Enter any address in Mitchell County, Kansas to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from summer thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Mitchell County. Between 2013 and 2023, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 15 flash flood events and 4 flood events. For example, on June 27, 2020, heavy rainfall caused minor flooding primarily in the northeast portion of the county. On August 31, 2014, strong thunderstorms produced heavy rain and hail, leading to flooding in Mitchell and eastern Jewell counties.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that properties in Zone X_Unshaded have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $7,642 and an average water depth of 0.7 feet. However, properties in Zone UNKNOWN have also seen significant payouts, averaging $6,834 with an average water depth of 3.0 feet. Homeowners in areas designated as Zone A, or those without a defined Base Flood Elevation (BFE), should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
11 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Mitchell County, Kansas has recorded 19 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 15 flash floods and 4 river or area floods. The county has received 13 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 (1967–2021)
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, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 14, 2012 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 19, 2011 |
| 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 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Sep 1, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Jun 12, 2004 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 27, 2020 | 125.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 1, 2018 | 30.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 31, 2014 | 10.00K |
| Flood | May 24, 2011 | 15.00K |
| Flood | Jun 2, 2011 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 1, 2011 | 25.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 21, 2010 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 29, 2008 | 75.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 25, 2008 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 11, 2008 | 15.00K |
Flash Flood — Jun 27, 2020
This was an active late Friday evening-early Saturday morning across this six-county North Central Kansas area, featuring limited severe weather in Rooks/Phillips counties and some relatively minor flooding mainly within the northeast one-third of Mitchell County. But for the majority of the area this was just a classic, stormy early-summer night (most places measured between 0.50-2.00 inches o...
Flash Flood — May 1, 2018
Storms produced very heavy rain, localized hail and wind damage, and even a brief tornado over north central Kansas on this Tuesday afternoon and evening. Around 2 PM CST, several thunderstorms rapidly developed southwest-to-northeast across Rooks and Smith counties. These storms merged into a line as they moved east and gradually evolved into two multicell clusters. Each cluster tracked across...
Flash Flood — Aug 31, 2014
For a few hours on this Sunday afternoon, a concentrated zone of several strong to severe thunderstorms streamed through eastern portions North Central Kansas, almost exclusively affecting Mitchell and eastern Jewell counties within the local area. Based on a number of storm reports, this was mainly a hail and heavy rain/flooding event, as there were only a few reports of slightly sub-severe wi...
Flood — May 24, 2011
The time frame between the early morning hours of Tuesday the 24th into the day on Wednesday the 25th brought widespread heavy rainfall and flooding to much of North Central Kansas, in what turned out to be the second of three significant heavy rainfall events within a 2-week span. This event unfolded in two distinct waves, with the heaviest accumulations focused from the evening of the 24th in...
Flood — Jun 2, 2011
Less than 48 hours after a line of damaging winds marched across North Central Kansas, a significant episode of severe weather targeted the six-county area on this Wednesday afternoon and early Thursday morning in the vicinity of a surface warm front. There were numerous reports of hail to golf ball size or larger across the area, and a few instances of damaging winds up to around 75 MPH. A bri...
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 Mitchell 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 Mitchell 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.