Natural hazards · Northwoods

Northwoods, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Northwoods comes from heat waves, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 85 claims here since 1978. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Northwoods?

High

vs. U.S. communities

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

Heat waves38%Earthquakes32%Inland flooding16%Cold waves6%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Northwoods faces

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

Heat waves

38% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Recorded about 15 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

32% of expected damage

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

Inland flooding

16% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 52% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingWildfireDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Northwoods flood?

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

85paid claims since 1978

$687Kpaid to owners

11homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ike: 14 claims, $154K
Late July Flooding: 6 claims, $108K
March storm: 1 claim, $9K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: St. Louis County.

Disasters that hit Northwoods

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NorthwoodsDeclared for St. Louis County only

2025

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

1 household applied for aid $5K aid approved

2022

Severe Storms and Flooding

19 households applied for aid $113K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms, Flooding, and a Tornado

1 household applied for aid

2006

Severe Winter Storms

$8K to the City of Northwoods for repairs

2006

Severe Storms

$19K to the City of Northwoods for repairs

St. Louis County has had 29 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Northwoods

Northwoods and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Jenningsmostly heat wavesHigh

Northwoodsmostly heat wavesHigh

Norwood Courtmostly heat wavesModerate

Pasadena Hillsmostly heat wavesModerate

Beverly Hillsmostly heat wavesModerate

Pine Lawnmostly heat wavesModerate

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. Northwoods covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Northwoods’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Northwoods. 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 Northwoods total about $2.5M 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.