Lewis County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Lewis 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.

Smoke overhead

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.

Claims by ZIP code

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.

River crests

River gauges

1. Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.

NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.

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.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

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.

Mapped landslides

Mapped by MO DNR (17).

1. Landslides mapped in the USGS compilation of landslide inventories across the United States (version 3.0, 2025), rated probable or better. The compilation joins inventories made by federal and state agencies for different purposes and areas, so the number mapped in a county reflects how closely it has been surveyed as much as how often its slopes fail. An area with few records may simply not have been mapped. Deaths are as recorded in the inventories; a slide listed in two inventories is counted once.

USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0, retrieved October 27, 2026.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. May 10, 2003Tornado$5.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A tornado formed just north of the Marion Lewis County line and continued northeast for 20 miles, eventually causing major damage in the city of Canton. The tornado first formed southeast of Steffenville where it damaged a barn and other outbuildings. Six homes suffered varying degrees of roof damage as the tornado crossed Highway N south of Ewing. The tornado crossed Highway 6 southeast of Ewing and damaged an electric substation. From Highway CC north to Highway P, about 20 homes and farm buildings suffered varying degrees of roof, siding and window damage. Numerous large trees were either uprooted or snapped off near the ground as well. The tornado crossed Highway 61 just…

2. Apr 8, 1999Tornado$2.1 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A tornado tore a 16 mile path of destruction across Lewis County causing an estimated $2.1 million in damage. The tornado first formed near LaBelle, where it destroyed a modular home and seriously damaged another home. Several barns were destroyed as were numerous sheds and other farm outbuildings. Several homes in town also sustained roof and siding damage. A pickup truck was picked up and moved about 100 yards. The woman occupant suffered minor injuries. The tornado moved northeast and reached its maximum strength in the Midway area, near the intersection of Highway H and Y. In this area 2 homes were considered destroyed as were 3 barns and numerous sheds and outbuildings. The…

3. Jun 4, 2008Flood$940,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   The Mississippi River at Canton, MO crested at 27.73 feet on 6/18. This is the second highest crest ever recorded. A major sandbagging effort by the residents, the Missouri National Guard, and volunteers saved much of the town from flooding. Levee breaks upstream on the Illinois side also helped lower the crest, as initially, a record crest was expected. Further south, the town of LaGrange was not as lucky. At least 30 homes and 12 business were flooded. Damage to public infrastructure was estimated at $940,000. Agricultural damage was estimated at $8.9 million.

4. Apr 30, 1997Tornado$200,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A tornado left an intermittant path of damage from south central Lewis County, Missouri into Adams County, Illinois. A machine shed was destroyed near Ewing where the tornado first formed. The storm moved quickly northeast causing intermittant tree damage and some roof damage to homes and outbuildings until it approached Canton. On the northwest side of Canton 4 homes suffered major roof damage. According to emergency management officials, 10 homes suffered major roof damage, another 30 minor damage. About 20 outbuidings were destroyed. Once the tornado crossed the Mississippi River into Ilinois, the tornado weakened and only caused tree damage. There was injury near Canton. An 18…

5. Apr 5, 2001Hail$30,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A severe thunderstorm dropped hail from 3/4 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter in the Ewing area. Vehicles were reported damaged by the hail along Highway 6 southeast of Ewing.

6. Apr 30, 1997Tornado$20,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A small tornado formed just west of La Grange, Missouri and moved northeast into Illinois. In La Grange, some trees and power lines were downed, homes suffered minor roof damage and some windows were broken. In Illinois, some outbuildings were destroyed near Marcelline.

7. Jun 3, 2008Flash Flood$16,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Three to five inches of rain fell over Lewis county in a short amount of time on June 3rd. Numerous secondary roads had water flowing over them including Highway J south of Lewistown, Highway 6 in Lewistown, and Highway 16 east of Monticello. County Roads 305 and 356 had a section of road washed out due to the heavy rains.

8. May 30, 2008Tornado$10,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   The tornado first formed about 1/4 mile east of Highway 6 on Heritage Road where it damaged several pine trees. The tornado moved east-northeast and damaged three machine sheds. The tornado then snapped several utility poles and damaged more machine sheds. Some of the debris from the machine sheds was tossed 200 yards with two by four boards driven into the ground. The tornado continued to damage trees just west of Highway C. The tornado crossed Highway C and damaged a machine shed and grain bin.

9. Sep 18, 2022Thunderstorm Wind$10,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Thunderstorm winds caused moderate damage to a farm outbuilding.

10. Apr 18, 2013Flood$5,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    The Mississippi River rose to major flood levels along the border of Lewis County. The river crested on April 21st, but remained above flood stage into May. Damage was limited to a few roads closed and agricultural lowlands.

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.

All-time high

110°FJul 30, 1980

All-time low

−20°F4 times, most recently Jan 11, 1982

Warmest night

83°FJul 15, 1980

Coldest day

−10°FDec 25, 1983

Wettest day

6.57 inSep 20, 1986

Snowiest day

14.0 inFeb 2, 2011

Hottest year

1990mean 57.1°F

Coldest year

1996mean 49.6°F

Wettest year

197359.81 in

Driest year

195619.57 in

Snowiest season

58.1 in1964-65

Station Canton L&d 20 (USC00231275), 490 ft elevation, 7.7 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1937 to October 24, 2026; 95.4% 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.

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.

Neighbouring counties

• 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 USC00231275.
• 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.
• Landslides USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0 (2025).
• 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.