St. Louis city

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within St. Louis city: 15.
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 (6).

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 16, 2025Tornado$1.6 billion
   National Weather Service narrative

   The tornado was its widest and strongest in St. Louis City. After it crossed into the City, the tornado caused major tree and structural damage in and around Forest Park and its northern neighborhoods. The then EF-3 tornado continued northeast into North St. Louis City where 4 individuals lost their lives. Continuing northeast still, the tornado began to weaken. Overall, thousands of buildings were damaged in St. Louis City costing an estimated $1.6 billion in damages.

2. Jul 26, 2022Flash Flood$85.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Up to 9 inches of rain fell in a period of 8 hours causing catastrophic flooding in portions of the city of St. Louis. Numerous roads were flooded. There were multiple swift water rescues and scores of flooded interstates and homes across the City of St. Louis. One fatality was at the intersection of Skinker Boulevard and Enright Avenue, just north of the Delmar Loop, where a 60 year old man drowned after driving into the flooded roadway. Firefighters helped or rescued around 70 residents. Property damage was very significant in some hard-hit areas, including the southwest part of the city where 14 to 15 homes experienced significant flooding. A large number of unoccupied vehicles…

3. Nov 30, 2006Winter Storm, St. Louis (C)$50.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A major winter storm hit Central, Northeast, East Central and parts of Southeast Missouri from November 30 through Dcember 1. Over a foot of snow fell across parts of Central Missouri while a major ice storm hit parts of East Central and Southeast Missouri, including the St. Louis area. Ice accumulations of 1 inch or more downed trees and power lines resulting in at least 300,000 electric customers losing service for up to a week. Downed limbs and trees damaged homes and automobiles across the area as well. Many rural schools were closed for several days due to slick roads and power outages. The National Guard was called out to several counties to assist with debris removal and…

4. Dec 1, 2006Winter Storm, St. Louis (C)$1.3 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A major winter storm hit Central, Northeast, East Central and parts of Southeast Missouri from November 30 through Dcember 1. Over a foot of snow fell across parts of Central Missouri while a major ice storm hit parts of East Central and Southeast Missouri, including the St. Louis area. Ice accumulations of 1 inch or more downed trees and power lines resulting in at least 300,000 electric customers losing service for up to a week. Downed limbs and trees damaged homes and automobiles across the area as well. Many rural schools were closed for several days due to slick roads and power outages. The National Guard was called out to several counties to assist with debris removal and…

5. Jan 5, 2014Winter Storm, St. Louis (C)$1.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A very strong winter storm dropped 6 - 12 inches of snow across East Central Missouri. Strong northerly winds produced snow drifts of 2 to 5 feet. All schools and most businesses were closed on the 5th and 6th, with many schools remaining closed for several days due to very cold temperatures and wind chills.The City of St. Louis estimated at least $1 million was spent on snow removal.

6. Jul 1, 2023Thunderstorm Wind$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   Widespread wind damage across the northern portions of the city as a line of storms moved through. Numerous large trees, tree limbs, power poles and power lines were blown down. A woman who was waiting for the storm to pass was killed when a large tree was blown over, crushing the car in the alley of the 4100 block of Chouteau Avenue. Two historical cemeteries, Calvary and Bellefontaine, sustained widespread damage. Around 100 trees at Calvary and nearly 40 significant trees and 100 smaller ones at Bellefontaine, were either uprooted or snapped off near the base, as well as numerous tree limbs. Several gravestones were either damaged or destroyed by fallen trees and/or tree limbs.…

7. Feb 27, 1999Hail$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A hailstorm pounded St. Louis County and St. Louis City with hail up to 2 1/4 inch in diameter. Roofs and automobiles were damaged throughout the area, especially in a swath from west and south St. Louis County northeast into the City of St Louis. At a minimum, damage estimates were around $1 million.

8. May 11, 2016Thunderstorm Wind$500,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   As the line of severe storms moved through St. Louis, there were numerous large trees blown down on the west side of town in and around Forest Park. One large tree was blown down in the 6900 block of Dale Avenue, landing on 3 homes. One sustained major damage with the back half of the home crushed. No one was home at the time, but their dog was briefly trapped and was rescued unharmed. The two other homes hit sustained moderate damage. Also, several large trees were blown down in Tower Grove Park area. One large tree landed on an unoccupied pickup truck, destroying it.

9. May 25, 2004Thunderstorm Wind$350,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   A severe thunderstorm produced hail up to nickel size and damaging wind gusts across the City of St. Louis. Numerous trees and some power lines were downed. Several automobiles were damaged by fallen trees and branches.

10. Aug 10, 2025Flash Flood$300,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Heavy rain resulted in 15 cars being stranded on I-70 at Saint Louis Ave with the eastbound lane being closed for 30 minutes while firemen worked on clearing drains. Additional street flooding was reported to the west along Saint Louis Ave to Jefferson Ave where 5 to 6 inches of rainwater covered the street. Jefferson Ave was closed at Madison St due to water covering the roadway. To the southeast, water covered the roadway at 13th St at North Tucker Blvd and 13th Street at Cole Street. MoDOT also reported water over the roadway at I-44 and I-64 near the Poplar Street Bridge, though no cars were reported stranded here.

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

115°FJul 14, 1954

All-time low

−18°FJan 20, 1985

Warmest night

86°FJul 25, 2012

Coldest day

−5°FDec 24, 1983

Wettest day

8.64 inJul 26, 2022

Snowiest day

12.4 inMar 24, 2013

Hottest year

2012mean 61.2°F

Coldest year

1978mean 53.4°F

Wettest year

201561.24 in

Driest year

195320.59 in

Snowiest season

66.0 in1977-78

Station St. Louis Lambert International Airport (USW00013994), 531 ft elevation, 11.2 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1938 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.

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 USW00013994.
• 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.