6 flood insurance claims·$27,871 paid·2 federal flood & hurricane disasters
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Taylor County, Iowa. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Flash flooding from summer thunderstorms and general flooding dominate the historical flood record in Taylor County, Iowa, which recorded 19 floods and 16 flash floods over the last 30 years according to the NOAA Storm Events Database.
Severe weather patterns repeatedly brought heavy rainfall to the region, such as in May 2019, when a stationary boundary and high precipitable water values caused continuous heavy rainfall and flooding. Similar heavy rain events occurred in June 2015 and July 2015, driven by low pressure centers and slow-moving boundaries that produced flash flooding alongside large hail and damaging winds. Another heavy rain event on July 18, 2016, dropped 2 to 4 inches of rain across the area, resulting in flash flooding and severe storms.
Federal flood insurance data reflects limited historical claims activity, totaling 4 claims in Zone A with an average payout of $6,765 and an average recorded water depth of 0 inches, alongside 2 claims in Zone UNKNOWN with an average payout of $811 and an average recorded water depth of 0 inches. Property owners located within Zone A should pay the most attention to flood risk given these designated hazard areas.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
The worst year was 2010, with 3 claims and $14,011 paid, the year of Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
27 NOAA storm reports from Taylor County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Iowa flood stories →
14 federal disaster declarations since 1979, 2 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Jun 3, 2014 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Jun 1, 2010 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | May 25, 2008 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Dec 10, 2007 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | May 5, 2007 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | May 19, 2004 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding | Jun 13, 1998 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
35 since 1996: 16 flash floods and 19 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 28, 2019 | $10,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 18, 2016 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 28, 2015 | $50,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 11, 2015 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 3, 2014 | $5,000 |
| Flood | Jun 27, 2011 | $5,000 |
| Flash Flood | May 11, 2011 | $15,000 |
| Flood | Jun 12, 2010 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · May 28, 2019. The hits just kept on rolling, with yet another pair of rounds of strong to severe storms, heavy rainfall, and flooding. Through much of the end of May, the synoptic setup across the region remained relatively unchanged, including this event. Upper level flow continued to be out of the SW, precipitable water values remained in excess of 1.5 inches, and a relatively stationary boundary remained over the area. In ad…
Flash Flood · Jul 18, 2016. A cold front moved through the state during the afternoon and evening hours of the 17th of July, eventually stalling out and lingering across central and southern Iowa. Resulting issues were primarily heavy rain focused, with amounts generally in the 2 to 4 inch range with a lone report of over 5 inches. A couple flash flood reports occurred as a result of the heavy rainfall. In addition to the heavy rainfall, a…
Flash Flood · Jul 28, 2015. A boundary was pushing through the state with ongoing convection through central Iowa through the day. As the boundary neared the area, the convection intensified and impacted central and southern Iowa in the evening to early morning hours. Two thunderstorm complexes moved through portions of central and southern Iowa with very heavy rainfall causing flash flooding. The severe thunderstorm complexes produced some…
Flash Flood · Jun 11, 2015. A primarily heavy rain event affecting the southern half of Iowa. Storms were ongoing across portions of central Iowa during the day, with an area of low pressure centered across north central Kansas. Additional storm development occurred across southern Iowa to the north of a stationary front draped eastward from the surface low across northern Missouri. A few severe reports occurred with some large hail reported…
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Taylor County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.