Enter any address in Emmet County, Iowa to see its FEMA flood zone
Flood events, including flash floods, are the dominant flood character in Emmet County, IA. Between May and July 2024, the county experienced multiple rounds of heavy rainfall. For example, rainfall from May 20 through May 25 led to flash flooding, and subsequent heavy rains on June 21 and June 22 caused renewed flash flooding and contributed to significant river flooding. These events resulted in road closures and impacts to homes and businesses.
NFIP claims data indicates that while Zone A areas have seen the most claims, Zone X_Unshaded areas have had higher average payouts. Residents in areas designated as Zone A, Zone X, and Zone X_Unshaded, particularly those located near rivers or in low-lying areas, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
69 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Emmet County, Iowa has recorded 84 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 13 flash floods and 71 river or area floods. The county has received 19 federal disaster declarations, 8 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1965–2024)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Jun 16, 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, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 6, 2018 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Flood | Jun 14, 2014 |
| 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 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | May 24, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 22, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 21, 2024 | 10.00M |
| Flood | Jul 1, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 9, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 14, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 13, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 1, 2019 | 200.00K |
| Flood | Jun 1, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 1, 2019 | 0.00K |
Flood — May 24, 2024
There were several rounds of rainfall over the period starting around May 20 through around May 25. This is when there were two rounds of heavy rainfall along with severe thunderstorms including tornadoes and straight-line winds, detailed in respective severe entries for the month. 60-hour rainfall totals ending May 21 at 7pm were up to 4 to 6 inches over portions of Marshall, Tama, Poweshiek, ...
Flood — Jun 22, 2024
Heavy rain began late on June 21 and continued into the morning of June 22 as storms persisted along a stalled war front over northern Iowa. A widespread 3-4 inches of rain fell in northern Iowa, resulting in a few road closures across the area. This heavy rain also pushed rivers in northwest Iowa even higher, the catalyst for what would be in some cases catastrophic river flooding in the days ...
Flood — Jun 21, 2024
Heavy rain fell over portions of northern Iowa, especially northwestern Iowa and bordering states later on June 20 through early on June 21. This rainfall caused flash flooding in portions of northwest Iowa and also aided in saturating the soil. As another round of heavy rain fell later on June 21 into the night and morning of June 22, this rainfall led to renewed flash flooding. This rainfall ...
Flood — Jul 1, 2024
Significant, and at times record, river flooding in northwest Iowa continued from June into July. Flooding resulted in massive sandbagging efforts, prolonged road closures and damages, and impacts to home and businesses. Continued heavy rain in early July kept some locations in flood through the middle of the month.
Flood — Mar 9, 2020
Minnesota snow melt in early March resulted in rising river levels along the Des Moines River and ultimately a short time in minor flood stage in Estherville on March 9th.
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Individual Claims (2.25M records analyzed).
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Emmet 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 Emmet 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.