Perry County, MO Environment & Hazard Risk

• Strong windRelatively High$3.35M/yr expected annual loss, about 4.3 events a year
• EarthquakeRelatively Low$4.68M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 121 years
• Heat waveRelatively Low$1.32M/yr expected annual loss, about 11 events a year
• Ice stormRelatively Moderate$208K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1 year
• LandslideRelatively Low$4,366/yr expected annual loss, about 1.3 events a year
• Winter weatherRelatively Low$116K/yr expected annual loss, about 7.7 events a year
• TornadoRelatively Low$2.1M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 3 years
• Cold waveRelatively Low$1.51M/yr expected annual loss, about 1.2 events a year
• HailRelatively Low$284K/yr expected annual loss, about 4.0 events a year
• DroughtRelatively Low$62.08K/yr expected annual loss, about 3.4 events a year
• HurricaneVery Low$28.62K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 49 years
• LightningRelatively Low$142K/yr expected annual loss, about 54 events a year
• WildfireVery Low$7,621/yr expected annual loss, about once every 3,492 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

17 of 9,413 (0.2%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

190

Insured in high-risk zones

14 (7%)

Flood claims since 1978

259

Claims paid since 1978

$4.97M

• Dense Fog89
• Thunderstorm Wind77
• Strong Wind69
• Winter Weather62
• Heat62
• Frost/Freeze55
• Flood54 · 1 death
• Hail50
• Flash Flood30 · 1 death
• Drought30

• Thunderstorm Wind74 kt wind05/08/2009

  Silver Lake, Perry County

  $50M damage

  What happened

  Widespread damaging winds affected most of the county. Hundreds of trees were blown down, roofs were blown off, and signs became airborne. In Perryville, the exterior wall of a tire company collapsed. The entire building was deemed a total loss. Structural damage occurred in many communities, mostly due to falling trees. Among other structures, a machine shed was destroyed in Millheim. Most residents of the county experienced some type of damage, ranging from downed trees to roofs off. Vehicles were smashed by falling trees. At a church, the roof was damaged, and tombstones were toppled at an adjacent cemetery. The glass of the front door was blown out. At another church in Altenburg, a 22,000-pound steeple constructed in 1867 blew down onto the roof. A large portion of the roof was peeled off an apartment complex in Perryville, forcing its evacuation. The roof of the new senior center in Perryville was destroyed. Emergency workers conducted door-to-door checks using vehicles and helicopters.

• TornadoF3, 7 mi path, 400 yd wide03/12/2006

  Brewer, Perry County

  2 deaths, 10 injured, $1M damage

  What happened

  The tornado entered Perry County from Ste. Genevieve County near Highway NN and just west of the community of Giboney. The tornado moved northeast, crossing Interstate 55 only about one-half mile from the Ste. Genevieve County line. Two fatalities and F3 damage occurred in the vicinity of where the tornado crossed U.S. Route 61. The two fatalities occurred on U.S. 61, where a vehicle was picked up and thrown into a propane tank. The truck in which they were riding was likely picked up, flipped over, and slammed into the ground several times. The coroner stated that the victims died instantly. One of the victims was ejected from the truck, which then struck the top of a large propane tank. Because of the ensuing propane leak, the victim still in the truck could not be removed until the following day, when the propane was off-loaded from the tank. Both of the victims in the vehicle were residents of a mobile home who were trying to flee the tornado. The home from which they fled sustained only minor damage. At least four other people were significantly injured as they were picked up by tornadic winds and hurled 100 yards. Their injuries were compounded by wind-blown debris. Eight...

• TornadoEF4, 17.39 mi path, 1,100 yd wide03/01/2017

  Silver Lake, Perry County

  1 death, 12 injured, $8M damage

  What happened

  This large and violent tornado touched down about four miles west of Perryville. The tornado quickly became violent, reaching EF-4 intensity and leveling five homes just west of Interstate 55, about 3.5 miles northwest of Perryville. Numerous unoccupied cars from a salvage yard were blown into or over Interstate 55. The lone fatality occurred when a southbound vehicle on Interstate 55 was intercepted by the tornado. The victim's pickup truck was tossed into a field at least 100 yards from the interstate. The coroner reported that the victim was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene. The passenger in the vehicle was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital. The area of greatest home and property destruction was three miles north of Perryville, in the vicinity of U.S. Highway 61. Maximum wind speeds were estimated near 180 mph in the vicinity of Interstate 55 and also near U.S. Highway 61. The damage path showed multiple vortex characteristics with ground striations and scarring to bare ground. At least 100 homes were damaged or destroyed in Perry County, mostly on the northern outskirts of Perryville. Most persons in the tornado's path took shelter in their...

