57 flood insurance claims·$744,761 paid·4 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 Chariton 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.
Long-term NOAA Storm Events Database records show that riverine flooding dominates Chariton County, accounting for 111 out of 123 recorded flood events over the last 30 years, alongside 12 flash flood events. Heavy precipitation events frequently impact the region, as demonstrated in June 2019 when persistent heavy rains and snowmelt caused the Missouri River to remain in major flood stage for several weeks. Torrential rains from subsequent storm systems also produced widespread flooding across the area, such as in May 2019, while moderate to heavy rainfall in June 2020 resulted in ongoing road closures in central Missouri.
Federal Emergency Management Agency records reflect that the vast majority of historical flood insurance payouts are concentrated in high-risk riverine environments. Specifically, Zone A properties account for 55 claims with an average payout of $14,947 and an average recorded water depth of 9 inches. In contrast, Zone X and shaded Zone X areas combined recorded only 2 claims, with average payouts of $12,020 and $361, and average recorded water depths of 0 and 1 inches, respectively.
Homeowners and real estate professionals with properties located in Zone A near river systems should pay the most attention to these flood risks, given the heavy concentration of historical insurance claims and water depths in those zones.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
2% of Chariton County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
56 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 9 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 2019, with 15 claims and $227,488 paid, the year of Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding and Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
5 NOAA storm reports from Chariton County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Missouri flood stories →
27 federal disaster declarations since 1973, 4 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Jun 24, 2021 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Apr 29, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Mar 11, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | May 15, 2015 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | May 29, 2013 |
| Flooding | Jun 1, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 31, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Jan 31, 2011 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
123 since 1996: 12 flash floods and 111 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jun 9, 2020 | — |
| Flood | May 21, 2019 | — |
| Flood | May 1, 2019 | — |
| Flood | Jun 1, 2019 | — |
| Flood | Apr 1, 2019 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 29, 2017 | — |
| Flood | Apr 5, 2017 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 25, 2015 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Jun 9, 2020. A brief tornado formed near I-29 close to the town of Oregon, Missouri. This tornado was filmed, so while video evidence exists, there was no reported damage from this brief tornado. Ongoing moderate to heavy rain caused some roads to be closed in central Missouri through most of the day.
Flood · May 21, 2019. A line of generally sub-severe thunderstorms moved through the region during the early morning hours on May 21. These storms didn't produce any severe winds or hail, but as they moved east wake low winds produced damage consisting of several tree limbs down as well as power lines and power poles. The storms then went on to produce torrential rains which caused areas of flooding.
Flood · May 1, 2019. Heavy late winter and spring precipitation, mixed with a loaded snow pack caused the Missouri River to flood in March. Consistent heavy rains continued the Missouri River flooding into and through May. Some locations along the Missouri River were in major flood for several weeks as heavy rains continued.
Flood · Jun 1, 2019. Heavy late winter and spring precipitation, mixed with a loaded snow pack caused the Missouri River to flood in March. Consistent heavy rains continued the Missouri River flooding into and through June. Some locations along the Missouri River were in major flood for several weeks as heavy rains continued. While the flooding continued through June, there was some gradual and steady improvement across the Missouri R…
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 Chariton 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.