Clinton County

Population 21,661 (2025) 419 sq mi

Clinton County has recorded 26 tornadoes since 1950, 53rd most of 115 counties in Missouri; the most recent was on June 11, 2022.

Hazard fingerprint for Clinton County Tornado: 77th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 34th percentile. Hail & wind: 72th percentile. Heat: 68th percentile. Cold: 50th percentile. Winter: 33th percentile. TORTROPFIREFLOODSEVEREHEATCOLDWINTER

Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed

2026
  • Tornado damage paths since 195026

At a glance

The record for Clinton County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.

Tornadoes since 1950

26

53rd of 115 in Missouri

About as many as the typical Missouri county

Details

Flood insurance claims

7

90th of 115 in Missouri

$67,000 paid since 1984

Details

Strongest tornado

F3

March 14, 1955, 9.8 mile path

Federal disaster declarations

22

Most recent: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, 2021

Details

Record high

109°F

August 29, 1984

Details

Record low

−23°F

Reached 2 times, most recently December 23, 1989

Details

Snowiest season

44.3in

Winter of 2009-10

Costliest event since 1996

$200K

Winter Storm, January 30, 2002

Details

Tornadoes

About one every 2.9 years since 1950, one of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

March 14, 1955

F3, 9.8 mile path

250 yards wide.

Most recent

Saturday, June 11, 2022

EF0, 0.0 mile path

4 years ago.

Tornadoes by decade Doppler radar era² 1950s: 3 3 1960s: 5 5 1970s: 4 4 1980s: 2 2 1990s: 2 2 2000s: 5 5 2010s: 3 3 2020s: 2 2 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 1 F: 0 M: 2 A: 6 M: 11 11 J: 3 J: 0 A: 1 S: 0 O: 1 N: 1 D: 0 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes in Clinton County since 1950
Jun 11, 2022EF00.02000
Oct 24, 2021EF14.64000
Mar 6, 2017EF219.61,00000
Aug 26, 2016EF03.32500
May 12, 2010EF00.32500
Apr 25, 2009EF00.12500
May 1, 2008EF00.12500
May 29, 2004F120.015000
May 29, 2004F01.07500
May 8, 2002F00.12500
May 6, 1993F11.25000
May 6, 1993F010.05000
Jun 21, 1985F00.21000
May 30, 1985F00.25000
Apr 11, 1979F220.110090
Apr 19, 1973F21.05000
Nov 1, 1971F11.02700
May 18, 1971F255.410060
Apr 21, 1967F10.15000
Apr 21, 1967F10.21000
Jan 24, 1967F22.55000
Apr 12, 1964F16.25000
May 15, 1963F10.31000
May 18, 1959F10.21700
Jun 7, 1957F00.21000
Mar 14, 1955F39.825010
  1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Clinton County: 0.
  2. Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

No tropical storm or hurricane has tracked within 100 miles since records began in 1851.

Wildfire and smoke

No large wildfire has been mapped here since satellite mapping began in 1984.

Smoke overhead

Smokiest year

2023: 69 days

Heavy smoke on 21 days in 2021, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

25.5 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

18 days

Medium or heavy smoke. 37 so far in 2026.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 13 2012: 23 2013: 12 2014: 9 2015: 14 2016: 2 2017: 12 2018: 10 2019: 8 2020: 23 2021: 54 2022: 25 2023: 69 69 2024: 34 2025: 18 201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Days each year on which a satellite-traced plume of medium or heavy smoke covered the county’s population centre, 2011 to 2025.
  1. A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.

NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Floods and flood insurance

7 federal flood insurance claims since 1984, with $67,000 paid.

Federal flood insurance claims by year
Claims per year since 1984. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

Flood events since 1996

  • Flash Flood12
  • Flood9

1 death recorded in flood events since 1996.

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

Drought

In severe drought or worse for 165 of 1,581 months since 1895 (10%); the longest spell lasted 18 months.

