Lawrence County, MO Environment & Hazard Risk

• Strong windRelatively High$2M/yr expected annual loss, about 6.3 events a year
• Ice stormRelatively High$810K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.2 events a year
• Heat waveRelatively Moderate$1.7M/yr expected annual loss, about 14 events a year
• TornadoRelatively Moderate$4.3M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 2 years
• DroughtRelatively Moderate$602K/yr expected annual loss, about 11 events a year
• Winter weatherRelatively Moderate$138K/yr expected annual loss, about 11 events a year
• EarthquakeRelatively Low$742K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 532 years
• HailRelatively Low$364K/yr expected annual loss, about 7.8 events a year
• LightningRelatively Moderate$260K/yr expected annual loss, about 57 events a year
• WildfireVery Low$49.6K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1,055 years
• Cold waveRelatively Low$878K/yr expected annual loss, about 2.3 events a year
• HurricaneVery Low$25.3K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 106 years
• LandslideVery Low$146/yr expected annual loss, about once every 6 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

53 of 17,813 (0.3%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

270

Insured in high-risk zones

45 (17%)

Flood claims since 1978

34

Claims paid since 1978

$657K

• Hail219
• Thunderstorm Wind217
• Flash Flood115 · 2 deaths
• Flood58 · 2 deaths
• Drought36
• Winter Storm30
• Tornado22 · 9 deaths
• Heavy Rain21
• Winter Weather17
• Heat9 · 1 death

• Hail4" hail04/28/2026

  Verona, Lawrence County

  $120M damage

  What happened

  A hail swath from a mile to 3 miles wide began near southwest of Aurora and continued to the northeast across southeastern Lawrence County. Hail from quarters to softballs in size fell along a path from Aurora to Marionville as an intensifying left moving supercell moved to the northeast across the County. Along the storms path, numerous homes, vehicles, businesses, equipment, crops, livestock and other structures were damaged by hail before the storm passed into far western Christian County.

• TornadoF3, 25 mi path, 880 yd wide05/05/2003

  Pierce City, Lawrence County

  5 deaths, 33 injured, $27.5M damage

  What happened

  This tornado is a continuation of the Newton County tornado. A large tornado laid out a half mile wide path of destruction across southwest, central, and east central Lawrence County. Several communities was affected, however, the community of Pierce City was hardest hit as the historic downtown of 100 plus year old buildings were completely destroyed. Around 229 homes, buisnesses, and outbuildings were destroyed while 320 were damaged. The tornado also claimed the lives of five local residents and injured 33. The tornado continued on the ground into the Christian County panhandle. Dale Taunton age 52, was taking cover inside a National Guard armory tornado shelter, but was not in the basement. He was deceased from being struck by debris and bricks.Wanda Sue Handly age 46, was in her mobile home north of Monett while the tornado approached. She was deceased from being tossed from trailer and hit by flying debris.Jacob Aldaba Rueda age 20 weeks, was blown from his mother's arms when the tornado struck their mobile home. He was deceased from being thrown one quarter of a mile from his location. Janet Eskridge age 52, was in her modular home when the tornado struck....

• TornadoF2, 4 mi path, 100 yd wide12/18/2002

  Mt Vernon, Lawrence County

  2 deaths, 17 injured, $500K damage

  What happened

  Tornado touched down two miles southwest of the Lucky Lady Trailer Park. The tornado then followed a trajectory through the trailer park and points north and east. 34 homes were either damaged or destroyed. Shortly after the initial touch down, a modular home was directly hit and destroyed. One fatality was observed at this location as a woman seeking shelter with her husband in the bedroom, was thrown approximately one quarter of a mile from the house location.As the tornado traversed through the Lucky Lady Trailer Park, many residents evacuated their mobile homes and took shelter in ditches and an open field. However, one fatality occurred at the trailer park when a woman was in the process of leaving her home to seek shelter in a field, was struck by a downed tree.

• TornadoF3, 10 mi path, 200 yd wide03/13/2006

  Verona, Lawrence County

  1 death, 1 injured, $5M damage

  What happened

  A supercell thunderstorm that produced a tornado in Newton County, spawned a large tornado in Lawrence County approximately one mile north of Verona. The tornado damaged 46 structures and destroyed 21. One fatality occurred from flying debris striking an elderly man in his frame home north of Marionville. This tornado basically followed a similar path that another F-3 tornado tracked along during the 4 May 2003 tornado outbreak.

• Flash Flood12/27/2015

  Verona, Lawrence County

  1 death, $1.5M damage

  What happened

  A 37 year old male was swept off of Farm Road 1130 due to flash flooding. The flooding occurred along a small tributary of Browning Hollow which is a tributary of the Spring River. Nearly all low water crossings across the county were flooded. There was several rural and county roads which sustained damage from flooding. This storm report will contain the damage estimates for the entire county for this event.

• TornadoEF1, 0.49 mi path, 50 yd wide12/01/2018

  Aurora, Lawrence County

  1 death, $250K damage

  What happened

  An EF-1 tornado developed just west of the water tower and tracked northeast to the Aurora Motel, where one fatality occurred. The tornado then tracked northward across Highway 60 and impacted Sutherlands before dissipating. Path length was near one half mile. Peak wind was estimated at 105 mph.

• Liberty Utilities Aurora VeronaServes 8,529 · Groundwater · PrivateNo health violations
• Mount Vernon PwsServes 4,575 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+2 monitoring or reporting
• MarionvilleServes 2,092 · Groundwater · PrivateNo health violations
• Pierce City PwsServes 1,200 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+8 monitoring or reporting
• Miller PwsServes 699 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+2 monitoring or reporting
• Stotts City PwsServes 225 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
• Halltown PwsServes 185 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+2 monitoring or reporting
• Freistatt PwsServes 165 · Groundwater · Local government1 health violation+7 monitoring or reporting