Natural hazards · Springfield

Springfield, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Springfield comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 81 claims here since 1978. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Springfield?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Springfield to be higher than in 27% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and heat waves.

Inland flooding35%Heat waves17%Tornadoes15%Earthquakes14%Ice storms6%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Springfield 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 24% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Heat waves

17% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 13 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Ice storms

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Springfield flood?

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

81paid claims since 1978

$2.0Mpaid to owners

12homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Early winter storms: 9 claims, $176K
March storm: 4 claims, $13K
Late spring severe storms: 2 claims, $10K

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. Springfield isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Greene County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

21flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

8storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Springfield

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SpringfieldDeclared for Greene County only

2025

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

$2.3M to the City of Springfield for repairs

2019

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

24 households applied for aid $33K aid approved

2017

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

78 households applied for aid $95K aid approved

2015

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

547 households applied for aid $457K aid approved $282K to the City of Springfield for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

43 households applied for aid $33K aid approved $23K to the City of Springfield for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

418 households applied for aid $521K aid approved

2008

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$431K to the City of Springfield for repairs

2007

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$14.6M to the City of Springfield for repairs

2006

Severe Winter Storms

$129K to the City of Springfield for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

25 households applied for aid $4K aid approved $577K to the City of Springfield for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

21 households applied for aid $8K aid approved $192K to the City of Springfield for repairs

Greene County has had 23 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. Springfield covers 47 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Springfield’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Springfield. 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 Springfield total about $52.1M 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.