165

Months in severe drought or worse since 1895

59

Months in extreme drought

10%

Share of all months, severe or worse

19

Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996

Lowest reading

August 1934

−6.72, extreme drought

Longest severe spell

18 months

November 2002 to April 2004.

Latest month

September 2026

+1.57, slightly wet

Last severe month: March 2026.

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 0 1896: 0 1897: 0 1898: 0 1899: 0 1900: 0 1901: 5 1902: 5 1903: 0 1904: 0 1905: 0 1906: 1 1907: 0 1908: 0 1909: 0 1910: 0 1911: 2 1912: 0 1913: 2 1914: 0 1915: 0 1916: 0 1917: 0 1918: 8 1919: 0 1920: 0 1921: 0 1922: 0 1923: 4 1924: 0 1925: 0 1926: 0 1927: 0 1928: 0 1929: 0 1930: 0 1931: 4 1932: 0 1933: 0 1934: 8 1935: 0 1936: 2 1937: 1 1938: 5 1939: 6 1940: 1 1941: 0 1942: 0 1943: 0 1944: 0 1945: 0 1946: 0 1947: 0 1948: 0 1949: 0 1950: 0 1951: 0 1952: 0 1953: 4 1954: 12 12 1955: 1 1956: 5 1957: 8 1958: 0 1959: 0 1960: 0 1961: 0 1962: 0 1963: 3 1964: 3 1965: 0 1966: 1 1967: 2 1968: 0 1969: 0 1970: 0 1971: 0 1972: 0 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 4 1977: 4 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 0 1987: 0 1988: 7 1989: 7 1990: 0 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 0 2000: 1 2001: 0 2002: 2 2003: 12 2004: 4 2005: 0 2006: 0 2007: 0 2008: 0 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 6 2013: 3 2014: 3 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 0 2018: 2 2019: 0 2020: 0 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 4 2025: 10 18951905191519251935194519551965197519851995200520152025
Months each year with a Palmer index of −3 or lower, 1895 to 2025. Twelve means the whole year.
  1. The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.

NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.

Earthquakes

5 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 1931; none reached magnitude 4.

0

Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973

2

Magnitude 3+ within 50 miles since 1973

0

Magnitude 4+ within 50 miles since 1900

0

Magnitude 5+ within 50 miles since 1900

Largest within 50 miles

August 9, 1931

Magnitude 3.8

6 km WSW of Kansas City, Kansas; 25.2 miles away.

Most recent, magnitude 3 or more

March 23, 2007

Magnitude 3.1

5 km N of Nortonville, Kansas; 39.5 miles away.

  1. Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the county boundary (or inside the county).
  2. Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Severe weather and other events

449 events in the National Weather Service record, 382 of them since 1996.

95

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

6

Hail, 2 inches or larger

129

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

47

Winter weather events since 1996

16

Heat events since 1996

10

Cold events since 1996

Largest hail

September 10, 1984

4.50 inches

Strongest measured or estimated gust

December 15, 2021

81 mph

Costliest events since 1996

  1. Jan 30, 2002Winter Storm, Clinton$200,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A long-lived major ice and snow storm blasted much of northwest, northern and central Missouri from late Tuesday, January 29th, until Thursday, January 31st. Ice accumulations of over an inch were observed from the Kansas City metropolitan area, east and north through Moberly Missouri. At one point 409,504 total customers were without electrical power in the CWA, with some residents without power up to two weeks. For the Kansas City area, the ice storm was ranked as the worst ever. Further north across northern Missouri, heavy snow fell generally along and north of a line, from St. Joseph to Trenton to Kirksville. Snow accumulations ranged from 8 to 14 inches.

  2. Oct 4, 1998Thunderstorm Wind$50,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Minor roof damage was reported to several homes, and several porches and outbuildings weredestroyed.

  3. Jun 2, 2018Thunderstorm Wind$50,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A 3 to 4 foot tree with noticeable stump rot fell onto a vehicle giving the occupant minor injuries.

  4. May 29, 2004Tornado$20,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Tornado crossed into Dekalb county near Osborn.

  5. Jun 28, 1998Thunderstorm Wind$10,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Severe thunderstorm winds blew a tree into a window at a house in Turney. The brick chimney was also blown down as a result of the winds.

  6. Jun 26, 2021Flood$10,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Well after rain had ended, Castille Creek was high enough to cover the road at County Line road. The vehicle entered the flooded waters and was swept off the road into a nearby field, where one occupant drowned. Three others were able to get out of the vehicle or be rescued. The time of this occurrence was taken from news reports.

  7. May 12, 2010Tornado$10,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A brief EF0 tornado touchdown at 2252 CST was reported 4 miles south of Plattsburg, around J Highway and Middle Road. The tornado lifted at 2255 CST, with damage reported to two greenhouses/outbuildings. Trees larger than one foot in diamater, were also found snapped off at a height of 14 feet. These trees blocked roads. Power lines were also reported down.

  8. Jul 23, 1999Thunderstorm Wind$10,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Several trees were downed along Interstate 35. Debris from a nearby outbuilding was blown onto the interstate.

  9. Dec 10, 2007Ice Storm, Clinton$5,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    One quarter to one half inch of ice was reported across the county. Many tree limbs and power lines were reported down.

  10. Jun 12, 2004Thunderstorm Wind$2,000
  1. Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.

Weather records

From Kansas City International Airport, 28.6 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1972.

All-time high
109°FAug 29, 1984
All-time low
−23°F2 times, most recently Dec 23, 1989
Warmest night
83°F2 times, most recently Jul 10, 1980
Coldest day
−8°FDec 22, 1989
Wettest day
8.82 inSep 12, 1977
Snowiest day
11.0 inJan 5, 2025
Hottest year
2012mean 58.8°F
Coldest year
1979mean 51.5°F
Wettest year
197355.26 in
Driest year
201222.28 in
Snowiest season
44.3 in2009-10
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Kansas City International Airport 32°F 39° 20° 1.2 Jan 44° 24° 1.4 Feb 56° 34° 2.5 Mar 66° 45° 4.0 Apr 75° 55° 5.3 May 85° 65° 5.7 Jun 88° 69° 4.2 Jul 87° 67° 4.3 Aug 80° 59° 3.7 Sep 68° 47° 3.4 Oct 55° 35° 2.0 Nov 43° 25° 1.5 Dec Precipitation, inches
Average daily high and low by month, and average monthly precipitation, over the last 30 years.
Days reaching 95°F per year 1976: 16 1977: 7 1978: 25 1979: 0 1980: 35 1981: 3 1982: 5 1983: 33 1984: 13 1985: 3 1986: 2 1987: 17 1988: 37 1989: 8 1990: 18 1991: 23 1992: 0 1993: 9 1994: 6 1995: 5 1996: 3 1997: 4 1998: 5 1999: 12 2000: 16 2001: 9 2002: 27 2003: 23 2004: 2 2005: 18 2006: 31 2007: 20 2008: 5 2009: 3 2010: 10 2011: 23 2012: 44 44 2013: 12 2014: 5 2015: 5 2016: 8 2017: 4 2018: 17 2019: 4 2020: 0 2021: 14 2022: 19 2023: 15 2024: 8 2025: 8 19761986199620062016
Days reaching 95°F each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 12.5.
Snowfall by winter 1976: 17.5 in 1977: 29.2 in 1978: 33.4 in 1979: 23.5 in 1980: 10.2 in 1981: 29.4 in 1982: 23.4 in 1983: 24.4 in 1984: 26.4 in 1985: 13.4 in 1986: 17.3 in 1987: 26.3 in 1988: 6.9 in 1989: 19.5 in 1990: 16.6 in 1991: 10.1 in 1992: 34.3 in 1993: 18.0 in 1994: 6.9 in 1995: 19.1 in 1996: 29.2 in 1997: 19.6 in 1998: 11.8 in 1999: 12.9 in 2000: 22.8 in 2001: 8.6 in 2002: 9.4 in 2003: 20.2 in 2004: 13.3 in 2005: 13.4 in 2006: 10.2 in 2007: 24.1 in 2008: 14.6 in 2009: 44.3 in 44.3 2010: 36.9 in 2011: 3.9 in 2012: 31.8 in 2013: 26.1 in 2014: 14.2 in 2015: 5.9 in 2016: 4.9 in 2017: 7.7 in 2018: 29.1 in 2019: 17.2 in 2020: 15.5 in 2021: 19.7 in 2022: 9.0 in 2023: 13.2 in 2024: 22.0 in 2025: 10.2 in 19761986199620062016
Total snowfall each winter (July to June), last 50 winters.

