Rolla, MO Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
Hot Rankings
The chance of earthquake damage in Rolla is lower than Missouri average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Rolla is much lower than Missouri average and is about the same as the national average.
Earthquake Index, #436
| Rolla, MO | 0.10 |
| Missouri | 0.70 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #1
| Rolla, MO | 0.0000 |
| Missouri | 0.0000 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #1123
| Rolla, MO | 137.03 |
| Missouri | 214.01 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 2,343 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Rolla, MO were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 1 | Cold: | 5 | Dense Fog: | 1 | Drought: | 1 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 362 | Hail: | 1,019 | Heat: | 13 | Heavy Snow: | 11 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 0 | Ice Storm: | 7 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 0 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 861 | Tropical Storm: | 0 | Wildfire: | 5 | Winter Storm: | 16 | Winter Weather: | 2 |
| Other: | 39 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Rolla, MO.
Historical Earthquake Events
A total of 2 historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Rolla, MO.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Depth (km) | Latitude | Longitude |
| 33.2 | 1965-03-06 | 5.3 | N/A | 37.83 | -91.17 |
| 37.7 | 1965-10-21 | 5.2 | N/A | 37.85 | -91.08 |
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 40 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Rolla, MO.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 0.4 | 1966-12-08 | 2 | 37°57'N / 91°46'W | 0.20 Mile | 17 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Phelps | |
| 0.4 | 1973-06-04 | 2 | 37°57'N / 91°46'W | 0.30 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Phelps | |
| 3.2 | 2010-12-31 | 3 | 37°56'N / 91°48'W | 38°02'N / 91°39'W | 11.00 Miles | 500 Yards | 2 | 6 | 1.0M | 0K | Phelps |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A NWS survey team determined that an EF-3 tornado occurred north of Rolla. The heaviest damage occurred between state Highway E and County Road 8040. Two single wide mobile homes were completely destroyed with debris thrown upstream while the frames were detached. Two fatalities occurred in one of these homes. A two story home had all but its interior walls destroyed. Several cars were thrown with one vehicle thrown over the destroyed home. Minor to moderate roof and tree damage occurred at various locations near the starting point to Highway 63 north of Rolla. There was primarily tree damage between Highway 63 and Highway 68. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Between the evening of the 30th and the morning of the 31st, two separate lines of thunderstorms produced significant severe weather across southwest Missouri including damaging wind, large hail, and deadly tornadoes. The first round of storms lifted out of Arkansas late on the evening of the 30th and the second round moved out of western Kansas shortly before daybreak on the 31st. | |||||||||||
| 8.3 | 1999-06-01 | 3 | 38°00'N / 91°41'W | 38°00'N / 91°34'W | 7.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3.5M | 0 | Phelps |
| Brief Description: A tornado with an intermittent damage path, damaged 200 homes, businesses, and other buildings in the southern portion of St. James. Of these, 33 homes were destroyed along with the St. James Golf Course clubhouse and two Missouri Department of Transportation (MODOT) buildings. Initially, the tornado touched down just west of the intersection of Hwy BB and County Road (CR) 3370 and produced F1 damage, damaging roofs and destroying a barn. The path width was about 200 yards. The tornado then moved east, south of the downtown St. James area and intensified. F2-F3 damage occurred with a 200-300 yard damage path. Several homes and farm buildings were severely damaged or destroyed. F3 damage occurred at the golf course and at the MODOT site south-southeast of town with a damage path width of 300 yards. The tornado then weakened rapidly, producing F1 damage with a damage path width of 150 yards about 3 miles southeast of downtown. | |||||||||||
| 8.7 | 1960-11-15 | 2 | 38°04'N / 91°43'W | 2.00 Miles | 17 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Maries | |
