Natural hazards · Monticello

Monticello, AR natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Monticello comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 2004. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Monticello?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Monticello to be higher than in 38% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes28%Inland flooding23%Tornadoes19%Heat waves11%Strong wind9%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Monticello faces

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

Earthquakes

28% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

23% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 12% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 63 years in the area

Heat waves

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Recorded about 20 times a year in the area

Strong wind

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Monticello flood?

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

10paid claims since 2004

$83Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20042026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Gustav: 1 claim, $3K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Drew County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

7storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Monticello

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MonticelloDeclared for Drew County only

2009

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$174K to the City of Monticello for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Hurricane Gustav

$76K to the City of Monticello for repairs

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

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. Monticello covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Monticello’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Monticello. 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 Monticello total about $2.6M 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.