Pemiscot County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Pemiscot County: 24.
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.

Every storm within 100 miles

1. 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.

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 (3).

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. Apr 2, 2006Tornado$60.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The tornado continued east out of Dunklin County into Pemiscot County. The tornado lifted near the Mississippi River. There were two fatalities in Braggadocio. One hundred thirty people were injured. The most affected area was the southern portion of Caruthersville. Two hundred twenty-six homes were destroyed and five hundred forty-two homes were damaged. In addition, the city of Caruthersville's water tower was destroyed, cutting off water access to the entire city.

2. Jan 26, 2009Ice Storm, Pemiscot$25.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   One inch of ice fell over Pemiscot County. Widespread power outages occurred. Roads were impassable.

3. Dec 10, 2021Tornado$1.3 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The tornado seemed to reach its peak intensity as it moved into Pemiscot County, Missouri from Dunklin County, Missouri. A home along County Road 454 was substantially damaged. Further northeast, near Highway J and County Road 407, two homes were completely destroyed with debris carried off to the northeast. A fatality occurred in one of these homes. Several vehicles, including semi-tractor-trailers, were blown off of the road as the tornado crossed Interstates 55 and 155, resulting in another fatality. An indirect fatality occurred when a vehicle struck a downed utility pole. Aerial and satellite imagery showed ground scouring marks in this area across the Mississippi River. The…

4. Oct 18, 2004Tornado$300,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   The tornado struck just south of Cooter and moved east. The tornado produced substantial damage to a farm house and a couple of modular homes. The tornado killed three persons who lived at the farm another injured seven others. A large grain trailer and several trees were blown over.

5. May 4, 2020Thunderstorm Wind$300,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   The macroburst that struck Dunklin and caused widespread damage in southern New Madrid County then spread into northern Pemiscot County causing widespread damage in Wardell. Trees fell on houses. Numerous power lines were knocked down. A mobile home was blown over and several buildings were damaged. Several homes suffered roof damage.

6. May 1, 2011Flood$250,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   The Mississippi River rose to record levels in Caruthersville by mid-May. The city of Caruthersville held back the river by reinforcing the flood wall with sandbags thus the city was able to stay mainly dry with the exception of a few streets that were flooded. However, surrounding areas were flooded including many agriculture fields and a few homes right along the river. The casino boat in Caruthersville was closed due to flooding. Barge traffic was closed for a short time on the river. The river remained above flood stage through the end of the month.

7. Apr 27, 2026Thunderstorm Wind$250,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A survey team found the damage to Central Elementary School in Steele, MO, was associated with straight-line winds. A significant portion of the roof of one of the school buildings was removed and blown to the east. Numerous small branches and several larger tree limbs were downed adjacent to the school and nearby park. Damage patterns and a review of security footage were consistent with straight-line wind damage, likely associated with a microburst. No additional damage was noted in the area. Maximum estimated wind speeds were 80 mph.

8. Mar 15, 2025Tornado$200,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A small barn outbuilding was destroyed as the tornado crossed the Dunklin and Pemiscot County line. Several windows were blown out of a home and vehicles on County Road 291, with additional trees snapped, irrigation pivots overturned, and power poles damaged on County Roads 286 and 291. The tornado intensified along County Road 268, where multiple concrete electrical poles were either snapped or broken. The tornado continued to the northeast with additional wooden power poles and irrigation pivots damaged and overturned before lifting to the southwest of County Road 221 near Homestown. Peak winds were estimated at 120 mph in Pemiscot County.

9. Sep 14, 2008Tropical Storm, Pemiscot$150,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   High winds from Tropical Storm Ike affected Pemiscot County. Winds were estimated between 30 and 40 knots. Two injuries occurred from the storm. One from a tree fallong onto a house in Caruthersville. The second from a firefighter from a falling tree limb while trying to rescue a person trapped in their home from a fallen tree. Numerous trees and power lines were knocked down across the county.

10. May 24, 2000Thunderstorm Wind$150,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Several mobile homes were destroyed. Numerous houses were damaged. Numerous trees and power lines were knocked down.

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

108°F2 times, most recently Jun 30, 2012

All-time low

−15°F2 times, most recently Jan 17, 1982

Warmest night

84°FJul 15, 1977

Coldest day

4°FJan 21, 1985

Wettest day

8.16 inSep 23, 2006

Snowiest day

9.0 inMar 6, 2015

Hottest year

2012mean 62.5°F

Coldest year

1961mean 57.2°F

Wettest year

197557.61 in

Driest year

198629.62 in

Snowiest season

14.5 in2009-10

Station Malden Municipal Airport (USC00235207), 290 ft elevation, 32.0 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1960 to October 12, 2026; 85.2% 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 USC00235207.
• 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.