Enter any address in Clay County, Kansas to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Clay County, Kansas. Between 1994 and 2024, the NOAA Storm Events Database recorded 31 flash flood events and 7 general flood events. Recent examples include flash flooding that occurred during thunderstorms in August 2019, and a separate instance of flash flooding following storms that produced up to 6 inches of rain in April 2025.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data for Clay County indicates that properties designated as Zone A have experienced claims. These claims averaged $3,582 with an average water depth of 0.7 feet. Properties in Zone X and Zone X_Unshaded have also had claims, though these averaged $0 payouts and 0.0 feet water depth. Homeowners in Zone A, or those located near potential flash flood pathways, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
5 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Clay County, Kansas has recorded 38 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 31 flash floods and 7 river or area floods. The county has received 17 federal disaster declarations, 1 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1973–2021)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds | Severe Storm | Dec 15, 2021 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,landslides,and Mudslides | Severe Storm | Apr 28, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Sep 1, 2018 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 4, 2015 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jul 22, 2013 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 19, 2011 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Jun 7, 2010 |
| Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorm | Severe Storm | Dec 22, 2009 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Apr 2, 2025 | 30.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 15, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 23, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 17, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 4, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 5, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 5, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 2, 2013 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 2, 2011 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 2, 2011 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Apr 2, 2025
Scattered Storms congealed into a severe line of storms during the evening and overnight, producing wind gusts up to 70 mph, hail to ping pong ball size, and several brief funnel clouds. Rainfall amounts up to 6 inches led to some flash flooding over rural areas.
Flash Flood — Jul 15, 2021
One report of flash flooding happened early on 7/15 from a slow moving storm system.
Flash Flood — May 23, 2019
A cluster of severe t-storms moved across parts of north central and northeast Kansas during the early morning hours of May 24th. Two small tornadoes did occur and produced damaged to parts of the city of Marysville. The storm produced another small tornado in Nemaha county. Both were rated EF1 based on damage indicators provided by EM and other sources of imagery.
Flash Flood — Aug 17, 2019
Another round of thunderstorms produced reports of large hail and damaging winds during the middle of the month. Rounds of storms produced the hail and wind August 15 through August 17th. Flash flooding also occurred with some of the storms during this period.
Flash Flood — Jul 4, 2019
Slow moving, nocturnal convection resulted in multiple reports of flash-flooding during the early morning hours of July 4th.
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 Clay County, Kansas:
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 Clay County, Kansas 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.