Natural hazards · Watson

Watson, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Watson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 2011. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Watson?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Watson to be higher than in 78% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and drought.

Inland flooding41%Drought21%Tornadoes12%Heat waves8%Cold waves8%Hail5%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Watson faces

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

Inland flooding

41% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Drought

21% of expected damage

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Hail

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

Ice stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHurricanesAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Watson flood?

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

3paid claims since 2011

$120Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20112026

Biggest named events

Late spring storms: 2 claims, $60K

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Atchison County.

Disasters that hit Watson

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WatsonDeclared for Atchison County only

2019

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

20 households applied for aid $75K aid approved

2019

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$26K to the Village of Watson for repairs

2011

Flooding

51 households applied for aid $89K aid approved $20K to the Village of Watson for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $384 aid approved

Atchison County has had 19 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. Watson 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 Watson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Watson. 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.