Howard County, Arkansas: hazard risk
FEMA rates Howard County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 48.5 of 100, higher than 48% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by ice storm. Its storm record holds 783 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Very High | 98.8 | $2.3M |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 81.1 | $603K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 52.1 | $372K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 63.3 | $347K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 60.2 | $369K |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 56.3 | $185K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 53.9 | $898K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 52.1 | $4.5M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 51.0 | $42K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 24.8 | $202K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 56.9 | $92K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 53.4 | $1K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 45.7 | $23K |
| Drought | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 254 | 0 | $5.4M | 15th of 75 | 847th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 252 | 0 | – | 4th of 75 | 121st of 3,080 |
| Heat | 75 | 0 | – | 14th of 75 | 223rd of 3,076 |
| Floods | 50 | 0 | $1.3M | 62nd of 75 | 1606th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 49 | 0 | – | 3rd of 75 | 456th of 3,063 |
| Winter storms | 45 | 0 | $69M | 50th of 75 | 1880th of 3,077 |
| Tornadoes | 35 | 12 | $29M | 12th of 75 | 512th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 0 | $765K | 15th of 75 | 1505th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 0 | – | 52nd of 75 | 2010th of 3,080 |
| Wildfires | 3 | 0 | $66K | 23rd of 75 | 505th of 2,972 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 0 | $411K | 58th of 75 | 954th of 1,849 |
| Lightning | 1 | 0 | $19K | 57th of 75 | 2013th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Howard County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.