Yell County, Arkansas: hazard risk
FEMA rates Yell County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 58.9 of 100, higher than 58% of rated U.S. counties); 2 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by ice storm, lightning. Its storm record holds 722 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 | Relatively High | 89.5 | $640K |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 85.7 | $700K |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 81.1 | $3.1M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 63.3 | $581K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 72.4 | $736K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 68.2 | $111K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 66.6 | $483K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 64.9 | $7.8M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 60.1 | $66K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 57.8 | $255K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 44.1 | $70K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 38.5 | $453K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 54.2 | $1K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 48.2 | $45K |
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 | 257 | 0 | $3.9M | 47th of 75 | 1558th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 156 | 0 | – | 52nd of 75 | 1346th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 133 | 2 | $7.9M | 18th of 75 | 652nd of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 73 | 0 | $18M | 48th of 75 | 1872nd of 3,077 |
| Tornadoes | 33 | 0 | $16M | 67th of 75 | 1858th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 19 | 0 | – | 66th of 75 | 1626th of 3,063 |
| Heavy rain | 13 | 0 | – | 29th of 75 | 1067th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 11 | 0 | – | 60th of 75 | 1347th of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 8 | 0 | $500K | 48th of 75 | 2436th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 0 | – | 52nd of 75 | 2133rd of 3,076 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 5 | 0 | $1.8M | 44th of 75 | 681st of 1,849 |
| Lightning | 4 | 1 | $1K | 41st of 75 | 1350th of 3,080 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 0 | – | 55th of 75 | 1126th 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 Yell County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.