Chariton County, Missouri
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 29041 · population 7,366 · 751 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 430 records for Chariton County, Missouri from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 326 days; the most frequent are floods and flash floods (123 records). The deadliest single record is the July 14, 2000 heat, filed for the forecast zone Chariton, which covers the county: 1 death. FEMA has issued 28 declarations naming the county since 1973, 26 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on June 30, 2026.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 430on 326 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 18 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $96Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 19strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 28latest 2026
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Chariton County most?
The most frequent records are floods and flash floods: 123 since 1996. 49% of its floods and flash floods since 1996 fell in May and June. The rank column places the county among Missouri's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | 123 | 107 | 1996-2020 | 0 | 0 | $485K | 37 of 114 |
| Hail | 108 | 77 | 1955-2023 | 0 | 0 | $3.3M | 102 of 114 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 94 | 66 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 0 | $503K | 112 of 114 |
| Winter storms | 40 | 40 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $328K | 109 of 114 |
| Drought | 19 | 19 | 2000-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 79 of 114 |
| Tornadoes | 19 | 15 | 1959-2017 | 0 | 8 | $91M | 101 of 114 |
| Heat | 16 | 16 | 1999-2023 | 1 | 0 | – | 73 of 114 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 10 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 76 of 114 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 110 of 114 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Chariton County had?
NOAA records 19 tornadoes in Chariton County from 1959 to 2017, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 8 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 16 tornadoes whose track touched Chariton County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 19: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977-05-04 17:15, as SPC files it | Carrollton | F4 | 48.6 mi | 0 |
| 1970-06-12 14:40, as SPC files it | Callao | F4 | 16.1 mi | 0 |
| 1971-05-05 17:45, as SPC files it | Rothville | F3 | 3.8 mi | 0 |
| 1971-05-05 18:05, as SPC files it | Marceline | F3 | 0.1 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Missouri.
Every tornado record filed for Chariton County (19)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-03-06 | Brunswick, Chariton County | EF1 19.81 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-05-14 | Mendon, Chariton County | EF0 0.28 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-04-08 | Triplett, Chariton County | F2 26 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 1992-09-07 | Chariton County | F1 0.5 mi x 43 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1983-05-18 | Chariton County | F0 0.1 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1982-12-01 | Chariton County | F1 6 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1977-05-04 | Chariton County | F4 4.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1971-05-05 | Chariton County | F3 | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1971-05-05 | Chariton County | F3 2.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1971-05-05 | Chariton County | F3 1.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 4 | $2.5M step |
| 1971-05-05 | Chariton County | F3 | 0 | 2 | $2.5M step |
| 1970-06-12 | Chariton County | F4 16.1 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1967-08-02 | Chariton County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1967-05-07 | Chariton County | F1 4.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1967-04-21 | Chariton County | F2 3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1966-05-15 | Chariton County | F1 1.6 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 2 | $3K step |
| 1965-09-20 | Chariton County | F1 1.3 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1959-09-27 | Chariton County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1959-09-27 | Chariton County | F1 4.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Chariton County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 25, 2008 flood ($343,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
The Chariton River near Prairie Hill crested at a record 23.27 feet, or 8.27 feet above flood stage. Hundreds of acres of low lying farm land was inundated.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 126921)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | Heavy SnowChariton County · forecast zone Chariton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-03 | Thunderstorm WindEccles, Chariton County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-03 | Thunderstorm WindForest Green, Chariton County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-03 | Thunderstorm WindShannondale, Chariton County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-18 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillChariton County · forecast zone Chariton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2017-06-29 | Thunderstorm WindKeytesville, Chariton County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-03-06 | TornadoBrunswick, Chariton County | EF1 19.81 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-03-06 | Thunderstorm WindMendon, Chariton County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-05-14 | TornadoMendon, Chariton County | EF0 0.28 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-04-03 | HailSalisbury, Chariton County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-04-03 | HailForest Green, Chariton County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-06-09 | HailRothville, Chariton County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-07-14 | HeatChariton County · forecast zone Chariton Three days of 90-degree temperatures, coupled with very high humidity that pushed heat indices above 105, claimed 3 lives in west-central Missouri. A 63 year old male in Triplett, a 97 year old female in Raytown, and a 37 year old male in Riverside died of heat related causes. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1971-05-05 | TornadoChariton County | F3 1.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 4 | $2.5M step |
| 1971-05-05 | TornadoChariton County | F3 | 0 | 2 | $2.5M step |
| 1966-05-15 | TornadoChariton County | F1 1.6 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 2 | $3K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-04-08 | TornadoTriplett, Chariton County | F2 26 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 1994-06-25 | HailTriplett, Chariton County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 2008-07-25 | FloodPrairie Hill, Chariton County | 0 | 0 | $343K | |
| 2000-05-26 | Thunderstorm WindSalisbury, Chariton County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $26K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 5, 1971 (tornado, Chariton County); May 5, 1971 (tornado, Chariton County); May 5, 1971 (tornado, Chariton County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Chariton County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 50 | 64 | 7 | 2 |
| Hail | 2 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 15 | 39 | 24 | 4 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 3 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 7 | 31 | 17 | 12 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 14 | 19 | 4 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 10 | 8 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
49% of its floods and flash floods since 1996 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 17 · Feb 27 · Mar 31 · Apr 58 · May 90 · Jun 78 · Jul 41 · Aug 35 · Sep 14 · Oct 9 · Nov 13 · Dec 17 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Chariton County
FEMA's register lists 28 declarations that include Chariton County: 21 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (17) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-30 | DR-4924 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2021-09-01 | DR-4612 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2020-03-26 | DR-4490 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3482 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-07-09 | DR-4451 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2019-05-20 | DR-4435 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2015-08-07 | DR-4238 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2013-07-18 | DR-4130 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2011-06-30 | EM-3325 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2011-03-23 | DR-1961 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2011-02-03 | EM-3317 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2010-08-17 | DR-1934 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2009-01-30 | EM-3303 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008-11-13 | DR-1809 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and A Tornado |
| 2008-06-25 | DR-1773 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2007-12-12 | EM-3281 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2007-06-11 | DR-1708 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3232 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-06-11 | DR-1524 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2003-05-06 | DR-1463 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2002-05-06 | DR-1412 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 2002-02-06 | DR-1403 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 1998-10-14 | DR-1253 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes |
| 1995-06-02 | DR-1054 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Hail, Flooding |
| 1993-07-09 | DR-995 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1976-09-24 | EM-3017 | Drought | Drought |
| 1973-11-01 | DR-407 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-04-19 | DR-372 | Severe Storm | Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Chariton County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 123 flood or flash flood records for Chariton County from 1996 to 2020, on 107 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Chariton County ranks 1604th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $821,000 on 57 claims filed in Chariton County; the most in one year was 15 in 2019. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1985: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1993: 11 · 1995: 9 · 1996: 8 · 1998: 2 · 2002: 1 · 2008: 9 · 2019: 15; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Chariton County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Chariton County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $8.5 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $549K | 13 modeled event-days a year |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $4K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $588K | 10 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $241K | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.1M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $4.9M | 3.8 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $39K | 11 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $554K | 2.8 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Chariton County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in MissouriEvery Missouri tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Floods in MissouriThe state's floods and flash floods, by county, year and month
- The Missouri recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Chariton CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Chariton County's FEMA declarations (CSV)28 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis