Enter any address in Buchanan County, Missouri to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall events is the most frequent type of flooding impacting Buchanan County, MO, with 22 flash flood events recorded in the last 30 years, resulting in one fatality. For example, heavy rain on July 7, 2022, led to isolated flash flooding and a water rescue in St. Joseph. Additionally, on July 30, 2020, several days of moderate to heavy rain caused minor flooding and road closures.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the highest number of claims (399), with an average payout of $38,292 and an average water depth of 6.0 feet. Properties in Zone X_SHADED and Zone X_UNSHADED also show significant claim activity, with average payouts of $32,484 and $18,088 respectively. Homeowners in Zone A, as well as those in Zone X_SHADED and Zone X_UNSHADED, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
11 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Buchanan County, Missouri has recorded 121 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 22 flash floods and 99 river or area floods. The county has received 28 federal disaster declarations, 9 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1965–2021)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 24, 2021 |
| 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 |
| Flooding | Flood | Jun 1, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Jan 31, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Severe Storm | Jan 31, 2011 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Jun 12, 2010 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 7, 2022 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 24, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 30, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 20, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 13, 2019 | 100.00K |
| Flood | May 1, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 1, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 1, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Sep 14, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 13, 2016 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Jul 7, 2022
Heavy rain moved through northern Missouri during the early morning hours on July 7. While there were no notable impacts across the area, there was some isolated flash flooding, which resulted in a water rescue in St. Joseph.
Flash Flood — Jun 24, 2021
Late in the afternoon, and through the evening hours on June 24 a cluster of storms over southeast Nebraska congealed into a line of thunderstorms that focused across northern Missouri. Most notably within this line of storms was a cluster of QLCS tornadoes that formed in Grundy County. There may have been other tornadoes associated with circulations that were noted on radar, but emergency mana...
Flash Flood — Jul 30, 2020
Throughout the final few days of the month a mid level trough dug into the central part of the CONUS, and produced several rounds of moderate to heavy rain. Several areas reported well over 6 inches of rain over the 2 day period, with the high values occurring in Johnson County Missouri where almost 10 inches of rain over the 36-48 period was reported. Most of the flooding was minor and little ...
Flash Flood — Jul 20, 2020
Some storms moved into western Missouri, bringing some small hail and isolated minor flooding. No damage was reported with these storms.
Flood — Mar 13, 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...
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 Buchanan 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 Buchanan 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.