Scott County, MO Environment & Hazard Risk

• EarthquakeRelatively Moderate$17.8M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 81 years
• Ice stormRelatively High$1M/yr expected annual loss, about 1.4 events a year
• TornadoRelatively Moderate$6.2M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 3 years
• Strong windRelatively High$1.5M/yr expected annual loss, about 3.7 events a year
• Heat waveRelatively Moderate$1.9M/yr expected annual loss, about 11 events a year
• Winter weatherRelatively Moderate$200K/yr expected annual loss, about 6.9 events a year
• DroughtRelatively Moderate$592K/yr expected annual loss, about 5.3 events a year
• Cold waveRelatively Moderate$1.7M/yr expected annual loss, about 1.1 events a year
• LightningRelatively Moderate$318K/yr expected annual loss, about 57 events a year
• HailRelatively Low$294K/yr expected annual loss, about 3.2 events a year
• LandslideVery Low$1,778/yr expected annual loss, about once every 2 years
• HurricaneVery Low$25.8K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 87 years
• WildfireVery Low$3,231/yr expected annual loss, about once every 15,116 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

665 of 16,169 (4.1%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

2,549

Insured in high-risk zones

650 (26%)

Flood claims since 1978

484

Claims paid since 1978

$4.4M

• Thunderstorm Wind120
• Dense Fog119
• Strong Wind100 · 1 death
• Hail89
• Heat64
• Flood59
• Winter Weather55
• Frost/Freeze48
• Drought40
• Excessive Heat32

• TornadoEF3, 12.64 mi path, 200 yd wide05/16/2025

  Crowder, Scott County

  2 deaths, 10 injured, $15M damage

  What happened

  A 16 mile long EF3 tornado started in eastern Stoddard County along County Highway Y, tracking eastward into Scott County. As it crossed Highway 61, it damaged approximately 10 power poles. The worst damage was found in the Sloanville Drive area where numerous homes were heavily damaged or completely destroyed, this included a brick home and several mobile homes. Two fatalities occurred along this|road. Numerous more homes were either significantly damaged or completely destroyed west of I-55 in Sandywoods, with the tornado continuing east to Woodhaven Estates. Dozens of trees were snapped or uprooted. Many outbuildings suffered some degree of damage or were a complete loss. Max width was 200 yards. The tornado lifted just east of Highway O about 3 miles west of Diehlstadt. There were 10 injuries with this tornado as well.

• TornadoEF2, 0.5 mi path, 75 yd wide06/05/2012

  Diehlstadt, Scott County

  3 deaths, $100K damage

  What happened

  A single wide mobile home was demolished. The undercarriage was blown 100 yards. A father and his two adult sons, who were inside the home, were killed. Highway 77 was shut down in Diehlstadt. Numerous power lines were down. Several large warehouse buildings sustained partial roof loss and moderate structural damage. Several trees were snapped or uprooted. Propane leaks were reported. Fencing and signs were blown down. The tornado damage was on the eastern edge of a larger area of downburst wind damage. Peak winds were estimated near 115 mph.

• Heat07/21/2005

  Scott

  27 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...

• Winter Storm01/27/2009

  Scott

  $21.7M damage

  What happened

  This prolonged, major winter storm was termed the worst in decades for southeast Missouri. The storm dumped 6 to 10 inches of sleet and snow along and north of a line from Van Buren through Greenville to Cape Girardeau. This resulted in very difficult driving conditions along with at least two dozen roof collapses. South of that line, at least one inch of ice accumulated. Locally 1.5 to 2 inches of ice accumulated south of a line from Poplar Bluff to Dexter to Benton. This resulted in catastrophic damage to trees, power lines, and utility poles in places such as Dexter, Sikeston, Charleston, and New Madrid. A utility company serving much of the region reported this was the most damaging event in the history of the company. More than 145 miles of high-voltage transmission lines were down in that company's area alone. A utility manager stated that ice accumulation made high voltage lines five inches in diameter. This was sufficient to bring down the two-pole structures with crossarms that carry transmission lines. At least 6,000 power poles in southeast Missouri were replaced after being snapped or downed. One utility company briefed the governor that restoration of its...

• High Wind57 kt wind09/14/2008

  Scott

  $13.4M damage

  What happened

  Frequent wind gusts from 60 to 75 mph caused widespread damage in parts of southeast Missouri. The low pressure center that was the remnant of Hurricane Ike raced northeast at 40 to 50 mph across Missouri and Illinois. The center passed between Carbondale and St. Louis on its way toward the northeastern states. The rapid speed of the low pressure system contributed to this high wind event.||Extensive tree damage occurred. A very large number of trees were uprooted, and large limbs were broken. Some trees fell on homes, businesses, and public buildings. Downed trees and limbs landed on many vehicles. Numerous streets and highways were blocked. More than half the streets in some cities were blocked by downed trees and power lines. The Butler County highway superintendant estimated 60 trees were down across roads. In Mississippi County, Charleston city public works crews hauled 321 truckloads of tree debris to a compost site within 10 days after the storm. Cape Girardeau firefighters responded to nearly 80 calls, up from the usual 8 to 10 per day. Roof and siding damage was reported on numerous structures. Two walls of a public civic center under construction were brought down in...

• Strong Wind35 kt wind05/17/2017

  Scott

  1 death, 3 injured, $1,000 damage

  What happened

  Strong south to southwest winds occurred between a surface low pressure center over the central Plains and high pressure along the Southeast U.S. coast. Peak wind gusts were measured around 40 mph. The peak wind gust in southeast Missouri was 41 mph at the Cape Girardeau airport. A few large tree limbs and rotted trees were blown down. In the city of Cape Girardeau, a large tree limb was blown down. In Sikeston, one employee was killed and three residents were injured when a rotted tree fell on them at a retirement center. The tree fell on a picnic table that was used for taking breaks. The three injured residents were taken to a hospital for moderate injuries, consisting of back, ankle, and arm pain. One resident sustained fractured ribs.

• Sikeston PwsServes 16,291 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• Scott City PwsServes 4,653 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+4 monitoring or reporting
• Scott County Pwsd 4Serves 3,150 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+2 monitoring or reporting
• Chaffee PwsServes 3,054 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+2 monitoring or reporting
• Oran PwsServes 1,294 · Groundwater · Local government1 health violation+11 monitoring or reporting
• Miner PwsServes 1,135 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+2 monitoring or reporting
• Benton PwsServes 885 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• Scott County Pwsd 1Serves 785 · Purchased groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations