Pulaski County, Missouri
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 29169 · population 53,812 · 547 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 673 records for Pulaski County, Missouri from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 407 days; the most frequent are hail reports (217 records). The deadliest day on its record was December 26, 2015: flash flood records filed for Pulaski County that day count 7 deaths across 2 records. FEMA has issued 25 declarations naming the county since 1973, 23 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding” on January 1, 2025.
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
- 673on 407 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1423 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $214Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 19strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 25latest 2025
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 Pulaski County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 217 since 1958. 53% of its hail reports since 1958 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 | 217 | 128 | 1958-2025 | 0 | 0 | $900K | 20 of 114 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 201 | 130 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | 29 of 114 |
| Floods | 109 | 80 | 1997-2026 | 12 | 0 | $21M | 35 of 114 |
| Winter storms | 50 | 49 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 2 | $12M | 56 of 114 |
| Heavy rain | 25 | 16 | 2009-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 of 114 |
| Drought | 19 | 19 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 58 of 114 |
| Tornadoes | 19 | 19 | 1950-2025 | 0 | 19 | $174M | 51 of 114 |
| Extreme cold | 9 | 9 | 2000-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | 50 of 114 |
| Heat | 9 | 9 | 1999-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 88 of 114 |
| High wind and dust storms | 8 | 7 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | $307K | 30 of 114 |
| Wildfires | 3 | 3 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 9 of 114 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2011-2016 | 1 | 2 | $31K | 38 of 114 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2008-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 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 Pulaski County had?
NOAA records 19 tornadoes in Pulaski County from 1950 to 2025, the strongest rated EF3, with 0 deaths and 19 injuries recorded in the county. That is 51st 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 19 tornadoes whose track touched Pulaski County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 19, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-12-31 09:43, as SPC files it | Fort Leonard Wood | EF3 | 7.5 mi | 0 |
| 2008-01-07 20:06, as SPC files it | Unnamed | EF3 | 1.77 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Missouri.
Every tornado record filed for Pulaski County (19)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-03-14 | Palace, Pulaski County | EF1 11.93 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2024-05-07 | Franks, Pulaski County | EF0 8.28 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 2019-05-23 | Laquey, Pulaski County | EF1 9.79 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $179K |
| 2010-12-31 | Bloodland, Pulaski County | EF3 7.5 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 4 | $122M |
| 2008-01-07 | Hooker, Pulaski County | EF3 1.77 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 3 | $1.4M |
| 2003-05-06 | Waynesville, Pulaski County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $802K |
| 2003-05-04 | Swedeborg, Pulaski County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-10-23 | Crocker, Pulaski County | F0 0.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-18 | Waynesville, Pulaski County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 2 | $58K |
| 1994-04-15 | Buckhorn, Pulaski County | F0 0.4 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 1992-07-25 | Pulaski County | F1 1 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1988-11-15 | Pulaski County | F2 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1980-04-07 | Pulaski County | F2 14.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1978-05-12 | Pulaski County | F2 13.9 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 4 | $2.5M step |
| 1973-06-04 | Pulaski County | F1 0.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1966-10-14 | Pulaski County | F2 13.7 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 6 | $2.5M step |
| 1964-07-21 | Pulaski County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1960-11-15 | Pulaski County | F1 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1950-06-09 | Pulaski County | F1 2.7 mi x 220 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 Pulaski County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 31, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-31 | Thunderstorm WindHooker, Pulaski County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-05-31 | Thunderstorm WindHooker, Pulaski County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-05-31 | Thunderstorm WindDixon, Pulaski County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-04-27 | Thunderstorm WindDixon, Pulaski County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-15 | Flash FloodCrocker, Pulaski County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Winter StormPulaski County · forecast zone Pulaski | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-16 | DroughtPulaski County · forecast zone Pulaski | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-18 | Thunderstorm WindDixon, Pulaski County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-08-17 | Thunderstorm WindDevils Elbow, Pulaski County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-07-06 | FloodHelm, Pulaski County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-04 | Flash FloodCrocker, Pulaski County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-16 | HailSt Robert, Pulaski County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $60K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-12-26 | Flash FloodCrocker, Pulaski County There were five international soldiers stationed at Fort Leonard Wood in a car which was swept off of Highway U at Tavern Creek because of flash flooding. All five victims from the car drowned. | 5 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-11-08 | FloodHelm, Pulaski County At an unknown time on November 7th, a vehicle driving near Riddle Bridge Access along the Gasconade River in Pulaski County became submerged in the flood waters. After a search was conducted, both occupants reportedly drowned. | 2 | 0 | $24K | |
