18 flood insurance claims·$275,556 paid·7 federal flood & hurricane disasters
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Lafayette County, Missouri. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
River flooding and flash flooding from storms characterize the flood risks in Lafayette County, Missouri, where NOAA records show 84 flood events and 24 flash flood events over the last 30 years. Heavy precipitation events frequently impact the region, such as a mid-level trough in July 2020 that produced rounds of moderate to heavy rain, closing several roads for days. Additionally, heavy late winter and spring precipitation combined with snowpack caused the Missouri River to flood in March 2019, with consistent heavy rains sustaining major flooding along the river into June 2019.
National Flood Insurance Program records reflect claims across different zones. Zone A accounts for 14 claims with an average payout of $13,878 and an average recorded water depth of 4 inches. Zone X_UNSHADED accounts for 3 claims with an average payout of $31,440 and an average recorded water depth of 4 inches. Zone UNKNOWN accounts for 1 claim with an average payout of $823 and an average recorded water depth of 0 inches.
Properties near rivers, low-lying areas subject to flash flooding, and those located within Zone A and Zone X_UNSHADED should pay the closest attention to these flood risks.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 4 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 1993, with 4 claims and $61,559 paid, the year of Severe Storms & Flooding.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
14 NOAA storm reports from Lafayette County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Missouri flood stories →
25 federal disaster declarations since 1965, 7 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Apr 29, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | May 15, 2015 |
| Flooding | Jun 1, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 31, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Jan 31, 2011 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Jun 12, 2010 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 26, 2009 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Dec 8, 2007 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
108 since 1996: 24 flash floods and 84 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jul 31, 2020 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 30, 2020 | — |
| Flood | May 21, 2019 | — |
| Flood | May 1, 2019 | — |
| Flood | Jun 1, 2019 | — |
| Flood | Apr 1, 2019 | — |
| Flood | Jul 27, 2017 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 27, 2017 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Jul 31, 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 to no damage was rep…
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 to no damage was rep…
Flood · May 21, 2019. A line of generally sub-severe thunderstorms moved through the region during the early morning hours on May 21. These storms didn't produce any severe winds or hail, but as they moved east wake low winds produced damage consisting of several tree limbs down as well as power lines and power poles. The storms then went on to produce torrential rains which caused areas of flooding.
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.
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Lafayette County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.