Barton County, MO Environment & Hazard Risk

• DroughtRelatively High$1.7M/yr expected annual loss, about 16 events a year
• Ice stormRelatively High$426K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.0 events a year
• Strong windRelatively Moderate$852K/yr expected annual loss, about 5.6 events a year
• TornadoRelatively Low$1.7M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 2 years
• Heat waveRelatively Low$533K/yr expected annual loss, about 16 events a year
• HailRelatively Low$245K/yr expected annual loss, about 7.1 events a year
• EarthquakeVery Low$255K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 662 years
• Winter weatherRelatively Low$53K/yr expected annual loss, about 11 events a year
• Cold waveRelatively Low$753K/yr expected annual loss, about 2.2 events a year
• LandslideVery Low$355/yr expected annual loss, about once every 10 years
• HurricaneVery Low$10.8K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 100 years
• LightningVery Low$53.7K/yr expected annual loss, about 55 events a year
• WildfireVery Low$2,733/yr expected annual loss, about once every 2,380 years

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

20 of 5,934 (0.3%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

159

Insured in high-risk zones

16 (10%)

Flood claims since 1978

17

Claims paid since 1978

$270K

• Hail177
• Thunderstorm Wind146
• Flash Flood83
• Flood71 · 1 death
• Drought43
• Winter Storm24
• Tornado24 · 5 deaths
• Winter Weather14
• Heat9
• Ice Storm8

• TornadoF4, 6 mi path, 880 yd wide05/04/2003

  Liberal, Barton County

  1 death, 10 injured, $14M damage

  What happened

  An F-4 tornado tracked over the Kansas-Missouri state line and into west central Barton County. The tornado destroyed several farm houses and outbuildings prior to dissipating one mile north of Liberal. Ten injuries and one fatality can be accounted for from this large tornado. Rex Smith age 88, was in his frame house two miles west of Liberal when the tornado approached. He was deceased from flying debris. While this tornado was dissipating, a second tornado had formed one mile east of Liberal. This feature then tracked 23 miles through mainly rural farm land of central and northeast Barton County, and eventually through Cedar, Polk, Hickory, and Dallas counties. Altogether there were approximately 50 homes and outbuildings that were destroyed from the twisters.

• TornadoEF3, 7.26 mi path, 880 yd wide05/23/2019

  Kenoma, Barton County

  3 deaths, 1 injured, $740K damage

  What happened

  A National Weather Service storm survey confirmed an EF-3 tornado with maximum winds of 142 mph. This tornado was the last in a series of at least four tornadoes produced by a supercell that had tracked out of northeast Oklahoma into southwest Missouri. The tornado touched down near the intersection of Redbud and CR 100 in Jasper County and then continued northeast into Barton County just west of SE 70th Lane. Wind speeds increased to 140 mph as the tornado caused significant damage to three homes as it tracked across SE 80th Lane, causing one injury and two fatalities. A third fatality occurred as the tornado destroyed a single wide manufactured home on Highway 126. The roof of another home suffered damage on 126 as well as others on SE 90th Lane before the tornado weakened as it tracked across SE 100th Lane and County Road U before lifting near Highway 160 and 45th Road.

• Drought08/01/2012

  Barton

  $20.2M damage

  What happened

  The U.S Drought Monitor continued to report Extreme Drought (D3) to Exceptional Drought (D4) throughout the month of August. The region started seeing some rainfall by the end of the month. The COOP station near Lamar reported 4.39 of rainfall for the month of August. This is a continuation of the drought that began across the region in June. As a result of the limited rainfall combined with the excessive heat, the USDA Service center in Barton County indicated that crop losses were 75 percent of the spring planting. Many farmers and ranchers reported having to feed hay as pastures stopped growing and became dry through the month which added to operation costs. Monetary crop loss figures are estimates using information from the National Agricultural Statistics database, local FSA and USDA offices and other local, state or federal agency information. Livestock losses, if they occurred or were reported are listed in the property section.

• TornadoF1, 9.5 mi path, 100 yd wide12/18/2002

  Lamar Muni Arpt, Barton County

  1 death, 7 injured, $138K damage

  What happened

  The tornado initially touched down and destroyed a mobile home and uprooted trees one mile northwest of Jasper. The tornado then tracked northeast to three miles southeast of Boston where three homes were destroyed at the intersection of highway JJ and 126. A silo and barn were also destroyed with heavy irrigation equipment overturned. The tornado then tracked to two miles southeast of Kenoma where a mobile home and barn were destroyed. A fatality occurred at this location as the tornado destroyed a mobile home with one individual inside. Several additional homes were damaged and out buildings were destroyed further to the northeast.

• Drought02/01/2023

  Barton

  $14.9M damage

  What happened

  Rainfall through the month allowed for improvement across the county though Moderate (D1) Drought conditions continued across the region through the end of February. The US Drought Monitor indicated that most of the county remained in Moderate (D1) Drought with the rest of the county having improved to Abnormally (D0) dry conditions. Impacts across the region were primarily felt in larger scale agriculture with farm and stock ponds low but improved. Dry conditions caused grasses to dry and significantly impact hay production causing losses in hay cutting. Many farmers saw impacts to row crops such as soy beans, corn and other specialty crops. Crop loss estimates notated in this month encompass losses from initial drought development in 2022.

• Drought11/01/2025

  Barton

  $13.5M damage

  What happened

  Though below the monthly average, timely rain fell across the region through the month. This allowed for drought improvements to Moderate (D1) drought by the end of the month. Impacts across the region were largely limited to larger scale agriculture. However, farm and stock ponds saw impacts with ground water levels also falling. Crop loss estimates notated are for fall harvest loses from the summer into the fall.

• Barton Dade Cedar Jasp Countycons Pwsd 1Serves 9,523 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+2 monitoring or reporting
• Lamar PwsServes 4,500 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+3 monitoring or reporting
• Liberal PwsServes 759 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
• Golden City PwsServes 680 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• Mindenmines PwsServes 340 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+2 monitoring or reporting