States › Missouri › Clay County
Clay County, Missouri
Recorded hazard history: storm events since 1950, federal disaster declarations since 1953, flood insurance claims since 1978, and FEMA's risk index.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. NCEI storm records through 30 Jun 2026; OpenFEMA declarations refreshed 1 Oct 2026; NFIP claims as of 8 Sep 2026.
Clay County, Missouri, has 1,119 weather events in the NCEI Storm Events record since 1950, most of them hail.
That is 281.4 events per 100 square miles, above the Missouri figure of 106.7, and 43.8 per 10,000 residents against 118.9 statewide.
13 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 4 deaths and 38 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $126M and crop damage at $805K.
FEMA has designated the county in 25 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Covid-19 Pandemic (major disaster, 26 Mar 2020).
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 799 claims since 1978, of which 668 were paid, totalling $11M (about $17K per paid claim). FEMA counts 258 residential flood policies in force.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Relatively Moderate" and its expected annual loss as "Relatively Moderate" ($113M a year across 18 hazards).
Compared with Missouri and the United States
| Measure | Clay County | Missouri | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 1,119 | 73,339 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 281.4 | 106.7 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 43.8 | 118.9 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 13 | 1,920 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 4 | 1,009 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $126M | $12B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 3.1 | 8.3 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $17K | $23K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 20.9 | 51.0 | 16.1 |
County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county. State and US rows include events recorded only by forecast zone. Rates use 2021 Census population and land area.
Events by decade
Trend: 654 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 323 in the 20 years before. Reporting practice changed in 1996 and again with automated reports in the 2000s, so decade totals measure the record as much as the weather.
Events by type
Hazard pages exist for hail, tornado, flood, wind and winter where the county has at least 10 recorded events. "Other" covers heavy rain, debris flow, dust, funnel clouds and similar reports.
Largest recorded events
| Date | Event type | Group | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Nov 2015 | Winter Weather | Winter | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | Forecast zone |
| 6 Jul 2001 | Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Jul 2003 | Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Dec 2013 | Winter Storm | Winter | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | Tornado | F4 | $31M | — | — | 13 | County |
| 11 Apr 1979 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 9 | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $60M | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1977 | Tornado | Tornado | F4 | $2.5M | — | — | 5 | County |
| 26 Jun 1969 | Tornado | Tornado | F3 | $25K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 19 Aug 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 81 mph | $800K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 7 Mar 2022 | Winter Weather | Winter | — | — | — | — | 2 | Forecast zone |
| 25 Jun 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 0 mph | $5K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 2 May 2008 | Tornado | Tornado | EF2 | $10M | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2019 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 11 May 2000 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | $5.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Oct 1998 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $4.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2008 | Tornado | Tornado | EF3 | $4.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1995 | Hail | Hail | 3.25 in | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Nov 2005 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | $1.2M | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1995 | Hail | Hail | 2.25 in | $750K | — | — | — | County |
Ranked by deaths, then injuries, then NCEI's damage estimate. Deaths and injuries are NCEI counts (direct plus indirect); no personal details are recorded here.
Federal disaster declarations
| Declared | Number | Type | Incident | Title | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Mar 2020 | DR-4490 | Major disaster | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Mar 2020 | EM-3482 | Emergency | Biological | Covid-19 | Public assistance |
| 9 Jul 2019 | DR-4451 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 7 Aug 2015 | DR-4238 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 30 Jun 2011 | EM-3325 | Emergency | Flood | Flooding | Public assistance |
| 3 Feb 2011 | EM-3317 | Emergency | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 30 Jan 2009 | EM-3303 | Emergency | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 12 Dec 2007 | EM-3281 | Emergency | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms | Public assistance |
| 11 Jun 2007 | DR-1708 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding | Individual assistance |
| 10 Sep 2005 | EM-3232 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Public assistance |
| 11 Jun 2004 | DR-1524 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Individual assistance |
| 6 May 2003 | DR-1463 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 6 Feb 2002 | DR-1403 | Major disaster | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Ice Storm | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 14 Oct 1998 | DR-1253 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding And Tornadoes | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 21 Apr 1994 | DR-1023 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding | Individual assistance |
| 9 Jul 1993 | DR-995 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 24 May 1990 | DR-867 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 26 Aug 1982 | DR-667 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance |
| 14 Sep 1977 | DR-538 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 7 May 1977 | DR-535 | Major disaster | Tornado | Tornadoes & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 24 Sep 1976 | EM-3017 | Emergency | Drought | Drought | Public assistance |
| 10 Jun 1974 | DR-439 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 1 Nov 1973 | DR-407 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 19 Apr 1973 | DR-372 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 27 Jul 1965 | DR-203 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
Declarations in which FEMA designated this county, from the OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). DR: major disaster; EM: emergency; FM: fire management assistance. Programs show whether individual or public assistance was made available.
Flood insurance claims
| Year of loss | Claims | Paid claims | Amount paid | Average paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 14 | 12 | $430,047 | $35,837 |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2021 | 5 | 3 | $542,152 | $180,717 |
| 2020 | 3 | 1 | $898 | $898 |
| 2019 | 4 | 2 | $28,222 | $14,111 |
| 2017 | 26 | 25 | $814,229 | $32,569 |
| 2016 | 9 | 6 | $53,673 | $8,945 |
| 2015 | 39 | 29 | $1,211,727 | $41,784 |
| 2013 | 7 | 6 | $82,172 | $13,695 |
| 2012 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2011 | 2 | 2 | $9,142 | $4,571 |
| 2010 | 12 | 11 | $196,936 | $17,903 |
| 2009 | 13 | 13 | $125,815 | $9,678 |
| 2008 | 14 | 13 | $150,826 | $11,602 |
| 2007 | 25 | 22 | $698,994 | $31,772 |
| 2006 | 1 | 1 | $3,117 | $3,117 |
| 2004 | 12 | 10 | $267,432 | $26,743 |
| 2001 | 6 | 3 | $26,245 | $8,748 |
| 2000 | 2 | 2 | $20,705 | $10,353 |
| 1999 | 13 | 11 | $194,103 | $17,646 |
| 1998 | 123 | 105 | $1,477,792 | $14,074 |
| 1997 | 3 | 2 | $5,329 | $2,665 |
| 1996 | 26 | 23 | $304,913 | $13,257 |
| 1995 | 3 | 1 | $34,852 | $34,852 |
OpenFEMA NFIP claims (v3, as of 8 Sep 2026), aggregated by year of loss; amounts are building, contents and increased-cost-of-compliance payments as recorded. Repetitive-loss counts from the NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (2 Aug 2026); policies in force from the NFIP Residential Penetration Rates file (3 Aug 2026).
National Risk Index
| Hazard (NRI) | Risk rating | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | $43,287,079 | |
| Cold wave | $26,296,548 | |
| Tornado | $20,730,629 | |
| Heat wave | $11,915,705 | |
| Hail | $6,552,871 | |
| Strong wind | $963,705 | |
| Lightning | $845,053 | |
| Earthquake | $762,741 | |
| Ice storm | $642,178 | |
| Winter weather | $265,865 | |
| Wildfire | $225,266 | |
| Drought | $125,061 | |
| Landslide | $13,991 |
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. Ratings are FEMA's relative comparison of counties; expected annual loss is FEMA's modelled estimate of average yearly building, population and agriculture loss. See how to read the NRI.
Hurricane and tropical storm passes
No HURDAT2 track at tropical-storm strength passes within 100 miles of the county's centre point (through the 2025 season).
ZIP codes with flood claims
ZIP codes whose NFIP claims carry this county's code, with the number of claims. Five or more claims are needed for a ZIP page to be indexed.
Questions and answers
How often does it hail in Clay County, MO?
NCEI records 463 hail events in Clay County since 1950, in 64 different years; that is about 6.0 recorded events a year. 126 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Clay County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 36 tornadoes in Clay County since 1950, 12 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 0.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Clay County?
26 Mar 2020: Covid-19 Pandemic, a major disaster declaration for biological. The county appears in 25 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Clay County, and how much was paid?
799 NFIP claims since 1978, 668 of them paid, for $11M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Clay County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Relatively Moderate" for overall risk, "Relatively Moderate" for expected annual loss, "Very Low" for social vulnerability and "Very High" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Clay County compare with the rest of Missouri?
281.4 recorded events per 100 square miles against 106.7 statewide, and 3.1 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 8.3. The comparison table on this page shows each measure beside the state and national figures.
Provenance
Storm events: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026 (public domain). Declarations: OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, refreshed 1 Oct 2026. Flood claims: OpenFEMA NfipClaims v3 as of 8 Sep 2026; NfipMultipleLossProperties v1 (2 Aug 2026); NfipResidentialPenetrationRates v1 (3 Aug 2026). Risk index: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Hurricane tracks: NHC HURDAT2 through 2025. Population and area: US Census Bureau, 2021 vintage. Built 1 Oct 2026; see the methodology and corrections pages. Hazard hubs: Hail · Tornado · Flood · Wind · Winter.