• TornadoF4, 8 mi path, 220 yd wide09/22/2006

  Perryville, Perry County

  5 injured, $7M damage

  What happened

  This violent F-4 tornado reached its maximum intensity near the village of Crosstown, where peak winds were estimated near 210 MPH. Along the Perry County portion of the tornado track, 62 homes were destroyed, 17 had major damage, and 23 received minor damage. Ten of the destroyed homes were mobile homes, and seven that sustained major damage were mobile homes. Three churches were destroyed or heavily damaged. Numerous vehicles were tossed. Over 100 utility poles were broken off. Hundreds of trees were broken off or uprooted. The tornado first touched down at County Road 302 near Friedenburg, where F-1 winds destroyed a barn and partially unroofed a two-story house. There were also downed trees, including a few that fell on a house. As the tornado continued northeast across County Road 316 between Crosstown and Friedenburg, it widened to about 100 yards. Scores of trees were broken off or uprooted, and the roof was blown off a house. The tornado strengthened to F-3 intensity as it reached the junction of Highways P and C in Crosstown. The roof was torn off a church, windows were broken, and other structural damage occurred. Nearby, the roof was blown off a two-story brick store...

• Heat07/21/2005

  Perry

  12 injured

  What happened

  Several days of excessive heat and humidity caused two fatalities and a significant increase in heat-related illnesses. In Cape Girardeau, two residents of a home without air conditioning died. The windows were closed because one of the victims suffered from asthma. They relied mostly on fans to keep cool. In neighboring Scott County, a resident of Scott City died from indirect effects of the heat. The 43-year-old man, who had serious pre-existing medical problems, died in a small travel trailer in which the air conditioner was broken. Local hospitals reported that the majority of those treated were involved in outdoor activities. The heat index peaked around 115 degrees each afternoon, and dropped to only around 80 degrees at night. True air temperatures reached the upper 90's, with overnight lows in the mid 70's. At Cape Girardeau, the heat index topped out at 117 degrees on the 21st and 22nd, 112 on the 23rd, 115 on the 24th, 108 on the 25th, and 111 on the 26th. Heat indices were a little lower to the west of Cape Girardeau, including the Poplar Bluff area, where heat indices were often 3 to 5 degrees lower. The heat wave was the result of an expansive surface high pressure...

• Flash Flood04/22/1996

  Perryville, Perry County

  1 death, 1 injured, $10K damage

  What happened

  Several county roads became impassable due to the flooding. Aturkey hunter drowned while attempting to drive his jeep over Saline Creek, which was flooding badly. A passenger in the vehicle escaped with only minor injuries.

• Flood04/29/2026

  Claryville, Perry County

• Flood04/20/2026

  Claryville, Perry County

• Dense Fog02/16/2026

  Perry

• Dense Fog02/10/2026

  Perry

• Drought02/10/2026

  Perry

• Cold/Wind Chill02/01/2026

  Perry

• Cold/Wind Chill01/30/2026

  Perry

• Extreme Cold/Wind Chill01/26/2026

  Perry

• Unnamed storm (1941)09/17/1941 · Landfall: TX · 985 mbTropical storm40 mph nearby

• Perryville PwsServes 8,555 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations+5 monitoring or reporting
• Perry County Pwsd 1Serves 2,065 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
• Port Perry ServiceServes 800 · Groundwater · Private1 health violation+1 monitoring or reporting
• Perry County Pwsd 2Serves 750 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations+3 monitoring or reporting
• S K & M Water and Sewer CompanyServes 750 · Groundwater · PrivateNo health violations+32 monitoring or reporting
• Altenburg PwsServes 341 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+14 monitoring or reporting
• Mill SpringServes 250 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+66 monitoring or reporting
• Lake Kah Tan Da Estates INCServes 158 · Groundwater · PrivateNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting