Natural hazards · Blytheville

Blytheville, AR natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Blytheville comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 23 claims here since 1997. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Blytheville?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Blytheville to be higher than in 85% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes.

Earthquakes71%Inland flooding12%Heat waves5%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Blytheville faces

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

Earthquakes

71% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

12% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 37% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 20 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Blytheville flood?

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

23paid claims since 1997

$405Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19972026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 1 claim, $438

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 05% off flood insurance. Blytheville is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Mississippi County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

18storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Blytheville

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BlythevilleDeclared for Mississippi County only

2021

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

26 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2017

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$52K to the City of Blytheville for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Associated Flooding

20 households applied for aid $18K aid approved $16K to the City of Blytheville for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm

$1.7M to the City of Blytheville for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

1 household applied for aid

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$165K to the City of Blytheville for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$26K to the City of Blytheville for repairs

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

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. Blytheville covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Blytheville’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Blytheville. 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 Blytheville total about $17.7M 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.