Ozark County
Population 9,172 (2025) 745 sq mi
Property owners in Ozark County have filed 6 federal flood insurance claims since 1978, 92nd most of 115 counties in Missouri.
Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed
- Tornado damage paths since 195035
- Tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles since 1851, wider where stronger3
- Wildfire burn scars since 19847
At a glance
The record for Ozark County in eight numbers. Each links to its section below.
Acres burned since 1984
5,373
17th of 115 in Missouri
7 large fires; the largest was Unnamed, 2003
DetailsTropical cyclones within 50 mi
2
8th of 115 in Missouri
None at hurricane strength since 1851
DetailsStrongest tornado
F4
April 2, 1982, 20.0 mile path
Strongest tropical cyclone
TS
Tropical storm Ike, 2008, 0.0 miles away
Tornadoes
About one every 2.2 years since 1950, 4 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
April 2, 1982
F4, 20.0 mile path
500 yards wide; 2 killed along the whole path.
Deadliest
March 14, 2025
3 killed, EF3
4 injured along the whole path.
Most recent
Friday, March 14, 2025
EF3, 35.5 mile path
Within the past year.
Every recorded tornado
| Mar 14, 2025 | EF3 | 35.5 | 4 | 3 |
| May 26, 2024 | EF0 | 4.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 21, 2019 | EF1 | 12.9 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 30, 2019 | EF1 | 5.4 | 0 | 0 |
| May 24, 2015 | EF1 | 4.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 30, 2010 | EF1 | 11.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 30, 2010 | EF0 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 30, 2010 | EF1 | 3.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 30, 2010 | EF1 | 16.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 8, 2009 | EF1 | 1.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 31, 2008 | EF0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 2, 2007 | EF0 | 0.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 1, 2007 | EF3 | 15.0 | 0 | 1 |
| Nov 27, 2005 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 12, 2005 | F0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| May 5, 2003 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 12, 2002 | F1 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 27, 1994 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 30, 1993 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 16, 1984 | F1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 26, 1983 | F0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 24, 1982 | F2 | 17.0 | 4 | 0 |
| Dec 2, 1982 | F1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 1982 | F4 | 20.0 | 28 | 2 |
| Apr 11, 1979 | F1 | 2.7 | 2 | 0 |
| Mar 11, 1977 | F1 | 7.3 | 2 | 0 |
| May 7, 1973 | F1 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 9, 1968 | F0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 20, 1967 | F1 | 6.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 17, 1964 | F1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| May 7, 1961 | F3 | 43.8 | 10 | 0 |
| Mar 12, 1961 | F1 | 2.8 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 12, 1961 | F2 | 21.1 | 11 | 1 |
| May 9, 1959 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 5, 1955 | F0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
- Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Ozark County: 3.
- 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
2 passed within 50 miles since 1851; none at hurricane strength.
Strongest within 50 miles
September 14, 2008
Ike, Tropical storm
0.0 miles at closest approach, winds near 44 mph.
Most recent
September 14, 2008
Ike, Tropical storm
0.0 miles at closest approach.
Every storm within 100 miles
- Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.
National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.
Wildfire and smoke
5,373 acres burned in 7 large fires since 1984, equal to 1.1% of the land.
Largest
March 31, 2003
Unnamed Fire, 1,414 acres
1,415 acres inside Ozark County.
Most recent
March 20, 2021
3 Sisters Fire
669 acres in total.
Every large fire
| 3 Sisters | 2021 | 671 | 669 |
| Potato Cave | 2012 | 773 | 771 |
| Unnamed | 2011 | 522 | 522 |
| Cr-164 | 2011 | 174 | 699 |
| Mammoth | 2011 | 713 | 728 |
| Unnamed | 2007 | 1,102 | 1,098 |
| Unnamed | 2003 | 1,415 | 1,414 |
- Large fires mapped by the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program since 1984: 1,000 acres or more in the West, 500 or more in the East. Prescribed burns are excluded. Acres here are the part of each perimeter inside this place.
Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (USGS and U.S. Forest Service), 1984 to 2026.
Smoke overhead
Smokiest year
2023: 60 days
Heavy smoke on 11 days in 2021, the most of any year.
Last 10 years
18.0 days a year
Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.
2025
11 days
Medium or heavy smoke. 32 so far in 2026.
- 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
6 federal flood insurance claims since 1985, with $335,000 paid.
Claims by ZIP code
| 65655 | 6 | $335,000 |
Flood events since 1996
- Flood163
- Flash Flood126
- Heavy Rain13
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.
