Natural hazards · Crystal

Crystal, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Crystal comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 287 claims here since 1979. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Crystal?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Crystal to be higher than in 66% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding39%Earthquakes27%Tornadoes13%Strong wind7%Cold waves5%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Crystal faces

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

Inland flooding

39% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

27% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 17% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Crystal flood?

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

287paid claims since 1979

$4.8Mpaid to owners

30homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 44 claims, $297K
Midwest Flooding: 36 claims, $1.9M
Early winter storms: 5 claims, $164K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (13) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Jefferson County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

19flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Crystal

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CrystalDeclared for Jefferson County only

2025

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

1 household applied for aid

2019

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

2017

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2015

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

7 households applied for aid $33K aid approved $21K to the City of Crystal for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2 households applied for aid

2008

Severe Storms, Flooding, and a Tornado

1 household applied for aid $2K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $3K aid approved $4K to the City of Crystal for repairs

2006

Severe Storms

$18K to the City of Crystal for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

60 households applied for aid $132K aid approved

Jefferson County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Crystal

Crystal and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Herculaneummostly inland floodingHigh

Crystal Citymostly inland floodingHigh

Festusmostly inland floodingHigh

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. Crystal covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Crystal’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Crystal. 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 Crystal total about $3.2M 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.