| 11.7 | 1982-04-16 | 2 | 38°05'N / 91°57'W | 38°07'N / 91°45'W | 13.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Maries |
| 11.8 | 1978-05-12 | 2 | 37°59'N / 92°01'W | 38°01'N / 91°55'W | 5.60 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Phelps |
| 12.3 | 2008-01-07 | 3 | 37°54'N / 92°01'W | 37°56'N / 91°57'W | 5.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 110K | 0K | Phelps |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-3 tornado tracked into northeast Phelps County. The tornado impacted areas on the northern edge of Jerome destroying one home and several oubuildings. EPISODE NARRATIVE: An unusual mid winter tornado outbreak occurred over southwest and central Missouri. 31 tornadoes struck the region within a 15 hour time frame on 7 January into early morning 8 January. Two tornadoes intensified to EF-3 status while five tornadoes caused EF-2 damage. All other tornadoes during this outbreak were surveyed and given EF-0 and EF-1 status. Multiple training supercells spawned most of these tornadoes that occurred along the Interstate 44 corridor. Toward the end of this episode, a broken squall line spawned numerous EF-0 and EF-1 tornadoes across the southern Missouri Ozarks. | |||||||||||
| 14.2 | 1999-06-01 | 2 | 37°44'N / 91°48'W | 37°45'N / 91°47'W | 1.00 Mile | 250 Yards | 0 | 0 | 60K | 0 | Dent |
| Brief Description: A tornado touched down northeast of Edgar Springs and moved into rural areas in northwest Dent County. 12 homes were damaged and 2 were destroyed in the Edgar Springs area. One mobile home was severely damaged in northwest Dent County. Numerous trees and power lines were downed. | |||||||||||
| 14.3 | 1999-06-01 | 2 | 37°44'N / 91°49'W | 37°45'N / 91°48'W | 1.00 Mile | 250 Yards | 0 | 0 | 175K | 0 | Phelps |
| Brief Description: A tornado touched down northeast of Edgar Springs and moved into rural areas in northwest Dent County. 12 homes were damaged and 2 were destroyed in the Edgar Springs area. One mobile home was severely damaged in northwest Dent County. Numerous trees and power lines were downed. | |||||||||||
| 15.2 | 2008-01-07 | 3 | 37°54'N / 92°03'W | 37°54'N / 92°01'W | 2.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 3 | 1.0M | 0K | Pulaski |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-3 tornado tracked across a rural section of northeast Pulaski County. A few homes and several outbuildings were destroyed. The tornado then tracked into northeast Phelps County. EPISODE NARRATIVE: An unusual mid winter tornado outbreak occurred over southwest and central Missouri. 31 tornadoes struck the region within a 15 hour time frame on 7 January into early morning 8 January. Two tornadoes intensified to EF-3 status while five tornadoes caused EF-2 damage. All other tornadoes during this outbreak were surveyed and given EF-0 and EF-1 status. Multiple training supercells spawned most of these tornadoes that occurred along the Interstate 44 corridor. Toward the end of this episode, a broken squall line spawned numerous EF-0 and EF-1 tornadoes across the southern Missouri Ozarks. | |||||||||||
| 19.6 | 1960-11-15 | 2 | 38°13'N / 91°43'W | 38°14'N / 91°41'W | 1.30 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Maries |
| 20.7 | 1978-05-12 | 2 | 37°56'N / 92°16'W | 37°59'N / 92°01'W | 13.90 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 4 | 2.5M | 0 | Pulaski |
| 21.5 | 1982-04-16 | 2 | 38°06'N / 91°25'W | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Crawford | |||
| 23.2 | 1966-10-14 | 2 | 37°44'N / 92°14'W | 37°53'N / 92°04'W | 13.70 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 6 | 2.5M | 0 | Pulaski |
| 23.3 | 1968-04-03 | 2 | 37°35'N / 91°48'W | 37°38'N / 91°44'W | 4.70 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Texas |
| 24.3 | 1974-04-14 | 2 | 38°03'N / 91°24'W | 38°05'N / 91°17'W | 6.50 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Crawford |
| 25.6 | 1988-11-15 | 2 | 37°49'N / 92°14'W | 37°51'N / 92°11'W | 3.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Pulaski |
