Enter any address in Atchison County, Missouri to see its FEMA flood zone
River overflow along the Missouri River is the dominant flood character for Atchison County. Between 1993 and 2023, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 36 flood events and 11 flash flood events in the county. For example, significant flooding occurred along the Missouri River in March, April, May, and June of 2019 due to heavy snowmelt and persistent rainfall, with some areas experiencing record levels and levee failures.
FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows that properties in Zone A, which are areas of special flood hazard, have experienced the most claims, averaging $35,072 per claim with an average water depth of 2.6 feet. While Zone X_Unshaded and Zone X have fewer claims, one claim in Zone X averaged $42,000 with a water depth of 1.0 foot.
Residents in areas designated as Zone A, as well as those living near the Missouri River, should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
4 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Atchison County, Missouri has recorded 47 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 11 flash floods and 36 river or area floods. The county has received 23 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 Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 29, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Flood | Mar 11, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 15, 2015 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Sep 9, 2014 |
| Flooding | Flood | Jun 1, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Jan 31, 2011 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Jun 12, 2010 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Ice Storm | Jan 26, 2009 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Mar 9, 2019 | 100.00K |
| Flood | May 1, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 1, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 1, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 30, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 30, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jul 18, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 11, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 27, 2014 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 9, 2014 | 0.00K |
Flood — Mar 9, 2019
Several months of heavy snow across the Northern Plains set the stage for a significant and catastrophic flooding event when temperatures warmed and heavy rain fell across Nebraska and the Dakotas. While the more significant damage occurred across eastern Nebraska several counties along the Missouri River and Northern and Central Missouri also saw some significant impacts. Numerous locations al...
Flood — May 1, 2019
Heavy late winter and spring precipitation, mixed with a loaded snow pack caused the Missouri River to flood in March. Consistent heavy rains continued the Missouri River flooding into and through May. Some locations along the Missouri River were in major flood for several weeks as heavy rains continued.
Flood — Jun 1, 2019
Heavy late winter and spring precipitation, mixed with a loaded snow pack caused the Missouri River to flood in March. Consistent heavy rains continued the Missouri River flooding into and through June. Some locations along the Missouri River were in major flood for several weeks as heavy rains continued. While the flooding continued through June, there was some gradual and steady improvement a...
Flood — Apr 1, 2019
The flooding that began in mid March along the Missouri River continued through April and into May. Some areas experienced record flooding from this event, and several levees broke within the time span of this event.
Flash Flood — May 30, 2016
On the evening of May 30, 2016 a few storms formed over far northeast Kansas and northwest Missouri. There was no widespread severe weather, but a few of these storms produced several funnels. One of these storms in in Grundy County produced a couple weak and brief tornadoes that that did not cause any damage.
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 Atchison County, Missouri:
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 Atchison County, Missouri 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.