Enter any address in Howard County, Iowa to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall events is the dominant flood character in Howard County. Recent examples include widespread river flooding across northeast Iowa in June 2024, following heavy rainfall between June 20th and 22nd that caused rivers to enter flood stage. In May 2023, four days of rainfall resulted in minor flooding along the Little Cedar and Turkey Rivers due to rapid runoff.
While flash flooding is common, riverine flooding also occurs. National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows claims in Zone X, with an average payout of $3,394 and an average water depth of 3.5 feet. Claims in Zone A, though fewer, also indicate flood risk.
Homeowners in areas prone to flash flooding, as well as those residing near rivers and streams, should pay close attention to flood risk. Properties located in Zone X and Zone A may be particularly susceptible to flood damage.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
22 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Howard County, Iowa has recorded 34 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 20 flash floods and 14 river or area floods. The county has received 23 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 (1968–2024)
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 And Flooding | Flood | Sep 21, 2016 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Flood | Aug 23, 2016 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 20, 2015 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 21, 2013 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jun 22, 2024 | 40.00K |
| Flood | May 14, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 9, 2020 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 19, 2019 | 5.00K |
| Flood | Sep 12, 2019 | 5.00K |
| Flood | Aug 24, 2016 | 470.00K |
| Flood | Sep 22, 2016 | 5.00K |
| Flood | Jun 14, 2016 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 14, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 22, 2015 | 0.00K |
Flood — Jun 22, 2024
Above normal rainfall over the course of June, combined with a robust rainfall event between June 20th and 22nd, led to widespread river flooding across portions of northeast Iowa. Rainfall amounts upwards of 5 inches between the 20th and 22nd allowed the Mississippi River, Cedar River and many other river basins in northeast Iowa to enter flood stage towards the end of June. Flooding along the...
Flood — May 14, 2023
Four consecutive days of light to heavy rainfall events during the middle of May resulted in near 1.5 inches and some minor flooding along the more narrow, shallow rivers in northeast Iowa. Initial light to moderate rainfall on May 12th quenched soils from a drier than normal spring, while subsequent storms over the weekend of May 13th-14th resulted in rapid runoff and minor flooding along the ...
Flash Flood — Jun 9, 2020
Heavy rains from Tropical Depression Cristobal fell across northeast Iowa on June 9th. Rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches were common with locally higher totals of 4 to 5 inches. This heavy rain created flash flooding across portions of Fayette, Chickasaw and Howard Counties. Numerous roads were closed because of high water across Fayette County including State Highways 3 and 150. Roads were als...
Flash Flood — Sep 19, 2019
Thunderstorms with heavy rain moved across northeast Iowa during the early morning hours of September 19th. These storms dropped between 2 and 4 inches of rain that caused some gravel roads to washout across northern Howard County.
Flood — Sep 12, 2019
A line of thunderstorms moved across northeast Iowa during the afternoon of September 12th. These storms produced a weak tornado in the vicinity of Ossian (Winneshiek County) that damaged some farm buildings and numerous trees. A second tornado occurred northwest of Farmersburg (Clayton County). The damage from this tornado was limited to a few trees, some outbuildings and one home had branches...
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 Howard 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 Howard 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.