Median first snow

November 27

Earliest: October 14, 2018

Median last snow

March 20

Latest: May 2, 2013

0 of 54 winters had no measurable snow.

Station Kansas City International Airport (USW00003947), 1,008 ft elevation, 28.6 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1972 to October 26, 2026; 100.0% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.

NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.

Federal disaster declarations

22 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding, September 1, 2021.

Federal disaster declarations
Sep 1, 2021Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4612-MO
Mar 26, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4490-MO
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3482-MO
Aug 7, 2015Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-4238-MO
Mar 23, 2011Severe StormSevere Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disasterDR-1961-MO
Feb 3, 2011Severe StormSevere Winter StormEmergencyEM-3317-MO
Aug 17, 2010Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disasterDR-1934-MO
Jan 30, 2009Severe Ice StormSevere Winter StormEmergencyEM-3303-MO
Dec 27, 2007Severe Ice StormSevere Winter StormsMajor disasterDR-1736-MO
Dec 12, 2007Severe Ice StormSevere Winter StormsEmergencyEM-3281-MO
Jun 11, 2007Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1708-MO
Sep 10, 2005HurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3232-MO
Jun 11, 2004Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1524-MO
May 6, 2003Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1463-MO
Feb 6, 2002Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Ice StormMajor disasterDR-1403-MO
Jul 9, 1993FloodSevere Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-995-MO
Jun 21, 1984FloodSevere Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-713-MO
Sep 24, 1976DroughtDroughtEmergencyEM-3017-MO
Jun 10, 1974FloodSevere Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-439-MO
Nov 1, 1973FloodSevere Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-407-MO
Apr 19, 1973Severe StormHeavy Rains, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disasterDR-372-MO
Jul 27, 1965FloodSevere Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-203-MO

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.

How this compares

Where Clinton County stands among 115 counties in Missouri and 3,143 in the United States.

Ranks
Tornadoes since 19502653 / 1151,204 / 3,143
Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger168 / 1151,281 / 3,143
Tropical cyclones within 50 mi0——
Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi0——
Wildfire acres since 19840——
Flood insurance claims790 / 1152,449 / 3,143
Flood insurance paid$67,00098 / 1152,440 / 3,143
Disaster declarations2290 / 1151,187 / 3,143
Flood events since 199621108 / 1152,459 / 3,143
Hail and wind events since 199625953 / 1151,492 / 3,143
Winter storm events since 19964786 / 1152,035 / 3,143
Reported damage since 1996$378,000111 / 1153,053 / 3,143
River crests at major flood stage0——
High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years0.0——
Months in severe drought since 18951656 / 115636 / 3,143
Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years25.513 / 115615 / 3,143
Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 19000——
Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 19730——

Neighbouring counties

Neighbouring counties
Buchanan County2300623
Caldwell County1108971
Clay County3800799
DeKalb County21006
Platte County1700368
Ray County3400191

Sources and vintage

Every number on this page comes from these public records.

  • Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
  • Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
  • Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
  • Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
  • Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
  • Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00003947.
  • River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
  • Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.

Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.