Enter any address in Guthrie County, Iowa to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall events is the primary flood hazard in Guthrie County. Between 1993 and 2023, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 41 flash flood events and 39 flood events. Recent examples include flash flooding on May 21, 2024, following multiple rounds of thunderstorms that dropped 2 to 4 inches of rainfall across portions of central Iowa. Another flash flood event occurred on April 22, 2022, when over 3 inches of rain in a narrow corridor led to brief road closures in towns.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $23,102 and an average water depth of -1.8 feet. While fewer claims have been filed in Zone X and Zone X_Unshaded, these areas have also seen some flood damage. Homeowners, particularly those in Zone A and areas prone to rapid rainfall accumulation, should be aware of their flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
72 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Guthrie County, Iowa has recorded 80 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 41 flash floods and 39 river or area floods. The county has received 17 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 (1974–2021)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Dec 15, 2021 |
| Severe Storms | Severe Storm | Aug 10, 2020 |
| 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 20, 2015 |
| 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, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 25, 2008 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 21, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 22, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 5, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 25, 2015 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 25, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 25, 2015 | 10.00K |
| Flood | Sep 7, 2015 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 7, 2015 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 7, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 6, 2015 | 50.00K |
Flash Flood — May 21, 2024
PLEASE NOTE, for tornadoes, please see separate Storm Data entry for May 21st. ||Multiple rounds of thunderstorms brought torrential rainfall, damaging winds, hail and destructive tornadoes to the state. These thunderstorms were the result of a low pressure system which lifted north into the area on the night of May 20th, 2024, producing slow moving storms that dropped 2 to 4 inches of rainfall...
Flash Flood — Apr 22, 2022
A warm front moved across the area late on the evening of April 21 into April 22. While thunderstorms remained below severe criteria, deep saturation and precipitable water values over 1.5 inches allowed for a band of heavier precipitation to set up over a narrow corridor in central Iowa. Several locations received over 3 inches of rain and a few areas saw flash flooding within towns, resulting...
Flood — Jun 5, 2022
A shortwave trough dropped out of the Canadian Rockies and across the upper midwest. Storms developed along a surface boundary in the afternoon, resulting in a few hail reports and a strong wind gust. In addition to the moderate CAPE , the backed wind profile supported some rotation within storms. While no tornadoes occurred there was a funnel cloud reported north of the Des Moines metro. Late...
Flood — Jun 25, 2015
A slowly northward moving boundary/warm front was draped across the area throughout the day. By the evening vigorous storms fired up just north of the boundary and continued as the low level jet began to pick up. Numerous reports of large hail and damaging winds were reported. Fairly quickly after sunset, storms transitioned away from multi-cellular severe to training heavy rain producers ove...
Flash Flood — Jun 25, 2015
A slowly northward moving boundary/warm front was draped across the area throughout the day. By the evening vigorous storms fired up just north of the boundary and continued as the low level jet began to pick up. Numerous reports of large hail and damaging winds were reported. Fairly quickly after sunset, storms transitioned away from multi-cellular severe to training heavy rain producers ove...
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 Guthrie 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 Guthrie 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.