Natural hazards · Aurora

Aurora, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Aurora comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 2015. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Aurora?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Aurora to be higher than in 41% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding48%Tornadoes18%Strong wind9%Heat waves8%Earthquakes6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Aurora faces

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

Inland flooding

48% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 22% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Strong wind

9% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about 14 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

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

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Aurora flood?

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

7paid claims since 2015

$103Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20152026

Biggest named events

Early winter storms: 1 claim, $25K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Aurora 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.

Disasters that hit Aurora

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AuroraDeclared for Lawrence County only

2025

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

$208K to the City of Aurora for repairs

2015

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

11 households applied for aid $13K aid approved

2009

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$72K to the City of Aurora for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$323K to the City of Aurora for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

18 households applied for aid $23K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

99 households applied for aid $201K aid approved

Lawrence County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

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. Aurora covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Aurora’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Aurora. 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 Aurora total about $4.3M 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.