Natural hazards · Walnut Ridge

Walnut Ridge, AR natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Walnut Ridge comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 1979. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Walnut Ridge?

88
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Walnut Ridge to be higher than in 88% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding38%Earthquakes22%Tornadoes19%Ice storms6%Heat waves5%Everything else10%
By hazard

What Walnut Ridge faces

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

Inland flooding

38% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

22% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Ice storms

6% of expected damage
Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Heat waves

5% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places
Recorded about 18 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailWinter 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 Walnut Ridge flood?

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

6paid claims since 1979
$10Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • March storm: 1 claim, $2K
  • Late spring severe storms: 1 claim, $3K
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Walnut Ridge isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Lawrence County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3storm safe rooms built
Disasters that hit Walnut Ridge

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Walnut RidgeDeclared for Lawrence County only
2025

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

2 households applied for aid $14K aid approved
2017

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

17 households applied for aid $141K aid approved $5K to the City of Walnut Ridge for repairs
2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Associated Flooding

27 households applied for aid $207K aid approved $90K to the City of Walnut Ridge for repairs
2009

Severe Winter Storm

$344K to the City of Walnut Ridge for repairs
2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

8 households applied for aid $39K aid approved $4K to the City of Walnut Ridge for repairs
2006

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

1 household applied for aid
2002

Severe Ice Storm

$41K to the City of Walnut Ridge for repairs
Lawrence County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.
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. Walnut Ridge covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Walnut Ridge’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Walnut Ridge. 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 Walnut Ridge total about $5.2M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01