Enter any address in Le Sueur County, Minnesota to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from intense thunderstorms is a notable flood hazard in Le Sueur County, MN. Recent examples include a flash flood event on July 25, 2020, fueled by an unusually moist atmosphere with precipitable water values over two inches. Another flash flood occurred on April 17, 2019, with efficient rainfall from embedded thunderstorms moving across the same areas multiple times.
Spring snowmelt also contributes to flooding, as seen in the severe flood event of March 2019 along the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers and their tributaries, resulting from above-average snowpack and a cold late winter.
Homeowners in Zone A, which has seen the highest number of NFIP claims with an average payout of $33,966 and water depths averaging 8.7 feet, should pay the most attention. Properties located in areas prone to river overflow or flash flooding should also be aware of their flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
7 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Le Sueur County, Minnesota has recorded 24 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 11 flash floods and 13 river or area floods. The county has received 19 federal disaster declarations, 11 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 And Flooding | Flood | Mar 16, 2011 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Sep 22, 2010 |
| Flooding | Flood | Mar 1, 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 | Jul 25, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 17, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 17, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Sep 22, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 12, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 19, 2014 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 19, 2014 | 500.00K |
| Flood | Jun 18, 2014 | 1.10M |
| Flash Flood | Jun 17, 2012 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 21, 2011 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Jul 25, 2020
A very anomalous moist atmosphere was in place for this flash flood event to develop. Precipitable water values (PWATs) were over 2 inches across southern Minnesota which is well over climatological normals. The 2.25 inches of precipitable water tallied from the 7 PM weather balloon launch at Chanhassen was just below record record levels for the day and was above the 95th percentile for this t...
Flood — Mar 17, 2019
There were many factors that led to a severe Spring flood melt along the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers and several of their tributaries during the last two weeks of March. The first factor was above average snowpack, especially over the Minnesota River Valley for mid March. Additionally, the added effect of a cold late Winter kept this snowpack deeper into the early Spring. Once temperatures...
Flash Flood — Apr 17, 2019
During the morning of Wednesday, April 17th, a large area of showers developed across southern Minnesota. Several embedded thunderstorms developed after sunrise and moved across south central, and into southeast and east central Minnesota. A very anomalous moist atmosphere was in place, and rainfall was very efficient. Several of the storms moved across the same areas from Mankato to St. Peter,...
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...
Flash Flood — Aug 12, 2016
During the afternoon of Friday, August 12th, a slow moving storm system developed a small area of very heavy rainfall in southern Minnesota. Local radar had a rotating storm slowly wrapping around very heavy rainfall between Waseca, Waterville, and Lonsdale. Local communities reported road closures, with some homes and businesses having basement flooding. Hourly rainfall rates were as high as 2...
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 Le Sueur 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 Le Sueur 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.