Natural hazards · Gerald

Gerald, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Gerald comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Gerald?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Gerald to be higher than in 47% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding44%Tornadoes13%Heat waves12%Earthquakes11%Cold waves7%Strong wind6%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Gerald faces

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

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 21 years in the area

Heat waves

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Recorded about 12 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 15% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Gerald flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Franklin County.

Disasters that hit Gerald

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GeraldDeclared for Franklin County only

2015

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

1 household applied for aid

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $708 aid approved

2000

Severe Thunderstorms and Flash Flooding

$46K to the City of Gerald for repairs

Franklin County has had 21 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. Gerald 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 Gerald’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Gerald. 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.