Mercer County, Missouri
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 29129 · population 3,538 · 454 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 287 records for Mercer County, Missouri from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 214 days; the most frequent are hail reports (89 records). The most damaging was the May 24, 2004 hail ($39,000 in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1973, 18 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
- 287on 214 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 01 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $4.5Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 17strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 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 Mercer County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 89 since 1962. 52% of its hail reports since 1962 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 89 | 61 | 1962-2024 | 0 | 0 | $49K | 75 of 114 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 67 | 49 | 1956-2025 | 0 | 0 | $86K | 99 of 114 |
| Winter storms | 53 | 52 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $933K | 29 of 114 |
| Drought | 17 | 17 | 2000-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 51 of 114 |
| Tornadoes | 17 | 15 | 1955-2024 | 0 | 1 | $3.5M | 55 of 114 |
| Heat | 14 | 14 | 1999-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 56 of 114 |
| Floods | 13 | 11 | 2004-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 110 of 114 |
| Extreme cold | 12 | 12 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 of 114 |
| High wind and dust storms | 2 | 2 | 2015-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 89 of 114 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2010-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 23 of 114 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2025-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 75 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 Mercer County had?
NOAA records 17 tornadoes in Mercer County from 1955 to 2024, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 55th 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 16 tornadoes whose track touched Mercer County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 17: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973-04-21 14:00, as SPC files it | Lucerne | F4 | 14.6 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Missouri.
Every tornado record filed for Mercer County (17)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-04-27 | Mill Grove, Mercer County | EF0 1.34 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-03-06 | Goshen, Mercer County | EF1 10.34 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-11-11 | Princeton, Mercer County | EF0 0.25 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2014-06-29 | Princeton Powells Ar, Mercer County | EF1 6.31 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-07-19 | Princeton, Mercer County | EF0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $677 |
| 2004-05-29 | Mill Grove, Mercer County | F0 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-05-10 | Princeton, Mercer County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 1973-04-21 | Mercer County | F4 11 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1960-06-04 | Mercer County | F1 0.2 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1960-04-16 | Mercer County | F2 8.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1960-04-16 | Mercer County | F2 20.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1959-09-26 | Mercer County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1959-09-26 | Mercer County | F2 5.4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1959-05-20 | Mercer County | F1 5.9 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1958-06-15 | Mercer County | F1 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1957-07-21 | Mercer County | F0 0.8 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1955-04-26 | Mercer County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 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 Mercer County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 19, 2018 thunderstorm wind ($12,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Homeowner estimated 80 mph winds with a storm that moved through Modena. Windows were blown out by the strong winds.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 760577)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-28 | Winter StormMercer County · forecast zone Mercer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-17 | Thunderstorm WindSouth Lineville, Mercer County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-07 | Thunderstorm WindMercer County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-07 | Thunderstorm WindMercer County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-07 | Thunderstorm WindSouth Lineville, Mercer County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-23 | Heavy RainSaline, Mercer County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-18 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillMercer County · forecast zone Mercer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-11 | Heavy SnowMercer County · forecast zone Mercer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-04 | Winter StormMercer County · forecast zone Mercer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-05-26 | HailRavanna, Mercer County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-04-27 | TornadoMill Grove, Mercer County | EF0 1.34 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-06-26 | Thunderstorm WindMercer County | 70 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973-04-21 | TornadoMercer County | F4 11 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-05-24 | HailPrinceton, Mercer County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 2018-05-19 | Thunderstorm WindModena, Mercer County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2001-07-03 | Thunderstorm WindPrinceton, Mercer County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2010-07-19 | TornadoPrinceton, Mercer County | EF0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $677 |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 21, 1973 (tornado, Mercer 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 Mercer 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 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 52 | 15 | 7 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 24 | 14 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 20 | 18 | 11 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 13 | 3 |
| Tornadoes | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 1 | 11 | 1 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
52% of its hail reports since 1962 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 25 · Feb 20 · Mar 11 · Apr 33 · May 39 · Jun 61 · Jul 31 · Aug 22 · Sep 16 · Oct 7 · Nov 8 · Dec 14 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Mercer County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Mercer County: 14 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (11) and severe ice storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-03 | DR-4929 | 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 |
| 2014-10-31 | DR-4200 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2008-06-25 | DR-1773 | 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 |
| 2007-06-11 | 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 |
| 2002-05-06 | DR-1412 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 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.
FEMA's modeled risk for Mercer County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Mercer County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.0 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 | $587K | 12 modeled event-days a year |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $11K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $230K | 8.5 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $755K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $145K | 4.1 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $389K | 4.7 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $138K | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $32K | once in about 858 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Mercer 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 Mercer CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Mercer County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis