both rounds. Significant flash flooding occurred overnight where 3-6 inches of rainfall occurred. Numerous water rescues occurred.
Flash Flood · Apr 21, 2022. Several rounds of showers and thunderstorms moved across the region from the late evening of the 20th to the early evening of the 21st as low pressure deepened over the Central Plains, causing a warm front to lift northward across the region. Storms trained over extreme southwest Missouri during the early morning of the 21st and led to flooding over McDonald, Newton and Barry counties. Additional storms that devel…
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Cedar County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.