Natural hazards · Noel

Noel, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Noel comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 197 claims here since 1986. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Noel?

92
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Noel to be higher than in 92% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding70%Tornadoes11%Strong wind5%Everything else13%
By hazard

What Noel faces

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

Inland flooding

70% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Strong wind

5% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

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 Noel flood?

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

197paid claims since 1986
$6.2Mpaid to owners
13homes flooded more than once
19862026

Biggest named events

  • Late spring severe storms: 26 claims, $1.3M
  • Mid-spring storms: 21 claims, $960K
  • Early winter storms: 16 claims, $1.3M

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (5) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Noel isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: McDonald County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2storm safe rooms built
Disasters that hit Noel

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NoelDeclared for McDonald County only
2019

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

4 households applied for aid
2017

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

27 households applied for aid $74K aid approved $72K to the City of Noel for repairs
2015

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

75 households applied for aid $260K aid approved $81K to the City of Noel for repairs
2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

38 households applied for aid $125K aid approved $72K to the City of Noel for repairs
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$3K to the City of Noel for repairs
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

22 households applied for aid $54K aid approved $298K to the City of Noel for repairs
2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$64K to the City of Noel for repairs
2007

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$31K to the City of Noel for repairs
McDonald County has had 20 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. Noel covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Noel’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Noel. 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 Noel total about $7.2M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01