River crests
Most severe crest
April 30, 2017
North Fork White River near Tecumseh, 41.82 ft
21.82 feet above the 20.0 ft flood stage; major flooding by today’s categories.
Most recent moderate or major crest
November 5, 2024
Bryant Creek near Tecumseh, 29.79 ft
Major flooding.
River gauges
| Bryant Creek near Tecumseh | 16.0 | 33.07 ft | 3 |
| Little North Fork River at Thornfield | 12.0 | 16.46 ft | 0 |
| North Fork White River near Tecumseh | 20.0 | 41.82 ft | 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.
Drought
In severe drought or worse for 88 of 1,581 months since 1895 (6%); the longest spell lasted 22 months.
88
Months in severe drought or worse since 1895
36
Months in extreme drought
6%
Share of all months, severe or worse
21
Drought reports to the Weather Service since 1996
Lowest reading
August 1954
−5.89, extreme drought
Longest severe spell
22 months
August 1953 to May 1955.
Latest month
September 2026
−3.32, severe drought
- 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
42 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more within 50 miles since 1974; none reached magnitude 4.
1
Magnitude 2.5+ inside the county since 1973
11
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
July 7, 1991
Magnitude 3.9
11 km ENE of Brandsville, Missouri; 31.1 miles away, 4.8 miles deep.
Most recent, magnitude 3 or more
September 12, 2019
Magnitude 3.7
13 km N of Big Flat, Arkansas; 30.2 miles away.
- 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).
- 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
820 events in the National Weather Service record, 761 of them since 1996.
105
Hail reports, 1 inch or larger
12
Hail, 2 inches or larger
160
Damaging gusts, 58 mph+
43
Winter weather events since 1996
9
Heat events since 1996
8
Cold events since 1996
Largest hail
April 19, 2011
4.50 inches
Strongest measured or estimated gust
August 5, 2003
81 mph
More event types since 1996
| Lightning | 3 | 0 |
Costliest events since 1996
- Nov 4, 2024Flash Flood$6.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Highway-95 was closed due to flooding. Additional county property damages were reported throughout the entire county, primarily to dirt roads and bridges. Damage cost estimates are a reflection of the county as a whole.
- Apr 25, 2011Flash Flood$4.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Widespread flooding of low water crossings and rural roads throughout the county was reported by emergency management.||The total cost estimate for flooding damages for Ozark County for this entire episode has been included. This includes roads, bridges, and structures which were affected.
- Apr 30, 2017Flash Flood$3.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Numerous homes and business sustained severe flood damage across Ozark County. Numerous roads and bridges were severely damaged or washed away across the county. Dawt Mill suffered extreme flood damage as well as other river outfitters. This report will contain the total dollar estimate for flood damage to infrastructure, businesses, and homes across Ozark County.
- May 8, 2009Thunderstorm Wind$3.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Sixty to 80 mph wind gusts impacted much of Ozark County. The northern half of the county experienced the greatest damage, mainly in the form of uprooted trees. A few outbuildings were also damaged. The Ozark County Times, a newspaper in Gainesville, stated that thousands of trees were damaged. Power poles were also impacted, knocking out power to 2,300 residences and businesses. There were also a few outbuildings in Theodosia and Isabella that were completely destroyed.
- Mar 14, 2025Tornado$2.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
This is the continued path of the tornado that came out of Baxter County Arkansas. An EF-3 tornado with peak winds of 145 mph moved through Bakersfield, Missouri resulting in three fatalities and four injuries. In Ozark County, the tornado destroyed several homes and damaged dozens of other homes. Multiple cars were rolled 50 to 100 yards. Numerous trees were also uprooted including entire groves of trees destroyed. This tornado then moved northeast into Howell County.
- Mar 18, 2008Flash Flood$1.0 million
National Weather Service narrative
Five to seven inches of rain fell over Ozark County. All areas that typically experience flooding during periods of excessive rain were flooded.
- Apr 30, 2010Tornado$875,000
National Weather Service narrative
An EF-1 tornado with maximum winds estimated at 110 mph damaged 30 homes, some severely, along with numerous barns and other outbuildings. Hundreds of oaks trees were damaged including many that were uprooted or snapped.
- Jul 7, 2015Flash Flood$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
State Highway 95 was closed due to flooding. This storm report will contain the overall flood damage estimates across the entire Ozark County for this storm event. There were several episodes and heavy rainfall events which led to a compound affect to the flooding damage. Numerous roads, bridges, and low water crossings were heavily damaged.
