Enter any address in Olmsted County, Minnesota to see its FEMA flood zone
River overflow along the Mississippi and other river basins characterizes flood risk in Olmsted County. Between 2000 and 2020, NOAA data recorded 38 flood events and 17 flash flood events. Recent examples include widespread river flooding in June 2024, when rainfall upwards of 7 inches caused the Mississippi and Cedar Rivers to enter flood stage, with flooding continuing into July. Minor river flooding also occurred on the Whitewater River in April 2022 following heavy rain.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that properties designated as Zone A have experienced the highest number of claims, with an average payout of $7,826. Properties in Zone X, though fewer in number, have seen significantly higher average payouts of $15,082, with an average water depth of 7.3 feet. Homeowners in areas designated Zone A, Zone X, or near river basins should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
30 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Olmsted County, Minnesota has recorded 55 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 17 flash floods and 38 river or area floods. The county has received 15 federal disaster declarations, 4 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1965–2020)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Severe Storm | Sep 22, 2010 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Tornado | Jun 17, 2010 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Aug 18, 2007 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Sep 14, 2004 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Flood | Mar 23, 2001 |
| Severe Storms, Straight Line Winds, And Tornadoes | Tornado | May 15, 1998 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jun 22, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 22, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 13, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 28, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 28, 2019 | 320.00K |
| Flood | May 27, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 20, 2019 | 15.00K |
| Flood | Jun 15, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jul 6, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 5, 2019 | 15.00K |
Flood — Jun 22, 2024
Above normal rainfall over the course of June, combined with a robust rainfall event between June 20th and 22nd, led to widespread river flooding across portions of southeast Minnesota. Rainfall amounts upwards of 7 inches between the 20th and 22nd allowed the Mississippi River, Cedar River and many other river basins in southeast Minnesota to enter flood stage towards the end of June. Flooding...
Flash Flood — Jun 22, 2024
During the early morning hours on June 22nd, a slow moving line of thunderstorms produced flooding resulting in several road closures. Most notably Interstate 90 was closed in Mower County due to water over the road.
Flood — Apr 13, 2022
Heavy rain fell across portions of southeast Minnesota from April 12th into the 13th. Runoff from this rain caused some minor river flooding to occur on the Whitewater River in Whitewater State Park (Olmsted County).
Flood — Jun 28, 2019
Thunderstorms with very heavy rain moved very slowly across southeast Minnesota during the early morning hours of June 28th. These storms dumped between 3 and 7 inches of rain that resulted in flash flooding occurring in Dodge, Olmsted and Fillmore Counties. The Rochester International Airport (Olmsted County) was closed when water covered the runways. Numerous roads were underwater and between...
Flash Flood — Jun 28, 2019
Thunderstorms with very heavy rain moved very slowly across southeast Minnesota during the early morning hours of June 28th. These storms dumped between 3 and 7 inches of rain that resulted in flash flooding occurring in Dodge, Olmsted and Fillmore Counties. The Rochester International Airport (Olmsted County) was closed when water covered the runways. Numerous roads were underwater and between...
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 Olmsted 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 Olmsted 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.