Jefferson County, Arkansas: hazard risk
FEMA rates Jefferson County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 85.2 of 100, higher than 85% of rated U.S. counties); 4 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by ice storm, strong wind, tornado. Its storm record holds 793 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 | 97.4 | $1.6M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 95.8 | $2.2M |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 92.5 | $5.9M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 86.4 | $652K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 95.6 | $11M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 91.4 | $2.3M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 78.2 | $12M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 78.2 | $125K |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 77.1 | $498K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 65.3 | $236K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 62.9 | $224K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 42.8 | $483K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 57.6 | $48K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 46.7 | $736 |
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 | 325 | 4 | $2.1M | 23rd of 75 | 1098th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 198 | 0 | – | 41st of 75 | 1084th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 78 | 0 | $26M | 28th of 75 | 986th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 68 | 0 | $691K | 42nd of 75 | 1847th of 3,077 |
| Tornadoes | 37 | 1 | $16M | 43rd of 75 | 1271st of 3,080 |
| Drought | 21 | 0 | – | 54th of 75 | 1508th of 3,063 |
| Heavy rain | 13 | 1 | $14K | 22nd of 75 | 927th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 12 | 2 | – | 45th of 75 | 1226th of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 12 | 0 | $319K | 15th of 75 | 2133rd of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 10 | 1 | $182K | 17th of 75 | 779th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 5 | 0 | $5.6M | 41st of 75 | 666th of 1,849 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 1 | – | 61st of 75 | 2335th of 3,076 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 0 | – | 37th of 75 | 815th of 2,972 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Jefferson County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.