- Mar 23, 2011Wildfire, Ozark$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
Two wildfires burned a total of 680 acres across southwestern Ozark county. Three homes and a few smaller out buildings were consumed in the larger fire near Dugginsville.
- Dec 28, 2015Flash Flood$500,000
National Weather Service narrative
Route J north of Highway T was closed near Lick Creek. Nearly all low water crossings were flood across the county. Numerous rural and county roads sustained significant flood damage. There were several buildings that suffered flood damage. This storm report will contain the damage estimates for the entire county for this event.
- 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 Mountain Home 1 Nnw, 19.2 miles from the county’s population centre, with records from 1902.
- All-time high
- 114°FAug 9, 1934
- All-time low
- −16°FDec 9, 1917
- Warmest night
- 81°F4 times, most recently Jul 6, 2012
- Coldest day
- 2°FJan 12, 1918
- Wettest day
- 8.95 inSep 4, 1985
- Snowiest day
- 14.0 in2 times, most recently Mar 9, 1994
- Hottest year
- 1921mean 62.0°F
- Coldest year
- 2014mean 55.7°F
- Wettest year
- 192774.54 in
- Driest year
- 195325.97 in
- Snowiest season
- 36.7 in1917-18
Median first snow
December 26
Earliest: October 30, 1925
Median last snow
February 25
Latest: April 7, 2018
4 of 95 winters had no measurable snow.
Station Mountain Home 1 Nnw (USC00035036), 800 ft elevation, 19.2 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1902 to October 27, 2026; 97.5% 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
27 since 1953. The most recent: Severe Storms and Flooding, July 22, 2025.
| Jul 22, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4885-MO |
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4867-MO |
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4872-MO |
| Jan 1, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4855-MO |
| Sep 21, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4741-MO |
| Mar 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4490-MO |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3482-MO |
| Jul 9, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4451-MO |
| Jun 2, 2017 | Flood | DR-4317-MO |
| Jan 21, 2016 | Flood | DR-4250-MO |
| Jan 2, 2016 | Flood | EM-3374-MO |
| Aug 7, 2015 | Severe Storm | DR-4238-MO |
| Sep 6, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4144-MO |
| May 9, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1980-MO |
| Feb 3, 2011 | Severe Storm | EM-3317-MO |
| Jun 19, 2009 | Severe Storm | DR-1847-MO |
| Feb 17, 2009 | Severe Storm | DR-1822-MO |
| Jan 30, 2009 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3303-MO |
| Nov 13, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1809-MO |
| Mar 19, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1749-MO |
| Mar 12, 2008 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-1748-MO |
| Dec 12, 2007 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3281-MO |
| Sep 10, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3232-MO |
| May 6, 2002 | Severe Storm | DR-1412-MO |
| Jul 9, 1993 | Flood | DR-995-MO |
| Sep 24, 1976 | Drought | EM-3017-MO |
| Apr 19, 1973 | Severe Storm | DR-372-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 Ozark County stands among 115 counties in Missouri and 3,143 in the United States.
| Tornadoes since 1950 | 35 | 28 / 115 |
| Tornadoes rated F3/EF3 or stronger | 4 | 21 / 115 |
| Tropical cyclones within 50 mi | 2 | 8 / 115 |
| Hurricane-strength passes within 50 mi | 0 | — |
| Wildfire acres since 1984 | 5,373 | 17 / 115 |
| Flood insurance claims | 6 | 92 / 115 |
| Flood insurance paid | $335,000 | 75 / 115 |
| Disaster declarations | 27 | 28 / 115 |
| Flood events since 1996 | 302 | 6 / 115 |
| Hail and wind events since 1996 | 355 | 30 / 115 |
| Winter storm events since 1996 | 43 | 103 / 115 |
| Reported damage since 1996 | $23.7 million | 44 / 115 |
| River crests at major flood stage | 4 | 43 / 115 |
| High tide flooding days a year, last 10 years | 0.0 | — |
| Months in severe drought since 1895 | 88 | 104 / 115 |
| Medium or heavy smoke days a year, last 10 years | 18.0 | 112 / 115 |
| Earthquakes M4+ within 50 mi since 1900 | 0 | — |
| Earthquakes M2.5+ in the county since 1973 | 1 | 26 / 115 |
Neighbouring counties
| Baxter County AR | 23 | 2 |
| Douglas County | 41 | 2 |
| Fulton County AR | 22 | 3 |
| Howell County | 46 | 3 |
| Marion County AR | 23 | 1 |
| Taney County | 23 | 1 |
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 USC00035036.
- 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.