Natural hazards · Washington

Washington, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Washington comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1993. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Washington?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Washington to be higher than in 29% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding44%Tornadoes16%Heat waves11%Earthquakes7%Hail5%Strong wind5%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Washington 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

Below average · higher than 30% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

16% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Heat waves

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about 16 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

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

Hail

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Strong wind

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherCold 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 Washington flood?

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

2paid claims since 1993

$22Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19932026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Vernon County.

Disasters that hit Washington

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WashingtonDeclared for Vernon County only

2019

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$50K to the Township of Washington for repairs

Vernon County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Washington

Washington and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Osagemostly inland floodingHigh

Lakemostly inland floodingHigh

Deerfieldmostly inland floodingHigh

Walkermostly inland floodingHigh

Centermostly inland floodingModerate

Nevadamostly inland floodingModerate

Washingtonmostly inland floodingLow

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. Washington covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Washington’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Washington. 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 Washington total about $1.7M 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.