ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Multiple St. Louis-area counties are among the most at-risk in the nation when extreme winter weather hits, according to a recent ranking.
The ranking dug into data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to break down which counties throughout the U.S. faced the highest consequences when snow and ice fell. It was published by Texas-based heating and cooling company HVAC Gnome.
The ranking placed St. Louis County, Clay County and Jackson County all within the nation's top 10 most at-risk.
Editor's note: The video above aired on Jan. 23.
St. Louis County ranked the third most at-risk in the nation due to winter weather and ice storm risks and expected financial losses. The county is expected to lose $5.1 million annually from winter weather events and just under $1 million annually from ice storms. Both costs are the fifth highest in the nation in their respective categories.
The St. Louis area has seen numerous winter storms in the 2000s and early 2010s, but they've become less frequent in the years following. The National Weather Service lists numerous winter storms and heavy snow events over the years throughout St. Louis, many causing damage to infrastructure, vehicles and tress in the area.
Clay and Jackson counties ranked ninth and tenth on the list, with St. Louis City not far behind as the twelfth most at-risk county.
Johnson County, Kansas, and Cook County, Illinois, ranked first and second as the most vulnerable to extreme winter weather.
"Johnson County deals with the highest expected financial loss from winter weather events — over $10 million. Cook County faces an estimated annual loss of over $68 million due to cold waves," the ranking said.
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