3 flood insurance claims·$77,084 paid
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 Wibaux County, Montana. 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.
Flooding and flash flooding from heavy rainfall events dominate the flood history of Wibaux County. Over the last 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database has recorded 10 flood events and 8 flash flood events. Significant moisture surges from the southern Plains have triggered severe weather, such as in May 2011 when heavy rainfall produced widespread flooding on small streams and creeks after monthly precipitation totals reached 300 to 600 percent of normal. Another strong weather system in June 2010 brought heavy rainfall and severe thunderstorms to the region.
National Flood Insurance Program records indicate historical claims in both Zone X and areas classified as Zone UNKNOWN. The single claim in Zone X resulted in an average payout of $72,247 with an average recorded water depth of 1 inch. Two claims in Zone UNKNOWN resulted in an average payout of $2,418, also with an average recorded water depth of 1 inch.
Property owners located near small streams, creeks, and low-lying areas should pay the most attention to flood risks in this county, particularly during periods of prolonged heavy spring and summer rainfall.
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 1 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.
5 federal disaster declarations since 2000.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Apr 4, 2011 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Oct 31, 2000 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
18 since 1996: 8 flash floods and 10 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | May 29, 2011 | — |
| Flood | May 23, 2011 | — |
| Flood | May 20, 2011 | — |
| Flood | Mar 19, 2011 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 19, 2011 | — |
| Flood | May 18, 2011 | — |
| Flood | Mar 17, 2011 | — |
| Flood | Mar 16, 2011 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · May 29, 2011. An additional two inches of rain fell across the area, bringing flooding to creeks and streams in the area.
Flood · May 23, 2011. A slow moving upper level low pressure system was tapping into an area of moisture that was surging north from the southern Plains states. 2 to 4 inches of rain fell across the area between May 20th and the 22nd.
Flood · May 20, 2011. This flooding occurred in a large portion of northeast Montana.
Flood · Mar 19, 2011. Flooding continued on the Yellowstone River due mainly to ice jams.
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 Wibaux 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.