Enter any address in Howard County, Missouri to see its FEMA flood zone
River overflow along the Missouri River is the dominant flood character for Howard County. Between 2000 and 2020, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 83 flood events and 20 flash flood events. For example, heavy rains in June 2020 caused some roads to close across central Missouri, and in June 2019, the Missouri River experienced major flooding for several weeks due to persistent precipitation.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $18,456 and an average water depth of 1.6 feet. While Zone X and Zone X_Shaded properties have had fewer claims, some have still resulted in payouts, with Zone X_Shaded claims averaging $5,124.
Homeowners in Zone A, particularly those near the Missouri River, should pay the most attention to flood risk. Residents in Zone X_Shaded may also face financial risk from flooding.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
8 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Howard County, Missouri has recorded 103 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 20 flash floods and 83 river or area floods. The county has received 28 federal disaster declarations, 6 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1973–2021)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 24, 2021 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 29, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Flood | Dec 22, 2015 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 29, 2013 |
| Flooding | Flood | Jun 1, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Jan 31, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Severe Storm | Jan 31, 2011 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Jun 12, 2010 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jun 9, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 31, 2019 | 100.00K |
| Flood | May 1, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 1, 2019 | 100.00K |
| Flood | Jun 1, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 1, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 13, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jul 3, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 15, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 26, 2013 | 0.00K |
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.
Flash Flood — May 31, 2019
A levee failed along the Missouri River near Petersburg, Missouri. Areas along the north bank of the river became inundated with several feet of running water as the river spilled out of of the levee banks. The towns of Franklin and New Franklin were heaviest impacted with several inches of water running into the towns.
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.
Flash Flood — Jun 1, 2019
A levee failed along the Missouri River near Petersburg, Missouri. Areas along the north bank of the river became inundated with several feet of running water as the river spilled out of of the levee banks. The towns of Franklin and New Franklin were heaviest impacted with several inches of water running into the towns.
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 a...
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Individual Claims (2.25M records analyzed).
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Howard County, Missouri:
AE High Risk — 1% annual chance of flooding. Insurance required.
VE Very High Risk — Coastal flooding with wave action.
X (Shaded) Moderate Risk — 500-year floodplain.
X Low Risk — Outside major floodplains.
Properties in Howard County, Missouri that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with federally backed mortgages are required to carry flood insurance.
Even outside high-risk zones, flood insurance is recommended. From 2014 to 2024, nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area.
Visit FloodSmart.gov to find an agent and get a quote.