Sullivan County, Missouri
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 29211 · population 5,947 · 648 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 289 records for Sullivan County, Missouri from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 215 days; the most frequent are hail reports (86 records). The deadliest single record is the May 13, 2009 tornado: 1 death and $34,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. 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, 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
- 289on 215 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 10 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $2.3Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 9strongest EF1
- FEMA declarations
- 25latest 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 Sullivan County most?
The most frequent records are hail reports: 86 since 1969. 51% of its hail reports since 1969 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 | 86 | 56 | 1969-2026 | 0 | 0 | $4K | 111 of 114 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 76 | 58 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 0 | $225K | 111 of 114 |
| Winter storms | 50 | 50 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 80 of 114 |
| Drought | 22 | 21 | 2000-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 65 of 114 |
| Heat | 14 | 14 | 1999-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 71 of 114 |
| Floods | 13 | 11 | 1996-2020 | 0 | 0 | $158K | 113 of 114 |
| Extreme cold | 12 | 12 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 38 of 114 |
| Tornadoes | 9 | 8 | 1964-2018 | 1 | 0 | $483K | 114 of 114 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 5 | 2 | 2010-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 of 114 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2008-2008 | 0 | 0 | – | 88 of 114 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 1 | 2021-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 108 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 Sullivan County had?
NOAA records 9 tornadoes in Sullivan County from 1964 to 2018, the strongest rated EF1, with 1 death 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 12 tornadoes whose track touched Sullivan County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 9: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-05-13 16:10, as SPC files it | Milan | EF1 | 4.35 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Missouri.
Every tornado record filed for Sullivan County (9)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-10-08 | Judson, Sullivan County | EF0 0.82 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-07-19 | Harris, Sullivan County | EF0 0.01 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2010-07-19 | Milan, Sullivan County | EF0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $541 |
| 2009-05-13 | Milan, Sullivan County | EF1 4.35 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 0 | $34K |
| 2008-07-21 | Winigan, Sullivan County | EF0 4.44 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-06-12 | Pennville, Sullivan County | EF0 0.21 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1970-09-07 | Sullivan County | F1 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1967-01-24 | Sullivan County | F1 7.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1964-08-20 | Sullivan County | F1 0.1 mi x 10 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 Sullivan County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 19, 2018 thunderstorm wind ($35,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A mobile home was overturned near Newtown.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 760580)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-16 | HailGreen City, Sullivan County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-16 | HailGreen City, Sullivan County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindOsgood, Sullivan County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-24 | Heavy SnowSullivan County · forecast zone Sullivan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-28 | Winter StormSullivan County · forecast zone Sullivan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-07 | Thunderstorm WindMilan, Sullivan County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-07 | Thunderstorm WindHarris, Sullivan County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-08-07 | Thunderstorm WindNewtown, Sullivan County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-03 | Thunderstorm WindGreen Castle, Sullivan County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-03 | Thunderstorm WindCora, Sullivan County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-18 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillSullivan County · forecast zone Sullivan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-05-26 | HailMilan, Sullivan County | 2.00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-05-13 | TornadoMilan, Sullivan County An EF1 tornado touched down at 1610 CST, about two miles north-northeast of Milan. The tornado proceeded east-northeast, and lifted about three and a half miles south-southeast of Boynton, at 1635 CST. The tornado destroyed a mobile home and killed a female occupant. Numerous trees were uprooted or damaged. | EF1 4.35 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 0 | $34K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-04-10 | Heavy SnowSullivan County · forecast zone Sullivan | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2004-10-29 | Thunderstorm WindMilan, Sullivan County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $62K |
| 2018-05-19 | Thunderstorm WindNewtown, Sullivan County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $35K |
| 2009-05-13 | TornadoMilan, Sullivan County | EF1 4.35 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 0 | $34K |
| 2010-06-01 | Thunderstorm WindMilan, Sullivan County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 2010-07-19 | TornadoHarris, Sullivan County | EF0 0.01 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2008-07-27 | HailPollock, Sullivan County | 4.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2010-07-19 | TornadoMilan, Sullivan County | EF0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $541 |
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: January 24, 1967 (tornado, Sullivan County); September 7, 1970 (tornado, Sullivan 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 Sullivan 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 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 32 | 31 | 11 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 25 | 25 | 7 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 21 | 21 | 6 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 1 | 16 | 5 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 1 | 11 | 1 | 1 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 1 | 9 | 2 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
51% of its hail reports since 1969 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 20 · Feb 20 · Mar 18 · Apr 25 · May 37 · Jun 45 · Jul 40 · Aug 34 · Sep 18 · Oct 10 · Nov 6 · Dec 16 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Sullivan County
FEMA's register lists 25 declarations that include Sullivan County: 19 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (16) and severe ice storm (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-03 | DR-4929 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2020-03-26 | 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 |
| 2009-06-19 | DR-1847 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2007-12-27 | 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 |
| 2002-02-06 | DR-1403 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm |
| 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 |
| 1973-04-19 | 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 Sullivan County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 13 flood or flash flood records for Sullivan County from 1996 to 2020, on 11 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Sullivan County ranks 2756th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $329 on 2 claims filed in Sullivan County; the most in one year was 1 in 1982. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1982: 1 · 1996: 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 Sullivan County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Sullivan County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $488K | 14 modeled event-days a year |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $17K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.0M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $295K | 8.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $175K | 3.7 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $611K | 4.6 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $85K | 47 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $194K | 3.2 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 Sullivan 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 Sullivan CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Sullivan County's FEMA declarations (CSV)25 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis