Enter any address in Washington County, Minnesota to see its FEMA flood zone
2 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Washington County, Minnesota has recorded 13 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 8 flash floods and 5 river or area floods. The county has received 17 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 (1965–2020)
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 | Flood | Mar 16, 2011 |
| Flooding | Flood | Mar 1, 2010 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Flood | Mar 23, 2001 |
| Mn - Carlos Edge Fire Complex - 10/19/2000 | Fire | Oct 19, 2000 |
| Severe Storms, Straight Line Winds, And Tornadoes | Tornado | May 15, 1998 |
| Severe Flooding, High Winds,severe Storms | Flood | Mar 21, 1997 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 23, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 6, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 1, 2014 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 21, 2013 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 25, 2010 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Oct 4, 2005 | — |
| Flash Flood | Oct 4, 2005 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 24, 2003 | — |
| Flood | May 1, 2001 | — |
| Flood | Apr 1, 2001 | — |
Flash Flood — Jul 23, 2016
Thunderstorms that developed across Nebraska, South Dakota and western Iowa early Saturday morning, July 23rd, moved northeast into southern and western Minnesota during the morning. Although most of the damage was associated with uprooted trees and occasional severe wind gusts, flash flooding became more apparent during the afternoon along with a few large hail reports. ||Most of the reports o...
Flash Flood — Jul 6, 2015
The evening of Sunday, July 5th, a line of thunderstorms developed along a frontal boundary from west central Minnesota, northeast to the arrowhead region. These storms slowly moved southeast across west central and central Minnesota by midnight. By 2 to 3 am CST, numerous thunderstorms began to develop in east central Minnesota, ahead of the main line. ||As additional thunderstorms congealed w...
Flash Flood — Jun 1, 2014
Several rounds of strong thunderstorms moved across southern Minnesota, producing torrential rainfall with rates as high as 3 inches per hour. Precipitable water values were 1.6 to 1.7 inches of liquid water, which is equivalent to 150 to 175% above normal for the Upper Midwest for early June. ||Rainfall totals earlier Saturday afternoon were around 2 to 4 inches across the western Suburbs from...
Flash Flood — Jun 21, 2013
Two rounds of severe thunderstorms occurred across portions of southern and central Minnesota, between Friday afternoon, June 21st and early Saturday morning, June 22nd. These storms first developed across central South Dakota and moved into west central Minnesota after 4 pm, causing large hail, damaging winds and torrential rainfall. ||These storms weakened briefly in central Minnesota, before...
Flash Flood — Jun 25, 2010
During the morning of Friday June 25th, a small complex of thunderstorms developed across west-central Minnesota, and quickly moved eastward across southern Minnesota. Isolated severe weather occurred with these storms in west-central Minnesota during the morning hours. ||During the afternoon, a larger complex of storms developed across western Minnesota, and moved quickly across portions of ce...
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 Washington 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 Washington 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.