3 flood insurance claims·$1,219 paid·1 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 Barber County, Kansas. 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 related heavy rain events dominates the local flood profile, supported by 14 general flood events and 9 flash flood events over the last 30 years.
Heavy rainfall events driven by regional weather systems have repeatedly impacted the area. For example, a stalled frontal boundary produced several inches of rain in June 2021, while a passing upper-level short wave trough brought scattered thunderstorms and flooding in September 2017. Earlier, saturated ground combined with an upper-level disturbance and warm front to cause flooding issues in October 2018, and thunderstorms initiated by a trough spread across the region in May 2019.
National Flood Insurance Program records for the county show a limited claim history consisting of 3 claims in Zone A, with an average payout of $1,219 and an average recorded water depth of 0 inches. Property owners located within Zone A should pay the closest attention to local flood risks and mitigation measures.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
19 federal disaster declarations since 1973, 1 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Jun 3, 2025 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,landslides,and Mudslides | Apr 28, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Oct 4, 2018 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Sep 1, 2018 |
| Anderson Creek Fire | Mar 23, 2016 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Jul 22, 2013 |
| Snowstorm | Feb 20, 2013 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes | Apr 25, 2009 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
23 since 1996: 9 flash floods and 14 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 29, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 30, 2021 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 25, 2019 | — |
| Flash Flood | Oct 9, 2018 | — |
| Flood | Sep 25, 2017 | — |
| Flood | Apr 10, 2012 | — |
| Flood | Jul 4, 2010 | — |
| Flood | Sep 12, 2009 | $10,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jun 30, 2021. A stalled frontal boundary across south central Kansas coupled with ample upslope low level moisture aided in producing several inches of rain.
Flash Flood · May 25, 2019. A s/wv trough initiated thunderstorms across the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles and this activity spread northeast across the area.
Flash Flood · Oct 9, 2018. Several days of continued set the stage for near saturated ground. An upper level disturbance and attendant warm front contributed to additional storms with heavy rainfall and continued flooding issues.
Flood · Sep 25, 2017. A cold front in the wake of a passing upper level short wave trough helped to produce scattered thunderstorms late in the morning.
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 Barber 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.