Izard County, AR Environment & Hazard Risk

• Ice stormVery High$2.3M/yr expected annual loss, about 1.7 events a year
• EarthquakeRelatively Low$976K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 204 years
• Strong windRelatively Moderate$696K/yr expected annual loss, about 2.5 events a year
• LandslideRelatively Low$3,975/yr expected annual loss, about 1.4 events a year
• WildfireVery Low$56.48K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 462 years
• Heat waveRelatively Low$348K/yr expected annual loss, about 10 events a year
• Cold waveRelatively Low$832K/yr expected annual loss, about 2.3 events a year
• TornadoRelatively Low$1.01M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 3 years
• Winter weatherRelatively Low$47.59K/yr expected annual loss, about 8.5 events a year
• LightningRelatively Low$154K/yr expected annual loss, about 57 events a year
• HurricaneVery Low$18.49K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 62 years
• DroughtRelatively Low$20.13K/yr expected annual loss, about 13 events a year
• HailVery Low$33.59K/yr expected annual loss, about 4.1 events a year

Bars show the national percentile score (0 to 100) for each hazard. Dollar figures are expected annual losses to buildings, people and crops. Not rated here: avalanche, coastal flooding, riverine flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity.

Check the flood zone for an address

Homes with flood insurance

47 of 7,060 (0.7%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

0

Flood claims since 1978

71

Claims paid since 1978

$2.41M

• Thunderstorm Wind121
• Hail118
• Winter Weather39 · 1 death
• Winter Storm25
• Flash Flood24
• Flood15
• Tornado14 · 4 deaths
• Drought13
• Heavy Snow10
• Strong Wind9 · 1 death

• TornadoF4, 28 mi path, 880 yd wide04/15/1996

  Sylamore, Izard County

  2 deaths, 30 injured, $5M damage

  What happened

  The Stone County tornado moved into Izard County at Sylamore at 739 pm CDT. The tornado destroyed several cabins. Luckily, the cabins were evacuated before the tornado arrived. Just east of the cabins, the tornado moved into a small subdivision where several homes were damaged and one destroyed. Two occupants in the destroyed home were thrown several hundred feet and killed. The storm continued to track northeastward along Highway 9, where isolated damage was noted. The tornado reached Melbourne around 800 pm CDT, damaging or destroying a number of homes and businesses. A Ford dealership was destroyed with a number of new cars totalled. A housing project and local community college were also damaged in Melbourne. The tornado continued northeast toward the town of Franklin and then lifted 3 miles southeast of Horseshoe Bend. Some downed trees were the only noted damage along the last few miles of the tornado's path. 30 people sustained minor injuries from the storm.Damage along the track of the tornado was mostly F3. However, some damage was consistant with an F4 rating. Initial estimates place the amount of damage at $5,000,000.

• TornadoEF3, 21.74 mi path, 880 yd wide02/06/2008

  Guion, Izard County

  2 deaths, 20 injured, $11.5M damage

  What happened

  The tornado moved out of Stone County, northeast of Mountain View, into Izard County, just northwest of Guion. A survey by the Federal Emergency Management Agency indicated 106 residential structures (houses and mobile homes) suffered damage. This included 43 residences destroyed, 14 with major damage, 36 with minor damage, and 13 others affected. A cattle farmer lost hundreds of cattle to the tornado. Two fatalities occurred: One in a mobile home in the Rose Trail area, and the other in a mobile home at Zion. The tornado continued into Sharp County, in the area northwest of Evening Shade.

• Ice Storm01/26/2009

  Izard

  $50M damage

  What happened

  The sheriff's office reported 1/4 inch of ice across the county by 5:30 AM on the 27th.

• Flood03/19/2008

  Boswell, Izard County

  $12.05M damage

  What happened

  Heavy rain caused the White River at Calico Rock to go well above major flood level. The river crested less than a foot lower than the December, 1982 flood crest, but there has been substantial development in the floodplain during the last 25 years. Water was covering Arkansas Highways 5 and 56. The foot bridges that crossed Calico Creek were washed out. Water got into the lower units of a motel, into a business in Peppersauce Alley, buildings on Chesmond Landing, and many houses. At least 20 homes in Mt. Olive and 13 in Guion were flooded or totally washed away. Over 40 homes sustained some degree of damage and about 20 were washed away by the floodwaters. There was a fishing outfitting businesses that was destroyed, with the business and the dock with boats and equipment torn away by the swift waters. There were also reports of large round hay bales and cattle, both alive and dead, in the river.

• Winter Weather11/25/2013

  Izard

  1 death, 1 injured

  What happened

  A light mix of wintry precipitation spread into western and southwestern sections of Arkansas before dawn on the 25th, then spread to other sections during the morning and early afternoon. Most of the precipitation fell as light freezing rain and sleet, but there were some snowflakes in the northeast part of the state. In most respects, ice accumulations were minor, with some icy bridges and overpasses and some small amounts of ice clinging to trees and power lines. There was one indirect fatality and one indirect injury due to a head-on collision in Izard County at 8:50 AM CST. The State Police report indicated one car slid on the icy Strawberry River Bridge on Arkansas 289 between Franklin and Horseshoe Bend, crashing into an oncoming car. A 68 year-old woman was killed.||Also on the 25th, 13 reporting stations broke or tied their records for the coldest high temperatures ever recorded in November. Stations breaking records for the coldest high temperature in November included: Alum Fork (Saline Co.), Batesville Lock and Dam (Independence Co.), Batesville Livestock Experiment Station (Independence Co.), and Booneville 3SSE (Logan Co.). Stations tying records for the coldest...

• Heavy Rain01/14/2007

  Zion, Izard County

  1 death

  What happened

  Heavy rainfall increased water levels along a number of low water crossings across Izard County. A vehicle attempted to drive through a low water crossing along the Piney Fork of the Strawberry River, northeast of Zion, and was swept downstream. The only person in the vehicle was the driver who drowned.

• Hail1" hail06/13/2026

  Melbourne, Izard County

• Strong Wind48 kt wind12/19/2025

  Izard

• Flood04/05/2025

  Calico Rock, Izard County

• Flood04/05/2025

  Calico Rock, Izard County

• Winter Weather02/18/2025

  Izard

• Winter Storm01/10/2025

  Izard

• Winter Storm01/14/2024

  Izard

• Flash Flood02/08/2023

  Melbourne, Izard County

• Melbourne WaterworksServes 4,126 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• Horseshoe Bend WaterworksServes 3,217 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
• Calico Rock WaterworksServes 1,726 · Groundwater (surface influenced) · Local governmentNo health violations
• Oxford WaterworksServes 1,402 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
• Mt Pleasant WaterworksServes 1,338 · Groundwater (surface influenced) · Local governmentNo health violations
• Ar Dept of Correction Izard CoServes 907 · Groundwater · StateNo health violations+2 monitoring or reporting
• Guion Water DepartmentServes 268 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Franklin WaterworksServes 192 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations