Hickory County, Missouri
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 29085 · population 8,271 · 399 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 477 records for Hickory County, Missouri from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 331 days; the most frequent are hail reports (132 records). The most damaging was the November 30, 2006 winter storm ($22.0 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 23 declarations naming the county since 1976, 21 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding” on August 3, 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
- 477on 331 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 024 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $40Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 16strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 23latest 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 Hickory County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 132 since 1959. 55% of its hail reports since 1959 fell in April and May. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 132 | 81 | 1959-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 31 of 114 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 127 | 88 | 1969-2025 | 0 | 3 | $5.3M | 39 of 114 |
| Floods | 96 | 72 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $91K | 23 of 114 |
| Winter storms | 47 | 47 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $23M | 27 of 114 |
| Drought | 28 | 28 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | $4.3M | 8 of 114 |
| Tornadoes | 16 | 14 | 1967-2020 | 0 | 21 | $2.9M | 50 of 114 |
| Heat | 9 | 9 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 70 of 114 |
| Extreme cold | 7 | 7 | 2000-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | 44 of 114 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 7 | 2015-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 25 of 114 |
| Wildfires | 5 | 5 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | $111K | 1 of 114 |
| High wind and dust storms | 2 | 2 | 2001-2003 | 0 | 0 | – | 80 of 114 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2018-2018 | 0 | 0 | $12K | 48 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 Hickory County had?
NOAA records 16 tornadoes in Hickory County from 1967 to 2020, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 21 injuries recorded in the county. That is 50th of 114 Missouri counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 15 tornadoes whose track touched Hickory County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 16: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 5 people, 0 of them in Hickory County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-05-04 16:31, as SPC files it | Liberal to Stockton | F3 | 86 mi | 5 |
| 2006-03-12 22:17, as SPC files it | Preston | F3 | 17 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Missouri.
Every tornado record filed for Hickory County (16)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-01-10 | Jordan, Hickory County | EF1 1.57 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $51K |
| 2017-03-06 | Butcher, Hickory County | EF1 0.75 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2013-01-29 | Quincy, Hickory County | EF1 0.89 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $32K |
| 2012-04-30 | Weaubleau, Hickory County | EF0 1.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2010-11-24 | Cross Timbers, Hickory County | EF1 2.79 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $102K |
| 2010-11-24 | Wheatland, Hickory County | EF0 0.98 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 2008-03-31 | Elkton, Hickory County | EF0 3.38 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 2006-03-12 | Hermitage, Hickory County | F3 17 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 19 | $1.5M |
| 2006-03-12 | Elkton, Hickory County | F0 6 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-05-06 | Quincy, Hickory County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-05-04 | Pittsburg, Hickory County | F2 1 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-12-18 | Weaubleau, Hickory County | F1 5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $71K |
| 2000-02-25 | Preston, Hickory County | F1 5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $857K |
| 1995-05-07 | Weaubleau, Hickory County | F1 0.4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 1972-04-13 | Hickory County | F1 2.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1967-10-24 | Hickory County | F1 2 mi x 30 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 Hickory County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the October 1, 2025 drought ($120,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-19 | FloodPreston, Hickory County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-19 | FloodPreston, Hickory County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-19 | FloodNemo, Hickory County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-26 | HailPomme De Terre Res, Hickory County | 1.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-23 | Winter StormHickory County · forecast zone Hickory | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-01 | DroughtHickory County · forecast zone Hickory | 0 | 0 | $120K | |
| 2025-09-18 | HailWeaubleau, Hickory County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-09-16 | DroughtHickory County · forecast zone Hickory | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-11 | Thunderstorm WindPreston, Hickory County | 57 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2025-06-03 | Thunderstorm WindHermitage, Hickory County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-06-03 | Thunderstorm WindHermitage, Hickory County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-04-20 | FloodNemo, Hickory County | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-03-12 | TornadoHermitage, Hickory County A large tornado touched down over rural southwest Hickory County and tracked near the Pomme De Terre lake damn. The tornado eventually tore through an intersection known as Carsons Corner causing signficant structural damage along with 19 injuries. | F3 17 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 19 | $1.5M |
| 2025-03-30 | Thunderstorm WindWheatland, Hickory County A camper flipped over during a thunderstorm with three minor injuries reported. | 52 kt wind | 0 | 3 | – |
| 2002-12-18 | TornadoWeaubleau, Hickory County Tornado touched down and damaged two houses with several others receiving minor damage. | F1 5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $71K |
| 1972-04-13 | TornadoHickory County | F1 2.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-11-30 | Winter StormHickory County · forecast zone Hickory | 0 | 0 | $22M | |
| 2012-08-01 | DroughtHickory County · forecast zone Hickory | 0 | 0 | $3.5M | |
| 2019-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindWheatland, Hickory County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3.5M |
| 2007-04-07 | Frost/FreezeHickory County · forecast zone Hickory | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | |
| 2006-03-12 | TornadoHermitage, Hickory County | F3 17 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 19 | $1.5M |
| 2016-07-13 | Thunderstorm WindNemo, Hickory County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2000-02-25 | TornadoPreston, Hickory County | F1 5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $857K |
| 2023-07-17 | HailPreston, Hickory County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $726K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 13, 1972 (tornado, Hickory 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 Hickory 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 1 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 18 | 44 | 36 | 20 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 15 | 36 | 34 | 32 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 25 | 30 | 34 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 17 | 8 | 18 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 1 | 6 | 4 | 17 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
55% of its hail reports since 1959 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 33 · Feb 34 · Mar 50 · Apr 67 · May 78 · Jun 59 · Jul 60 · Aug 30 · Sep 20 · Oct 17 · Nov 12 · Dec 17 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Hickory County
FEMA's register lists 23 declarations that include Hickory County: 16 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (12) and severe ice storm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-03 | DR-4929 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2020-07-09 | DR-4552 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, 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 |
| 2016-01-21 | DR-4250 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2016-01-02 | EM-3374 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2015-08-07 | DR-4238 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2011-03-23 | DR-1961 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm |
| 2011-02-03 | EM-3317 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2009-06-19 | DR-1847 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2009-01-30 | EM-3303 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008-03-19 | DR-1749 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2007-12-27 | DR-1736 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2007-12-12 | EM-3281 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2007-01-15 | DR-1676 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Flooding |
| 2006-03-16 | DR-1631 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes 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 |
| 1993-07-09 | DR-995 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1976-09-24 | EM-3017 | Drought | Drought |
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 Hickory County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 96 flood or flash flood records for Hickory County from 1996 to 2026, on 72 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Hickory County ranks 2590th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $341,000 on 5 claims filed in Hickory County; the most in one year was 5 in 1993. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1993: 5; 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 Hickory County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Hickory County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $5.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $369K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $433K | 4.8 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $114K | once in about 319 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $345K | 14 modeled event-days a year |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $118K | 8.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $42K | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $745K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $136K | 6.4 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 Hickory 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
- Hail in MissouriThe state's hail reports, 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 Hickory CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Hickory County's FEMA declarations (CSV)23 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis