12 flood insurance claims·$70,446 paid·9 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 Faribault County, Minnesota. 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 Faribault County, supported by 17 flash flood events and 9 general flood events recorded over the last 30 years.
Severe weather patterns have repeatedly caused heavy rainfall and inundation across the area. For example, on September 8, 2015, thunderstorms with rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour fell on saturated soils, causing roads around Wells, Minnesota to be inundated with flood waters. Later, on August 5, 2024, a stationary front and unstable airmass generated supercells that tracked southeast across south-central Minnesota, producing flash flooding.
National Flood Insurance Program records show claims across multiple zones. Zone A accounts for 5 claims with an average payout of $8,921 and an average recorded water depth of 4 inches. Zone X unshaded accounts for 4 claims averaging $3,867 with an average recorded water depth of 0 inches, while Zone X accounts for 2 claims with an average payout of $19,993 and an average recorded water depth of 29 inches. Zone Unknown accounts for 1 claim with an average payout of $3,170 and an average recorded water depth of 1 inch. Homeowners and real estate agents in high-risk areas, particularly properties located in FEMA Zone A and Zone X, should pay the closest attention to these flood risks.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 11 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 2018, with 4 claims and $16,615 paid, the year of Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding.
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.
4 NOAA storm reports from Faribault County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Minnesota flood stories →
22 federal disaster declarations since 1965, 9 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Jun 16, 2024 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Mar 12, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Jun 15, 2018 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Jun 11, 2014 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Jun 20, 2013 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Sep 22, 2010 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Jun 17, 2010 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
26 since 1996: 17 flash floods and 9 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Aug 5, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | Sep 8, 2015 | — |
| Flood | Jun 18, 2014 | $150,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 21, 2013 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 13, 2013 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 12, 2013 | — |
| Flood | Mar 23, 2011 | — |
| Flood | Sep 23, 2010 | $402,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Aug 5, 2024. A nearly stationary front was draped across southern Minnesota on the afternoon of Monday, August 5, 2024. A very unstable airmass with strong shear was present along and south of the front. Two supercells developed over Nicollet and Watonwan Counties, then strengthened while tracking southeast. Supercells eventually formed a line of severe thunderstorms, which continued to result in occasional tornadoes and da…
Flash Flood · Sep 8, 2015. Several thunderstorms moved across southern Minnesota during the early morning of Tuesday, September 8th. Rainfall rates increased to around 1-2 inches per hour. Soil moisture was high across southern Minnesota from previous thunderstorms a day earlier. Therefore, more heavy rainfall in localized areas caused roads around Wells, Minnesota to become inundated with flood waters.
Flood · Jun 18, 2014. Several rounds of thunderstorms began during the week of June 14th, and continued through most of the week with areas of flash flooding. The flash flooding evolved into areal flooding, and then main-stem river flooding which continued through the end of the month. The hardest hit areas were from New Ulm to Mankato, northeast through the length of the Minnesota River, and the Twin Cities Metro area which had major…
Flash Flood · Jun 21, 2013. Several rounds of thunderstorms developed Thursday late afternoon and evening, June 20th, mostly in west central Minnesota, and moved eastward. These storms produced some penny to quarter size hail, but the main event was damaging straight line winds and torrential rainfall during the late evening and overnight period. These storms moved across central and east central Minnesota after midnight, with some redevelop…
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 Faribault 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.