Enter any address in Ellis County, Kansas to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Ellis County, Kansas. Over the past 30 years, NOAA Storm Events data shows 27 flash flood events and 21 flood events. Recent examples include heavy rainfall associated with severe thunderstorms on March 14, 2021, and flash flooding reported on May 26, 2021, during an event that also produced hail and tornadoes.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone UNKNOWN and Zone A have experienced the most claims. However, Zone X_UNSHADED, typically considered moderate risk, has seen claims with the highest average payout and water depth. Homeowners in areas designated as Zone A, as well as those in Zone X_UNSHADED and Zone UNKNOWN, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
4 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Ellis County, Kansas has recorded 48 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 27 flash floods and 21 river or area floods. The county has received 15 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 (1993–2025)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires | Severe Storm | Mar 14, 2025 |
| Severe Winter Storms And Straight-line Winds | Snowstorm | Mar 17, 2022 |
| 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 And Flooding | Severe Storm | Sep 2, 2016 |
| Snowstorm | Snowstorm | Feb 20, 2013 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Jun 7, 2010 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | May 22, 2008 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Severe Storm | Dec 6, 2007 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 26, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 14, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 25, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 17, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 28, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 27, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 19, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jul 16, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 16, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 13, 2018 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — May 26, 2021
A surface low with a dry line extending across much of the CWA triggering thunderstorms during the afternoon hours for northern counties with storms further south later in the evening. Severe hail reports were the main observed weather but there were also a few tornadoes observed.
Flood — Mar 14, 2021
Warm air advection in associated with a warm front as a short wave trough approached help to initiate a few severe thunderstorms. One storm along the surface boundary was able to become surface based long enough to produce a tornado, despite relatively cool surface air. Otherwise, there was heavy rainfall reported.
Flash Flood — Aug 25, 2019
Thunderstorms moved south from northern Kansas and interacted with a surface boundary across the area.
Flash Flood — Aug 17, 2019
An MCS moved out of the higher terrain of the high plains during the late evening and overnight into an unstable airmass.
Flood — May 28, 2018
An outflow boundary became the main focus for severe thunderstorms during the late afternoon and evening. There were other severe thunderstorms along a stationary boundary and associated with a short wave trough.
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 Ellis 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 Ellis 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.