Enter any address in Freeborn County, Minnesota to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from summer thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Freeborn County. Over the last 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database recorded 16 flash flood events and 12 flood events. Recent occurrences include flash flooding on July 5, 2022, and widespread flooding from June 19-21, 2024, which dropped 8 to 10 inches of rain in some southern Minnesota locations.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone X and Zone A have experienced significant payouts. Notably, Zone X claims averaged $50,561 with an average water depth of 2.0 feet, while Zone A claims averaged $24,574. Homeowners in these zones, as well as those in Zone X_UNSHADED where claims averaged $44,463 with a substantial 15.4 feet of water depth, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
9 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Freeborn County, Minnesota has recorded 28 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 16 flash floods and 12 river or area floods. The county has received 21 federal disaster declarations, 8 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 And Flooding | Flood | Sep 21, 2016 |
| 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 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 6, 2008 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jun 16, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 16, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 21, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 5, 2022 | 300.00K |
| Flood | Sep 22, 2016 | 280.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 17, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 18, 2014 | 625.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 22, 2013 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 21, 2013 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 12, 2013 | 0.00K |
Flood — Jun 16, 2025
Multiple rounds of storms produced several cases of large hail and funnel clouds, as well as two tornadoes in Nicollet county during the afternoon and evening on Monday, June 16th. The largest reported hail (3.25 inches) occurred with a storm the developed over McLeod county and quickly strengthened over Carver county. There was also significant wind damage in the St Cloud area.
Flash Flood — Jun 16, 2025
Multiple rounds of storms produced several cases of large hail and funnel clouds, as well as two tornadoes in Nicollet county during the afternoon and evening on Monday, June 16th. The largest reported hail (3.25 inches) occurred with a storm the developed over McLeod county and quickly strengthened over Carver county. There was also significant wind damage in the St Cloud area.
Flash Flood — Jun 21, 2024
Catastrophic flooding occurred across parts of Minnesota in mid to late June 2024 as a stationary boundary stalled out across the Upper Midwest.||On June 19-21, several rounds of thunderstorms developed and tracked along this boundary, producing widespread 4 to 6 inches of rain across southern Minnesota, with some locations picking up 8 to 10 inches of rain near Mankato Minnesota.||There were d...
Flash Flood — Jul 5, 2022
During the afternoon of Tuesday, July 5th, a complex of thunderstorms moved from South Dakota, eastward along a stationary front that lied near the Iowa border. North of this front, several lines of thunderstorms developed and moved eastward across far southern Minnesota. Although a few damage reports were noted, the main hazard was the increasing threat of heavy rainfall and flash flooding. Tw...
Flood — Sep 22, 2016
On the evening of September 20th, a warm front was stretched west to east across southern Minnesota originating from a developing low pressure system across the South Dakota and Nebraska border. The weather pattern, and associated boundaries were nearly stationary through early Thursday morning, September 22nd. The atmosphere was very moist, which was evident in the soundings as near record hig...
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 Freeborn 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 Freeborn 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.