Vernon County, Missouri: hazard risk
FEMA rates Vernon County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 46.0 of 100, higher than 45% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by drought. Its storm record holds 760 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively High | 94.7 | $2.4M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 73.7 | $264K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 74.8 | $1.1M |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 61.6 | $391K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 56.4 | $1.2M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 56.3 | $78K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 51.3 | $1.3M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 49.8 | $6.5M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 49.0 | $523K |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 30.4 | $107K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 52.4 | $302K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 45.0 | $930 |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 31.0 | $15K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 24.5 | $10K |
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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 254 | 0 | $27M | 46th of 114 | 687th of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 217 | 0 | $1.7M | 58th of 114 | 1586th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 121 | 1 | $79K | 52nd of 114 | 638th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 49 | 0 | $1.7M | 101st of 114 | 2124th of 3,077 |
| Drought | 42 | 0 | $71M | 32nd of 114 | 928th of 3,063 |
| Tornadoes | 33 | 0 | $110M | 57th of 114 | 1402nd of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 11 | 0 | – | 43rd of 114 | 891st of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 11 | 0 | $8K | 57th of 114 | 2517th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 0 | $17M | 81st of 114 | 1617th of 3,076 |
| Heat | 10 | 2 | – | 103rd of 114 | 1320th of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 1 | 0 | $30K | 72nd of 114 | 2157th of 3,080 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 0 | – | 38th of 114 | 1078th 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 Vernon County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.