Enter any address in Calhoun County, Iowa to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall events is the dominant flood character in Calhoun County. Between 2003 and 2023, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 38 flood events and 23 flash flood events. Recent examples include flash flooding on June 21, 2019, following periods of moderate to heavy rainfall that overwhelmed saturated soils, and river flooding on December 14, 2015, when one to three inches of rain fell over two days, causing area streams and creeks to overflow and leading to road closures.
Homeowners, journalists, and real estate agents should pay close attention to flood risk information, particularly those residing in or near flood zones.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
52 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Calhoun County, Iowa has recorded 61 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 23 flash floods and 38 river or area floods. The county has received 18 federal disaster declarations, 4 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1979–2024)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 20, 2024 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Dec 15, 2021 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Flood | Mar 12, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Jun 1, 2010 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Jan 19, 2010 |
| Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm | Severe Storm | Dec 23, 2009 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Aug 17, 2007 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Severe Storm | Feb 23, 2007 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 21, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 20, 2018 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 15, 2016 | 15.00K |
| Flood | Dec 14, 2015 | 20.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 27, 2010 | 25.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 27, 2010 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 22, 2010 | 250.00K |
| Flood | Jun 12, 2010 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 10, 2010 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 28, 2007 | 50.00K |
Flash Flood — Jun 21, 2019
Periods of moderate to heavy rainfall are not uncommon throughout the spring and summer months, but given the very wet spring across Iowa, soils were primed and unable to hold copious amounts of new rainfall. The overall setup for this event was somewhat typical with a shortwave moving through the parent flow, and 850 mb low level jet aiding in convective initiation and moisture transport, prec...
Flash Flood — Jun 20, 2018
Without even looking at supporting variables, the setup for impactful weather could be gleaned from the general setup. A weak surface pressure system was slowly working its way across Iowa, situating its relevant boundaries primarily across southwest and southern Iowa. Within the warm sector, dew points were high in the low to mid 70s, especially considering afternoon air temperatures were only...
Flash Flood — Sep 15, 2016
Storms initiated out in the Nebraska Panhandle area the night prior, translating eastward through the night across northern Nebraska and southern South Dakota. As the storms approached and entered northern Iowa and southern Minnesota they strengthened, expanded in aerial coverage, and turned southward along the instability gradient. The primary results of the storms were gusty winds and heavy...
Flood — Dec 14, 2015
Heavy rain that fell across the state in mid-December led to river flooding at many locations across central and southern Iowa. The ground was already saturated from a wet fall, with new rainfall of one to 3 inches fell across the area in a two-day span. The heavy rainfall also allowed for many area streams and creeks to reach bankfull or go into flood. County roads across several counties were...
Flash Flood — Jun 27, 2010
An extremely unstable airmass remained in place over Iowa on the afternoon of the 26th. Low pressure was over southeast South Dakota, with a warm front extending east-southeast into east central Iowa and a cold front extending southwest into northwest Kansas. A 30 t0 40 kt low level jet feed moisture north ahead of the approaching cold front. Surface temperatures warmed into the low 90s with...
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Calhoun County, Iowa:
AE High Risk — 1% annual chance of flooding. Insurance required.
VE Very High Risk — Coastal flooding with wave action.
X (Shaded) Moderate Risk — 500-year floodplain.
X Low Risk — Outside major floodplains.
Properties in Calhoun County, Iowa that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with federally backed mortgages are required to carry flood insurance.
Even outside high-risk zones, flood insurance is recommended. From 2014 to 2024, nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area.
Visit FloodSmart.gov to find an agent and get a quote.