Natural hazards · West Alton

West Alton, MO natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in West Alton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 253 claims here since 1990. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is West Alton?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in West Alton to be higher than in 76% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding59%Earthquakes23%Tornadoes7%Everything else11%

By hazard

What West Alton faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

23% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 West Alton flood?

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

253paid claims since 1990

$11.5Mpaid to owners

96homes flooded more than once

19902026

Biggest named events

Early winter storms: 63 claims, $2.4M
Late spring severe storms: 7 claims, $144K
Midwest Flooding: 7 claims, $223K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (48) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. West Alton 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. Charles County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

209flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit West Alton

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into West AltonDeclared for St. Charles County only

2019

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

163 households applied for aid $697K aid approved $44K to the City of West Alton for repairs

2015

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

105 households applied for aid $379K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

30 households applied for aid $36K aid approved $3K to the City of West Alton for repairs

St. Charles County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around West Alton

West Alton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

West Altonmostly inland floodingHigh

Elsahmostly inland floodingHigh

Chouteaumostly inland floodingHigh

Wood Rivermostly inland floodingHigh

Altonmostly inland floodingModerate

Godfreymostly inland floodingModerate

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. West Alton 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 West Alton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of West Alton. 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.