Union County, Arkansas: hazard risk
FEMA rates Union County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 53.9 of 100, higher than 53% 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 694 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 | 97.7 | $1.9M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 84.4 | $1.4M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 78.8 | $882K |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 69.8 | $1.8M |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 64.9 | $292K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 77.1 | $930K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 59.4 | $139K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 55.5 | $230K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 51.2 | $4.9M |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 31.7 | $22K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 29.3 | $20K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 48.7 | $889 |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 27.9 | $9K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 21.2 | $176K |
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 | 231 | 0 | $3.2M | 55th of 75 | 1728th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 172 | 0 | $23K | 60th of 75 | 1600th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 77 | 0 | – | 22nd of 75 | 385th of 3,076 |
| Floods | 67 | 0 | $4.1M | 69th of 75 | 1751st of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 45 | 3 | $99M | 52nd of 75 | 1398th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 43 | 0 | – | 21st of 75 | 1111th of 3,063 |
| Winter storms | 41 | 0 | $69M | 74th of 75 | 2420th of 3,077 |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 0 | $203K | 54th of 75 | 2194th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 0 | – | 59th of 75 | 2239th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 0 | $44K | 68th of 75 | 2816th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 3 | 0 | $406K | 53rd of 75 | 1633rd of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 0 | $343K | 54th of 75 | 925th of 1,849 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Union County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.