12 flood insurance claims·$121,907 paid·5 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 Itasca 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 risk profile in Itasca County, accounting for 25 out of 27 recorded flood events over the last 30 years, while standard river floods make up the remaining 2 events. Recent historical data highlights the severe nature of these occurrences, including widespread flash flooding driven by a stationary surface front and an anomalously moist airmass in June 2024, as well as heavy rainfall tied to a low-pressure system moving from eastern South Dakota in June 2025.
National Flood Insurance Program claims data indicates that historical payouts and water depths are distributed across various zones. Zone X_UNSHADED recorded 9 claims with an average payout of $15,471 and an average recorded water depth of 2 inches. Zone X recorded 1 claim with an average payout of $43,863 and an average recorded water depth of 2 inches. Zone A and Zone D each recorded 1 claim, both with an average payout of $0 and $691 respectively, and an average recorded water depth of 0 inches. Homeowners and real estate agents in unshaded and standard Zone X areas, as well as those near designated hazard zones, should pay the closest attention to property-specific elevation and drainage conditions given the heavy reliance of claims on these zones.
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 2 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 2000, with 2 claims and $7,028 paid, the year of Severe Storms 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.
14 NOAA storm reports from Itasca County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Minnesota flood stories →
15 federal disaster declarations since 1966, 5 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Jun 16, 2024 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | May 29, 2022 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Jun 15, 2018 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Jun 14, 2012 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding And Tornadoes | Jun 9, 2002 |
| Severe Storms, Winds, And Flooding | Jul 4, 1999 |
| Severe Thunderstorms, Winds, Flooding, Tornadoes, And Heat | Jul 9, 1995 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
27 since 1996: 25 flash floods and 2 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 16, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 18, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 16, 2022 | $10,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 16, 2022 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 14, 2020 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 2, 2018 | — |
| Flood | Jul 21, 2017 | — |
| Flood | May 4, 2013 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jun 16, 2025. An area of low pressure moved from eastern South Dakota to Lake Superior on the 16th. As the low tracked to the northeast, it lifted a warm front into central Minnesota. To the south of the warm front and to the east of a cold front, a very warm and moist unstable airmass was in place. Morning thunderstorms across the region left cloud cover in place over much of the Northland, but areas of clearing were able to d…
Flash Flood · Jun 18, 2024. On Tuesday, June 18, 2024, a stationary surface front, in conjunction with an anomalously moist airmass over the Northland, resulting in widespread flash flooding. NWS Duluth issued seven Flash Flood Warnings (across much of NE MN and the Bayfield Peninsula), three of which were upgraded to include a considerable tag for life threatening flash flooding. Additionally, severe thunderstorms occurred ahead of the heav…
Flash Flood · Aug 16, 2022. A weak area of low pressure moved along the International Border on the 16th and led to the development of a few slow moving storms across northern Minnesota. These storms produced some marginally severe hail in addition to heavy rainfall in the Grand Rapids area that led to some minor flash flooding.
Flash Flood · Aug 14, 2020. A strong cold front pushed across Minnesota the evening of the 14th and led to the development of a line of storms ahead of the front. As the storms pushed across northeastern Minnesota, they produced all modes of severe weather. Heavy rainfall led to areas of flash flooding, mainly along the western Iron Range. The bulk of the severe reports consisted of damaging wind gusts that brought down numerous trees, leadi…
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 Itasca 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.