| 2015-12-26 | Flash FloodSwedeborg, Pulaski County Several vehicles were washed off of roadways in two separate incidents around Crocker, Missouri. One occurred along the headwaters of Tavern Creek. The other incident was near the Gasconade River. Two people drowned when their car was swept off of Highway O near Dixon. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2013-08-06 | Flash FloodWaynesville, Pulaski County This storm report will be a summary of the total damage for the Waynesville area and Pulaski County for this flooding event. Approximately 90 percent of the roads in the county were damaged with 65 percent of the roads had major damage. There were 25 low water crossings that were totally washed out and numerous more ... | 2 | 0 | $6.3M | |
| 2011-07-30 | LightningLaquey, Pulaski County A small group was canoeing on the Gasconade River. As storms approached they left the river and took shelter under a tree. Lightning struck the three, killing one on site. | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2022-02-02 | Winter StormPulaski County · forecast zone Pulaski Rain changed to a mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow during the early morning hours of February 2 and ended late in the afternoon. After a brief lull, snow began to fall once again late in the evening of February 2 and continued into the afternoon hours February 3. The Cooperative Observer in Fort Leonard wood ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2017-04-30 | Flash FloodCrocker, Pulaski County An 18 year old male drowned after his vehicle entered a flooded area on Buffalo Road west of Crocker. | 1 | 0 | $12K | |
| 1966-10-14 | TornadoPulaski County | F2 13.7 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 6 | $2.5M 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-12-31 | TornadoBloodland, Pulaski County | EF3 7.5 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 4 | $122M |
| 2007-01-12 | Ice StormPulaski County · forecast zone Pulaski | 0 | 0 | $12M | |
| 2017-04-30 | Flash FloodFt Leonard Wood, Pulaski County | 0 | 0 | $6.5M | |
| 2013-08-06 | Flash FloodWaynesville, Pulaski County | 2 | 0 | $6.3M | |
| 2015-12-26 | Flash FloodHancock, Pulaski County | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | |
| 2007-04-07 | Frost/FreezePulaski County · forecast zone Pulaski | 0 | 0 | $2.5M | |
| 2024-11-05 | FloodSt Robert, Pulaski County | 0 | 0 | $2.3M | |
| 2008-01-07 | TornadoHooker, Pulaski County | EF3 1.77 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 3 | $1.4M |
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: October 14, 1966 (tornado, Pulaski County); May 12, 1978 (tornado, Pulaski County); April 7, 1980 (tornado, Pulaski 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 Pulaski 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 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 25 | 90 | 50 | 27 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 5 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 27 | 46 | 62 | 36 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 4 | 37 | 42 | 26 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 16 | 10 | 19 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 23 | 1 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | 5 | 11 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
53% of its hail reports since 1958 fell in April and May. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 40 · Feb 31 · Mar 58 · Apr 110 · May 121 · Jun 67 · Jul 67 · Aug 78 · Sep 32 · Oct 18 · Nov 20 · Dec 31 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Pulaski County
FEMA's register lists 25 declarations that include Pulaski County: 18 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (13) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-01-01 | DR-4855 | 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 |
| 2017-06-02 | DR-4317 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds 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 |
| 2013-09-06 | DR-4144 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding |
| 2011-05-09 | DR-1980 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, 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 |
| 2007-12-12 | EM-3281 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2007-01-15 | DR-1676 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3232 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-05-06 | DR-1463 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2002-05-06 | DR-1412 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 1994-04-21 | DR-1023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding |
| 1993-12-01 | DR-1006 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1993-07-09 | DR-995 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1979-04-21 | DR-579 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Torrential Rain & Flooding |
| 1976-09-24 | EM-3017 | Drought | Drought |
| 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 Pulaski County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 109 flood or flash flood records for Pulaski County from 1997 to 2026, on 80 days, with 12 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Pulaski County ranks 805th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $7.0 million on 267 claims filed in Pulaski County; the most in one year was 72 in 2013. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 2 · 1982: 4 · 1983: 3 · 1984: 1 · 1985: 6 · 1990: 7 · 1991: 11 · 1993: 17 · 1994: 1 · 1995: 1 · 2002: 4 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 4 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 34 · 2009: 5 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 2 · 2013: 72 · 2015: 35 · 2017: 40 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 8; 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 Pulaski County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Pulaski County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $29.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $807K | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $4.0M | 12 modeled event-days a year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.1M | 2.4 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $200K | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $604K | 54 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.1M | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $18K | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.1M | once in about 370 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Pulaski 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 Pulaski CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Pulaski County's FEMA declarations (CSV)25 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis