Enter any address in Wayne County, Nebraska to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Wayne County, NE. Between 2000 and 2024, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 13 flash flood events and 2 general flood events. Recent examples include flash flooding in rural western Wayne County on April 16, 2024, due to prolonged moderate to heavy rain from non-severe thunderstorms. Another flash flood event occurred on June 15, 2024, associated with a stalled warm front and developing thunderstorms. A more significant flood event occurred on March 13, 2019, impacting eastern Nebraska and western Iowa with widespread moderate to major flooding from rapid snowmelt and heavy rainfall.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data for Wayne County shows that properties in Zone A have experienced an average of $1,815 in payouts with an average water depth of 2.7 feet. One claim was recorded in Zone UNKNOWN with no payout and zero water depth. Homeowners in Zone A, and those in areas prone to flash flooding from heavy rainfall or river overflow, should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
9 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Wayne County, Nebraska has recorded 15 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 13 flash floods and 2 river or area floods. The county has received 18 federal disaster declarations, 4 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1967–2022)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms And Straight-line Winds | Severe Storm | May 12, 2022 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Flood | Mar 9, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 17, 2018 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-line Winds | Severe Storm | Jun 12, 2017 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 6, 2015 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 14, 2014 |
| Severe Storms, Winter Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding | Severe Storm | Oct 2, 2013 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 1, 2010 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Apr 16, 2024 | 2000.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 16, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 15, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 13, 2019 | 1.30M |
| Flood | Mar 13, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 25, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 25, 2017 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 30, 2014 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 27, 2012 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 11, 2010 | 30.00K |
Flash Flood — Apr 16, 2024
At midnight on the 16th, non-severe thunderstorms were ongoing across portions of northeast Nebraska and western Iowa. With these storms being rooted in a nearly stationary boundary co-located with the exit region of a low-level jet, this area saw prolonged periods of moderate to heavy rain. This resulted in isolated instances of flash flooding, especially for rural portions of western Wayne Co...
Flash Flood — Jun 15, 2024
On the morning of the 15th, upper air analysis showed a shortwave trough centered over the High Plains. At the surface, a warm front draped across the Plains slowly lifted north throughout the day, eventually stalling out across eastern Nebraska and down into northwestern Missouri. That afternoon, two areas of thunderstorm development was noted, one in northeast Kansas and another in northeast ...
Flash Flood — Mar 13, 2019
A 971mb bomb cyclone moved out of the central Rockies on Wednesday, March 13, 2019 and helped to create widespread, moderate to major, and in many cases historic, flooding across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. From 4 to 15 inches of snow cover remained across the mid Missouri River valley, and the ground was frozen with existing frost depths of 15 to 23 inches. Warm temperatures allowed all...
Flood — Mar 13, 2019
A 971mb bomb cyclone moved out of the central Rockies on Wednesday, March 13, 2019 and helped to create widespread, moderate to major, and in many cases historic, flooding across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. From 4 to 15 inches of snow cover remained across the mid Missouri River valley, and the ground was frozen with existing frost depths of 15 to 23 inches. Warm temperatures allowed all...
Flash Flood — Jun 25, 2018
An upper-level low tracked from the northern Rockies into the mid Missouri Valley in tandem with a surface low that developed slowly east across Nebraska. Multiple waves of thunderstorms moved through eastern Nebraska during the 24th and 25th with isolated occurrences of damaging winds and severe hail, along with heavy rain that resulted in areas of flooding. Hardest hit were Cuming and Platte ...
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 Wayne County, Nebraska:
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 Wayne County, Nebraska 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.