Natural hazards · Butler

Butler, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Butler comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 11 claims here since 1984. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Butler?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Butler to be higher than in 28% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding35%Tornadoes20%Strong wind13%Heat waves9%Cold waves8%Hail7%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Butler faces

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

Inland flooding

35% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

20% of expected damage

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

Strong wind

13% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Heat waves

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about 15 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 43% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hail

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Butler flood?

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

11paid claims since 1984

$240Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19842026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Bates County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Butler

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ButlerDeclared for Bates County only

2019

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$51K to the City of Butler for repairs

2015

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

$11K to the City of Butler for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$17K to the City of Butler for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$17K to the City of Butler for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$4K to the City of Butler for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $2K to the City of Butler for repairs

2002

Severe Winter Ice Storm

$172K to the City of Butler for repairs

Bates County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and ice 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. Butler covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Butler’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Butler. 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 Butler total about $1.8M 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.