Natural hazards · Bernie

Bernie, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bernie comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bernie?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bernie to be higher than in 89% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes.

Earthquakes60%Inland flooding14%Tornadoes6%Cold waves6%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Bernie faces

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

Earthquakes

60% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

14% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 11% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 18% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Bernie flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Bernie.

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Stoddard County.

Disasters that hit Bernie

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BernieDeclared for Stoddard County only

2025

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

3 households applied for aid

2024

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

5 households applied for aid

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid

2009

Severe Winter Storm

$80K to the City of Bernie for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Flooding, and a Tornado

$8K to the City of Bernie for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

Stoddard County has had 22 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. Bernie is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

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

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.

Bernie, MO natural hazards

How exposed is Bernie?

What Bernie faces

Earthquakes

Inland flooding

Tornadoes

Cold waves

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Bernie flood?

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

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

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

Severe Winter Storm

Severe Storms, Flooding, and a Tornado

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

Nearby