12 flood insurance claims·$2,009 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 Pratt 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 dominates the flood history of Pratt County, Kansas, accounting for 15 out of 23 recorded flood events over the last 30 years, alongside 8 general flood events.
Severe weather patterns driving these incidents are well-documented in local records. For example, during the early morning of July 25, 2025, thunderstorms fueled by low and mid-level warm and moisture advection dropped heavy rain rates quickly across the region. Similarly, on September 24, 2019, a cold front provided the convergence needed for severe thunderstorms to develop in conditionally unstable air.
Property owners and real estate professionals should pay attention to these weather patterns, particularly given the distribution of historical National Flood Insurance Program claims. Claims have been recorded across Zone X_SHADED (6 claims, averaging $418 per payout and an average recorded water depth of 0 inches), Zone UNKNOWN (3 claims, averaging $391 per payout and an average recorded water depth of 0 inches), Zone A (2 claims, averaging $0 per payout and an average recorded water depth of 0 inches), and Zone X_UNSHADED (1 claim, averaging $0 per payout and an average recorded water depth of 0 inches). Homeowners and real estate agents in these mapped zones should remain mindful of localized flash flood risks driven by heavy convective rainfall.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
The worst year was 1978, with 5 claims and $2,009 paid.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
19 federal disaster declarations since 1973, 1 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | May 18, 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 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 13, 2017 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Jul 22, 2013 |
| Snowstorm | Feb 20, 2013 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow | Mar 26, 2009 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
23 since 1996: 15 flash floods and 8 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 25, 2025 | $5,000 |
| Flash Flood | Sep 24, 2019 | — |
| Flood | Oct 8, 2018 | $2.5M |
| Flood | Sep 3, 2018 | — |
| Flash Flood | Sep 25, 2017 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 24, 2014 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 29, 2013 | — |
| Flood | Jul 24, 2010 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jul 25, 2025. During the very early morning thunderstorms developed along a surface boundary. Supported my low/mid level warm and moisture advection, a lot of rain was quickly able to drop heavy rain rates across Kiowa, Pawnee, and Pratt counties.
Flash Flood · Sep 24, 2019. A cold front provided the convergence to overcome a relatively warm layer aloft. But with conditionally unstable air, thunderstorms were able to develop and become severe.
Flood · Oct 8, 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 3, 2018. An upper level trough with embedded minor disturbances approached western Kansas late in the day. Combined with daytime heating, this caused vigorous convection to develop by early evening, which lingered through the night. These storms caused numerous flooding issues across western Kansas.
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 Pratt 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.