Enter any address in St. Clair County, Missouri to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall events is the dominant flood character in St. Clair County. Between 1993 and 2023, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 52 flash flood events and 11 flood events. Recent examples include localized flooding of low water crossings on March 7-8, 2024, following 2 to 4 inches of rainfall. Additionally, on April 26, 2024, heavy rainfall led to flooding of small creeks and major flooding along the Marmaton and Little Osage River basins, occurring on already saturated ground.
Homeowners, journalists, and real estate agents should pay close attention to flood risk, particularly those with properties located near rivers or in areas prone to flash flooding.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
13 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
St. Clair County, Missouri has recorded 63 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 52 flash floods and 11 river or area floods. The county has received 24 federal disaster declarations, 4 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1973–2023)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jul 29, 2023 |
| 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 23, 2015 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 15, 2015 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Jan 31, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Severe Storm | Jan 31, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Ice Storm | Jan 26, 2009 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Mar 17, 2008 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Apr 20, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 26, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 7, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 17, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 31, 2020 | 25.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 31, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jul 5, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 5, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 22, 2017 | 2.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 26, 2015 | 0.00K |
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 — Apr 26, 2024
Flooding of small creeks and streams and major flooding along the Marmaton and Little Osage River basins occurred thanks to heavy rainfall. From 2 to 4 inches of rainfall on already saturated ground from previous rainfall in the 25th. Isolated severe storms produced brief tornadoes in Vernon and St. Clair Counties.
Flood — Mar 7, 2024
A swath of 2 to 4 inches of rainfall fell from March 7th to March 8th to the northwest of Springfield. Minor flooding of low water crossings occurred.
Flash Flood — Jul 17, 2021
Multiple rounds of showers and storms affected the region from the afternoon of the 15th to the morning of the 18th as a slow moving front interacted with several upper level disturbances. While instability and moisture were near to below seasonal normals, training of storms over already saturated areas led to localized flooding of low water crossings. Flooding mainly occurred during the 16th a...
Flash Flood — Jul 31, 2020
A cold front moved into the region on the 26th and meandered across the region through the 31st before an unseasonably strong upper level low pressure system moved east of the region. A very moist airmass and slow movement of the upper level system led to periods of very heavy rainfall each day. The most notable heavy rain event occurred across St. Clair County between Osceola and Lowry City. O...
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in St. Clair 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 St. Clair 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.