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 Morris 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 severe thunderstorms dominates the flood profile of Morris County, Kansas. Over the last 30 years, NOAA records show 32 flash flood events resulting in 1 death, alongside 13 general flood events.
Severe storm systems frequently produce multi-round weather events that cause rapid inundation. For example, multiple rounds of active weather caused flooding on May 26 and May 27, 2021, while a large QLCS storm system produced flash flooding on May 17, 2022.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the closest attention to properties located near creeks, streams, and low-water crossings that are vulnerable to rapid runoff and sudden flash flooding during severe spring and summer storm systems.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
7 NOAA storm reports from Morris County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Kansas flood stories →
26 federal disaster declarations since 1969, 2 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Jul 17, 2025 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Jun 3, 2025 |
| Severe Storm, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | May 19, 2024 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Apr 25, 2024 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 8, 2024 |
| Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds | Dec 15, 2021 |
| Tornadoes And Flooding | May 9, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,landslides,and Mudslides | Apr 28, 2019 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
45 since 1996: 32 flash floods and 13 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 17, 2022 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 27, 2021 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 26, 2021 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 14, 2020 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 19, 2017 | — |
| Flood | May 23, 2015 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 15, 2013 | — |
| Flood | Jul 21, 2010 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · May 17, 2022. Two large clusters of storms formed into a large QLCS and produced hail, damaging wind to as high as 85 mph, and flash flooding during the evening of 5/17.
Flash Flood · May 27, 2021. Multiple rounds of active weather creating flooding, wind damage and large hail overnight into 5/27, early in the day and again during the afternoon of 5/27.
Flash Flood · May 26, 2021. Multiple rounds of active weather creating flooding, wind damage and large hail overnight into 5/27, early in the day and again during the afternoon of 5/27.
Flash Flood · May 14, 2020. A cluster of severe t-storms some supercells developed across parts of northeast Kansas on the evening of May 14th. At least 4 small short lived tornadoes were documented by storm chasers. No damage was reported with any of the tornadoes so all will be classified as EFU although photos suggest they were small and short-lived.
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 Morris 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.