Enter any address in Red Lake County, Minnesota to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from severe thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Red Lake County. Between 1993 and 2023, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 13 flash flood events and 7 flood events. For example, severe thunderstorms brought heavy hail and tornadoes to the region on April 23, 2022, and a significant warm front contributed to flash flooding on May 24, 2010.
NFIP claims data shows that while most flood claims are in zones with unknown or moderate flood risk (Zone X), these claims have resulted in payouts and recorded water depths. Homeowners in areas identified as Zone X, or those with properties near potential floodways, should pay close attention to flood risk information.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
5 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Red Lake County, Minnesota has recorded 20 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 13 flash floods and 7 river or area floods. The county has received 23 federal disaster declarations, 14 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1966–2022)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Flood | Apr 22, 2022 |
| 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 | Mar 16, 2011 |
| Flooding | Flood | Mar 1, 2010 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Mar 16, 2009 |
| Flooding | Flood | Mar 30, 2006 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Jun 9, 2002 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Apr 23, 2022 | 250.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 24, 2010 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 24, 2010 | 5.00K |
| Flood | Mar 22, 2009 | 5.00K |
| Flood | Apr 10, 2009 | 5.00K |
| Flood | Jun 14, 2007 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 30, 2006 | — |
| Flood | Apr 1, 2006 | 109K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 30, 2002 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 26, 2002 | — |
Flash Flood — Apr 23, 2022
Several rounds of severe thunderstorms traversed the region starting on the evening of April 22nd. Initially, large hail was the primary concern, with an increasingly tornadic environment heading into April 23rd. Both hail (up to 1.5 inches) and tornadoes were reported with this system.
Flash Flood — May 24, 2010
After the first round of elevated convection from the early morning hours of the 24th drifted off to the northeast, a surface warm front was left along the North Dakota and South Dakota border by mid morning. By mid afternoon of the 24th, the warm front had pushed north to a Jamestown (ND) to Bemidji (MN) line. Behind this front, afternoon temperatures had increased to around 90 degrees with de...
Flood — Mar 22, 2009
A stretch of warmer weather occurred from March 14th to 17th, which resulted in high temperatures in the 40s and low 50s. The snow depth in Fargo on the 14th was 15 inches with a melted water equivalent of 3.10 inches. By the 17th, the snow depth in Fargo had dropped to 6 inches. This was followed by a couple of cooler days, which temporarily slowed down any additional snowmelt. A second period...
Flood — Apr 10, 2009
This flood event began for many counties in late March, then continued through April and into May. After the winter storm event that dumped up to two feet of snow over portions of the region from March 29th through April 1st, temperatures remained below normal through the tenth of the month. Luckily, there were no other big rain or snow events through this time. However, being early April, the ...
Flood — Jun 14, 2007
A band of showers and thunderstorms moved across western and central North Dakota, then stalled as they reached southeast North Dakota and portions of northwest Minnesota. Although the rainfall did thin out several times, it fell nearly continuously over this same area from the 13th through the 14th. An estimated 5 to 6 inches of rain fell from Fosston to Gully to Oklee.
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 Red Lake 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 Red Lake 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.