1 federal flood & hurricane disasters
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Power County, Idaho. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Flash flooding from summer thunderstorms dominates the flood profile of Power County. Over the last 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database records 28 flash flood events compared to 4 general flood events.
Recent history illustrates these seasonal risks. On August 17, 2023, extremely heavy rainfall dropping 1 to 2.5 inches in a three-hour span caused flash flooding in the Pocatello area and American Falls. Similarly, on August 13, 2022, widespread flash flooding occurred across southeastern Idaho after 1 to 3 inches of rain fell. Winter and spring weather also presents risks, as demonstrated in February 2017 when above-normal temperatures following extreme December and January snowfall caused extensive low-lying flooding throughout the month.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the most attention to properties vulnerable to intense summer convective storms, rapid snowmelt, and localized stormwater accumulation in low-lying areas.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
2 NOAA storm reports from Power County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Idaho flood stories →
5 federal disaster declarations since 1964, 1 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Hurricane Katrina | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Wildfires | Jul 27, 2000 |
| Heavy Rains & Flooding | Dec 31, 1964 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
32 since 1996: 28 flash floods and 4 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 9, 2024 | $100 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 9, 2024 | $300 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 9, 2024 | $1,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 17, 2023 | $15,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 13, 2022 | $4,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 31, 2021 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 30, 2021 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 1, 2021 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jun 9, 2024. Several reports of severe weather were received through the afternoon.
Flash Flood · Aug 17, 2023. Extremely heavy rainfall caused some flash flooding in the Pocatello area and American Falls. One to 2.5 inches of rain fell in a 3 hour time span.
Flash Flood · Aug 13, 2022. Extremely heavy rain fell with several reports of 1 to 3 inches falling. Flash flooding was widespread across southeasy Idaho.
Flash Flood · Jul 31, 2021. Sustained monsoonal flow brought more flooding to southeast Idaho on July 31st.
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Power County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.