Enter any address in Faribault County, Minnesota to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from intense thunderstorms is the primary flood hazard in Faribault County. Over the last 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database has recorded 17 flash flood events and 9 flood events in the county. Recent examples include flash flooding on August 5, 2024, caused by severe thunderstorms, and flash flooding around Wells on September 8, 2015, due to heavy rainfall on saturated ground.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that while Zone A and UNKNOWN zones have seen claims with moderate water depths and payouts, Zone X has experienced higher average payouts with significant water depths, suggesting potential for substantial damage even outside of high-risk mapped areas. Homeowners in all flood zones, particularly those in Zone X and Zone A, 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.
Faribault County, Minnesota has recorded 26 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 17 flash floods and 9 river or area floods. The county has received 22 federal disaster declarations, 9 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1965–2024)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Flood | Jun 16, 2024 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Flood | Mar 12, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Flood | Jun 15, 2018 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Jun 11, 2014 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 20, 2013 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Sep 22, 2010 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Tornado | Jun 17, 2010 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Aug 5, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 8, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 18, 2014 | 150.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 21, 2013 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 13, 2013 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 12, 2013 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 23, 2011 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Sep 23, 2010 | 402.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 23, 2010 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 17, 2010 | 0.00K |
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 occasio...
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 a...
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,...
Flash Flood — Jul 13, 2013
Scattered thunderstorms that developed across west central Minnesota early Saturday morning, July 13th, moved southeast across central, east central and south central Minnesota by daybreak. After 3 AM CST, thunderstorms began across of the western suburbs of the Twin Cities, and slowly moved southeast across the southwest Metro, and then portions of south central and southeast Minnesota around...
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 Faribault County, Minnesota:
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 Faribault County, Minnesota 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.