| 25.7 | 2010-12-31 | 3 | 37°41'N / 92°11'W | 37°45'N / 92°05'W | 8.00 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 4 | 90.0M | 0K | Pulaski |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A NWS storm survey team determined that a tornado occurred over Fort Leonard Wood. Numerous homes were destroyed on the east side of the base. Several homes suffered complete wall damage. A total of 159 homes were damaged with 41 destroyed and 32 others with significant damage. Extensive to moderate damage occurred to numerous military training areas, moderate damage occurred to installation utility systems, and extensive damage occurred in one installation family housing area. The water treatment plant on the base was severely damage which completely lost its second level of the building. The tornado disrupted the base's power supply system, shut off the water system, and damaged gas lines on the base. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Between the evening of the 30th and the morning of the 31st, two separate lines of thunderstorms produced significant severe weather across southwest Missouri including damaging wind, large hail, and deadly tornadoes. The first round of storms lifted out of Arkansas late on the evening of the 30th and the second round moved out of western Kansas shortly before daybreak on the 31st. | |||||||||||
| 27.1 | 1984-04-29 | 2 | 38°13'N / 91°36'W | 38°22'N / 91°27'W | 14.00 Miles | 10 Yards | 0 | 10 | 25.0M | 0 | Gasconade |
| 28.3 | 1968-04-03 | 2 | 37°30'N / 91°53'W | 37°35'N / 91°48'W | 7.20 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Texas |
| 31.3 | 1957-05-21 | 3 | 37°33'N / 91°30'W | 37°37'N / 91°20'W | 10.20 Miles | 440 Yards | 0 | 2 | 25K | 0 | Dent |
| 35.8 | 1980-04-07 | 2 | 37°51'N / 92°25'W | 37°52'N / 92°24'W | 0 | 3 | 2.5M | 0 | Camden | ||
| 36.1 | 1983-05-01 | 3 | 38°27'N / 91°55'W | 38°29'N / 91°43'W | 9.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 3 | 2.5M | 0 | Osage |
| 39.6 | 1967-12-21 | 4 | 37°41'N / 91°08'W | 37°44'N / 91°04'W | 5.10 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 5 | 2.5M | 0 | Iron |
| 40.3 | 1988-03-24 | 2 | 37°20'N / 91°55'W | 37°24'N / 91°47'W | 12.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 5 | 2.5M | 0 | Texas |
| 41.2 | 1966-10-14 | 2 | 38°06'N / 92°31'W | 38°09'N / 92°27'W | 4.90 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Miller |
| 42.1 | 1954-03-25 | 4 | 37°22'N / 92°10'W | 37°27'N / 92°05'W | 7.20 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Texas |
| 42.8 | 1980-04-07 | 2 | 38°24'N / 91°19'W | 38°28'N / 91°14'W | 6.50 Miles | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Franklin |
| 43.8 | 1975-09-11 | 2 | 37°20'N / 91°58'W | 0.30 Mile | 40 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Texas | |
| 44.8 | 1966-10-14 | 2 | 38°02'N / 92°35'W | 38°03'N / 92°34'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Camden | ||
| 45.6 | 1986-10-03 | 2 | 38°22'N / 92°25'W | 38°24'N / 92°22'W | 3.30 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Cole |
| 46.0 | 1969-06-22 | 4 | 37°57'N / 91°06'W | 38°00'N / 90°44'W | 20.20 Miles | 800 Yards | 2 | 22 | 2.5M | 0 | Washington |
| 46.3 | 1986-10-03 | 2 | 38°20'N / 92°28'W | 38°22'N / 92°25'W | 6.70 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Miller |
| 46.9 | 1966-10-14 | 2 | 37°31'N / 92°29'W | 37°35'N / 92°26'W | 5.20 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Laclede |
| 47.0 | 1967-12-21 | 4 | 37°44'N / 91°04'W | 37°57'N / 90°45'W | 22.80 Miles | 200 Yards | 3 | 47 | 2.5M | 0 | Washington |
| 48.1 | 1954-03-25 | 4 | 37°19'N / 92°14'W | 37°22'N / 92°10'W | 4.90 Miles | 100 Yards | 2 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Texas |
| 48.1 | 2009-05-08 | 2 | 37°37'N / 92°33'W | 37°39'N / 92°33'W | 2.00 Miles | 440 Yards | 0 | 0 | 500K | 0K | Laclede |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A National Weather Service storm survey revealed that an EF-2 tornado touched down near the small community of Oakland. This tornado damaged numerous outbuildings and destroyed a mobile home. EPISODE NARRATIVE: An intense squall line impacted extreme southeast Kansas and the Missouri Ozarks with mainly damaging winds. However, 19 tornadoes along with large hail was also observed. Due to the straight line nature of the winds, damage was widespread and intense. | |||||||||||
| 48.2 | 1960-11-15 | 2 | 37°35'N / 92°40'W | 37°38'N / 92°24'W | 14.90 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 3 | 25K | 0 | Laclede |
| 48.2 | 1979-04-11 | 3 | 37°02'N / 92°06'W | 37°30'N / 91°50'W | 35.40 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 9 | 2.5M | 0 | Texas |
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.