Putnam County, Missouri
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 29171 · population 4,677 · 517 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 265 records for Putnam County, Missouri from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 210 days; the most frequent are hail reports (76 records). The most damaging was the April 10, 1997 heavy snow ($919,000 in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1973, 17 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
- 265on 210 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 02 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $3.3Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 8strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 19latest 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 Putnam County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 76 since 1960. 59% of its hail reports since 1960 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 | 76 | 55 | 1960-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 98 of 114 |
| Winter storms | 54 | 54 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $926K | 39 of 114 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 53 | 49 | 1956-2025 | 0 | 2 | $433K | 109 of 114 |
| Drought | 23 | 23 | 2000-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 44 of 114 |
| Floods | 23 | 11 | 2004-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 111 of 114 |
| Heat | 14 | 14 | 1999-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 59 of 114 |
| Extreme cold | 12 | 12 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 27 of 114 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 7 | 1958-2016 | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | 113 of 114 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | – | 81 of 114 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 1 | 2021-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 105 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 Putnam County had?
NOAA records 8 tornadoes in Putnam County from 1958 to 2016, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 0 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 10 tornadoes whose track touched Putnam County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 8: 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 Putnam County (8)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-05-31 | Midway, Putnam County | EF0 0.01 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-06-12 | Unionville, Putnam County | EF0 0.24 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-05-10 | Unionville, Putnam County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2003-05-10 | Lucerne, Putnam County | F1 7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $32K |
| 2003-04-30 | Lemons, Putnam County | F0 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1973-04-21 | Putnam County | F4 3.6 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1967-01-24 | Putnam County | F1 2.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1958-11-17 | Putnam County | F1 2.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $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.
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 Putnam County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 12, 2006 thunderstorm wind ($293,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
$200,000 in wind damage reported by FEMA from the North Central Missouri Electric Cooperative.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 5498710)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-28 | Winter StormPutnam County · forecast zone Putnam | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-11 | Thunderstorm WindQuinn, Putnam County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-26 | Thunderstorm WindUnionville, Putnam County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-18 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillPutnam County · forecast zone Putnam | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-04 | Winter StormPutnam County · forecast zone Putnam | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-06-13 | HailLivonia, Putnam County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-06-13 | HailLivonia, Putnam County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-06-13 | HailChapel, Putnam County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-06-13 | HailChariton, Putnam County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-12-15 | Thunderstorm WindLucerne, Putnam County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-12-15 | Thunderstorm WindHowland, Putnam County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-06-28 | Thunderstorm WindUnionville, Putnam County | 69 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindMartinstown, Putnam County Mobile home destroyed with two injuries. Reported by law enforcement. | 74 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $83K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-04-10 | Heavy SnowPutnam County · forecast zone Putnam | 0 | 0 | $919K | |
| 2006-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindUnionville, Putnam County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $293K |
| 2001-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindMartinstown, Putnam County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $83K |
| 2003-05-10 | TornadoLucerne, Putnam County | F1 7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $32K |
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, Putnam 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 Putnam 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 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 24 | 27 | 10 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 22 | 22 | 8 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 14 | 10 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 14 | 8 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 0 | 11 | 12 | 0 |
| 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?
59% of its hail reports since 1960 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 25 · Feb 21 · Mar 12 · Apr 24 · May 31 · Jun 52 · Jul 27 · Aug 25 · Sep 15 · Oct 8 · Nov 7 · Dec 18 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Putnam County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Putnam County: 14 major disasters, 5 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 |
| 2015-08-07 | DR-4238 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 2014-10-31 | DR-4200 | 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 |
| 2011-03-23 | 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 |
| 2008-06-25 | 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 |
| 2006-03-16 | DR-1631 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3232 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 1993-07-09 | DR-995 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 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 Putnam County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 23 flood or flash flood records for Putnam County from 2004 to 2019, on 11 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Putnam County ranks 2830th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3,122 on 1 claim filed in Putnam County; the most in one year was 1 in 2019. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2019: 1; 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 Putnam County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Putnam County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $3.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $34K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $452K | 18 modeled event-days a year |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $256K | 7.9 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $778K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $144K | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $347K | 4.7 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $189K | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $21K | once in about 868 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Putnam 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 Putnam CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Putnam County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis