Natural hazards · Barling

Barling, AR natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Barling comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2019. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Barling?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Barling to be higher than in 46% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding33%Tornadoes20%Heat waves19%Cold waves13%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Barling faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

33% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

20% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Heat waves

19% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about 25 times a year in the area

Cold waves

13% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Barling flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Barling, from FEMA’s records.

1paid claims since 2019

$15Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20192026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Barling isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Sebastian County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Barling

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Barling itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Barling.

Brought FEMA money into BarlingDeclared for Sebastian County only

2019

Severe Storms and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $310K to the City of Barling for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

15 households applied for aid $550 aid approved

2000

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$19K to the City of Barling for repairs

Sebastian County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Barling

Barling and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Central Citymostly inland floodingHigh

Barlingmostly inland floodingModerate

Fort Smithmostly inland floodingModerate

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Barling covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Barling’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Barling. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Barling total about $1.3M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.