Enter any address in Humboldt County, Iowa to see its FEMA flood zone
River flooding and flash flooding are the primary flood concerns in Humboldt County, IA. Recent events include significant and record river flooding in June and July of 2024, following heavy rainfall that saturated the soil and overwhelmed river systems. In March 2019, a combination of a wet snowpack, heavy rain, and warm temperatures led to widespread flooding as snowmelt and rainfall rapidly entered river systems.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $6,687 and an average water depth of -2.3 feet. Properties in Zone X_Shaded also saw claims with an average payout of $2,739 and -0.2 feet of water depth. Homeowners in Zone A, and those located near rivers and streams, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
71 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Humboldt County, Iowa has recorded 86 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 11 flash floods and 75 river or area floods. The county has received 22 federal disaster declarations, 6 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, 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, 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 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jun 22, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 22, 2024 | 88.00K |
| Flood | Jul 1, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 24, 2019 | 100.00K |
| Flood | Apr 24, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 16, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 13, 2019 | 200.00K |
| Flood | May 9, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 4, 2019 | 10.00K |
| Flood | May 1, 2019 | 100.00K |
Flood — Jun 22, 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 — May 24, 2019
Continued heavy rain and high streamflows led to many rivers going back into flood in late May across central Iowa. Several crests occurred on the Des Moines River at Ottumwa. Many of these were due to planned releases from Lake Red Rock, with some of the water from heavy rainfall.
Flood — Apr 24, 2019
River levels remained high across much of the state through the latter half of April, so additional rainfall sent a few stations back into flood. The West Fork of the Des Moines River at Humboldt remained in flood through the end of April and into May. Flood periods earlier in the month are listed in separate episodes for both the Emmetsburg and Humboldt areas.
Flood — Mar 16, 2019
Higher than average snowfall through the winter created a wet snowpack across much of Iowa which was still present into early March. A large storm system impacted the region through the middle of March which brought heavy rain and warm temperatures to the state. This system allowed much of the snowpack to melt across the state within a few days to a week. This heavy rain fell on frozen ground a...
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 Humboldt 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 Humboldt 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.