Enter any address in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri to see its FEMA flood zone
River overflow along the Mississippi is a significant flood concern for Cape Girardeau County, MO, with 137 flood events and 53 flash flood events recorded in the last 30 years. Recent events include minor flooding of streets and roads in February 2025 due to heavy rainfall, and flash flooding in May 2024 and July 2024, associated with severe weather outbreaks and torrential rainfall.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows a substantial number of claims in Zone A, with an average payout of $10,840 and an average water depth of 4.3 feet. Claims were also filed in Zone X, with higher average payouts of $15,137 and an average water depth of 3.8 feet, and in Zone X_SHADED, with average payouts of $6,104 and an average water depth of 3.6 feet. Homeowners in Zone A, as well as those in areas designated Zone X and X_SHADED, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
63 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Cape Girardeau County, Missouri has recorded 190 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 53 flash floods and 137 river or area floods. The county has received 28 federal disaster declarations, 6 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1973–2025)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Mar 30, 2025 |
| 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 | Flood | Apr 28, 2017 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Flood | Dec 23, 2015 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 29, 2013 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 19, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Jan 31, 2011 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Feb 15, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 26, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 8, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jul 5, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 1, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 19, 2023 | 50.00K |
| Flood | Jan 18, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 4, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 3, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 6, 2022 | 0.00K |
Flood — Feb 15, 2025
Showers and thunderstorms produced heavy rainfall (2-5) as they streamed northeast across southeast Missouri in the afternoon and evening of the 15th. The greatest rainfall amounts were near the Mississippi River in New Madrid and Mississippi counties. Minor flooding of city streets occurred in the city of New Madrid and along numerous state highways and county Roads. The heavy rain caused a re...
Flash Flood — May 26, 2024
The second major severe weather outbreak for the month occurred on the 26th for the Quad State region. On the synoptic scale, a shortwave trough centered in the middle of the country with a 60 kt mid-level jet moved across northern Arkansas. A weak surface low was moving into SE Missouri during the morning with a secondary low located further northwest. A warm frontal boundary was draped across...
Flash Flood — Jul 8, 2024
Convection developed during the afternoon of the 8th with activity most widespread between 1200-1700CST. PW values of 2-2.25 inches, bolstered by moisture from Hurricane Beryl to the southwest, resulted in torrential rainfall rates that produced isolated flooding issues. Additionally, a landspout formed south of I-57 in Mississippi County, reported via several photos and videos. Effective bulk ...
Flood — Jul 5, 2024
Elevated water levels flowing down the Mississippi River from locations north of the Quad State resulted in minor flooding on the Mississippi in Southeast Missouri from early to mid July. Impacts were mostly limited to low-lying agricultural areas.
Flood — May 1, 2024
Above normal April rainfall in much of Missouri, Illinois, and Southeast Iowa led to elevated river levels early May on the Mississippi River. The flood stage at Chester was exceeded just before the beginning of April, while Cape Girardeau and Thebes reached minor flood in early May, albeit for a short duration at Thebes. Rainy weather May 5th-8th and 14th-17th extended minor flood conditions a...
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 Cape Girardeau 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 Cape Girardeau 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.